• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.200-204
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• 2002

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological characteristics and postoperative prognosis of two age groups with gastric cancer in order to establish the proper treatment strategy in these groups of patients. Materials and Methods: Among patients with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy between 1990 and 1996 at the Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University, the clinicopathological characteristics, including the postoperative survival, of patients younger than 40-years old were compared with those of patients over 69-years old. Results: During that period 1,125 gastric cancer patients underwent a gastrectomy. Among them, 111 patients ($9.9\%$) were less than 40-years old, and 96 patients ($8.5\%$) were over 69-years old. In the young group, 79 patients ($71.2\%$) had a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and 59 patients from the elderly group ($61.5\%$) had a well- or moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). Curative surgery was performed for 88 ($79.3\%$) patients in the young group and 78 ($81.3\%$) patients in the elderly group. This difference was not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in the 5-year survival rates between the young and the elderly ($66.3\%\;vs.\;47.2\%$) groups, but the 5-year survival rate of the young group was significantly higher than that of the elderly group after a curative resection ($83.2\%\;vs.\;53.3\%$; P<0.05). Also the 5-year survival rate of the elderly group was significantly higher than that of the young group after a non-curative resection ($20.4\%\;vs.\;4.6\%$; P<0.05). Conclusions: For young patients, more efforts are needed to detect gastric cancer in its early stages so that a curative surgery can be performed. However, for the elderly, surgical treatment is recommended at any stage because of the relatively high survival rate, even after non-curative surgery.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.116-121
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• 2011

Purpose: Gastric cancer surgery is a common operation in East Asia, such as Korea and Japan, and there has been a significant increase in the need for this procedure due to the aging population. As a result, surgery for the treatment of gastric cancer for elderly patients is expected to increase. This study examined the effect of old age on gastric cancer surgery, and analyzed the operative risk factors for elderly patients. Materials and Methods: From November 2008 to August 2010, 590 patients, who underwent a curative resection for gastric cancers, were enrolled. Patients who underwent palliative or emergency surgery were excluded. A retrospective analysis of the correlation between surgical outcomes and age was performed. The elderly were defined as patients who were over the age of 65 years. Results: The mean age of all patients was 58.3 years, and complications occurred in 87 cases (14.7%). The most common complication was wound infection and severe complications requiring surgical, endoscopic, or radiologic intervention developed in 52 cases (8.8%). The rate of complications increased with increasing age of the patients. Univariate analysis revealed age, comorbidity, extent of resection, operation time, and combined resection to be associated with surgical complications. In particular, age over 75 years old, operation time, and comorbidity were predictive factors in multivariate analysis. In the elderly, only comorbidity was associated with surgical complications Conclusions: The patients' age is the most important factor for predicting surgical complications. Surgeons should pay an attention to the performance of gastric cancer surgery on elderly patients. In particular, it must be performed carefully for elderly patients with a comorbidity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.388-393
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• 2021

At present, in Korea, due to developments in medicine and technology and an increasing mean lifespan, the expected lifetime for elderly people is increasing (at 70 years, the expected additional lifespan is 14.8 years for males and 18.3 years for females). However, among all causes of death, malignant neoplasm is ranked first for all ages. Further, the incidence rate of oral cancer tends to increase with age. Thus, oral and maxillofacial surgeons have increased opportunity to experience the 'oldest old' patients with oral cancer. Elderly patients commonly have several comorbidities, poor general condition, limited socioeconomic support, fear of various postoperative complications, and perception of short for the rest of their life. In this situation, the patient, caregiver, and surgeon often choose undergraded treatment rather than standard treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma owing to patient age. In elderly patients with oral cancer, ablation of tumor or reconstructive surgery is challenging for surgeons. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons must evaluate carefully the patient's medical condition and make a decision regarding treatment plans after sufficient discussion with patient and caregivers. We review the literature to consider the factors involved for deciding on a treatment plan regarding surgery in elderly patients with oral cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.2029-2032
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• 2013

Background: The geriatric population in Malaysia is predicted to increase from 4% of the total population in 1998 to 9.8% by 2020, in parallel with developments in the socioeconomy. Cancer is expected to be a major medical issue among this population. However, the decision for treatment in Malaysia is always decided by the caregivers instead of the elderly patients themselves. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the willingness to accept chemotherapy among elderly Malaysians. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients aged 60 and above from various clinics/wards were recruited. Those giving consent were interviewed using a questionnaire. Results: A total of 75 patients were recruited, 35 patients (47%) with a history of cancer. The median age was 73 years old. There were 29 Chinese (38.7%), 22 Indian (29.3%), 20 Malay (26.7%) and four other ethnicity patients. Some 83% and 73% of patients willing to accept strong and mild chemotherapy, respectively. Patients with cancer were more willing to accept strong and mild chemotherapy compared to the non-cancer group (88.6% vs 62.5%, P=0.005, 94% vs 80%, P=0.068). On sub-analysis, 71.4% and 42.9% of Chinese patients without a history of cancer were not willing to receive strong and mild chemotherapy, respectively. Conclusions: The majority of elderly patients in UMMC were willing to receive chemotherapy if they had cancer. Experience with previous treatment had positive influence on the willingness to undergo chemotherapy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2007

목적: 약년자와 고령자에서 발생하는 위암의 차이점에 관한 연구는 이전부터 있어왔지만, 최근 한국인의 평균 수명이 연장되면서 이에 따른 약년자 군과 고령자 군을 새롭게 분류해야할 필요가 제기되었다. 약년자에서 발생하는 위암은 진단 시 간파되기 쉽고, 고령자 위암의 경우 동반질환으로 인해 수술 전후의 위험도를 증가시키는 것으로 알려져 왔다. 저자들은 약년자 군과 고령자 군에서 발생한 위암에서 각각의 임상병리학적 특성과 예후에 관하여 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 위암 환자를 나이에 따라 35세 이하의 약년자 군 31명과 75세 이상의 고령자 군 49명으로 분류하고 성비, 발생위치, 조직학적 분류, 병기, 수술방법, 평균생존율 등의 임상병리학적 특성을 비교하였다. 결과: 약년자 군에서 미분화 선암과 미만형의 발생률이 가장 높았으며, 고령자 군에서는 미분화와 중등도 분화 선암, 장형의 발생률이 가장 높은 것으로 관찰되었다. 그 외 두 군 간의 수술 방법의 차이나 술 후 합병증 및 수술 전후의 사망률 등의 의미있는 임상적 차이는 관찰되지 않았다. 또한, 두 군 간의 생존율 차이도 관찰되지 않았다. 결론: 약령자와 고령자 두 군 간에 임상병리학적이나 생존율의 차이를 보이지 않았고, 두 군 간 수술방법과 근치도에서 차이가 없는 수술이 시도된 결과 고령자 군에서 약년자 군에 비해 생존율 저하를 보이지 많았다. 따라서 고령 환자에서 발생한 위암의 치료 시 보다 적극적 수술 치료가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2023

The aging population, particularly those aged 65 and above, is on the rise, with projections indicating a substantial increase in the elderly demographic. This demographic shift brings challenges in managing age-related diseases, including head and neck cancers (HNCs). Frailty, often characterized by physiological decline and vulnerability to stressors, is a crucial factor affecting treatment outcomes of elderly cancer patients. Accordingly, the significance of assessing frailty in elderly HNC patients before their treatment should be emphasized, but current frailty assessment tools may not fully capture the unique challenges faced by HNC patients. Specific indicators, including respiratory and swallowing functions, are proposed for a more tailored assessment. This comprehensive review explores the impact of frailty on various treatment modalities, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, highlighting the need for personalized interventions. Furthermore, it suggests avenues for future research to enhance frailty assessment tools and investigate interventions aimed at improving treatment outcomes in elderly HNC patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.278-289
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• 2019

Purpose: Phase angle obtained using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) provides a relatively precise assessment of the nutritional status of elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the significance of phase angle as a risk factor for complications after gastrectomy in elderly patients. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 210 elderly patients (aged ${\geq}65years$) who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric cancer between August 2016 and August 2017. The phase angle cutoff value was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis according to sex. A retrospective analysis regarding the correlation between early postoperative complications and well-known risk factors, including the phase angle, was performed. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of two or more comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 3.675) and hypoalbuminemia (OR, 4.059) were independent risk factors for overall complications, and female sex (OR, 2.993) was independent risk factor for severe complications. A low phase angle (OR, 2.901 and 4.348, respectively) and total gastrectomy (OR, 4.718 and 3.473, respectively) were independent risk factors for both overall and severe complications. Conclusions: Our findings show that preoperative low phase angle predicts the risk of overall and severe complications. Our findings suggest that BIA should be performed to assess the risk of postoperative complications in elderly patients with gastric cancer.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.109-117
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy in very elderly patients with gastric cancer, who have outlived the average lifespan of the Korean population (men: ${\geq}77years$, women: ${\geq}84years$). Materials and Methods: Between 2004 and 2015, 836 patients with gastric cancer underwent a laparoscopic gastrectomy. They were divided into the elderly group (EldG) and non-elderly group (nEldG). Propensity score matching for covariates of sex, tumor depth, node status, and extent of resection was performed. Clinicopathologic characteristics, and surgical and survival outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The EldG had a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and a higher number of comorbidities. There was no significant difference in the post-operative complications, except for pulmonary complications, which were more frequent in the EldG (5/56, 8.9%) than in the nEldG (0/56, 0%). The EldG had a shorter overall survival (OS), but cancer-specific survival was similar for both groups. Among deceased patients, 2 (25%) and 8 patients (50%) died within a year of surgery in the nEldG and EldG, respectively. Univariate and multivariate risk factor analyses for OS showed that age, ASA score, tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, and occurrence of complications were significantly related to deterioration in OS. Conclusions: Laparoscopic gastrectomy can be safely performed in very elderly patients with gastric cancer who have outlived the average lifespan of the Korean population. However, impact of laparoscopic gastrectomy on improving survival is not clear, and careful patient selection is recommended.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권17호
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• pp.7813-7818
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• 2015

Background: Radiotherapy plays an important role as adjuvant treatment in locally advanced breast cancer and in those patients who have undergone breast-conserving surgery. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of adjuvant radiation on oncologic outcomes in elderly women with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed and analyzed the characteristics, treatment outcome and survival of elderly women (aged ${\geq}60years$) with breast cancer who were treated and followed-up between 1993 and 2014. The median follow up for the surviving patients was 38 (range 3-207) months. Results: One hundred and seventy-eight patients with a median age of 74 (range 60-95) years were enrolled in the study. Of the total, 60 patients received postoperative adjuvant radiation (radiation group) and the remaining 118 did not (control group). Patients in the radiation group were significantly younger than those in the control group (P value=0.004). In addition, patients in radiation group had higher node stage (P value<0.001) and disease stage (P=0.003) and tended to have higher tumor grade (P=0.031) and received more frequent (P value<0.001) adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to those in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups regarding the local control, disease-free survival and overall survival rates. Conclusions: In this study, we did not find a prognostic impact for adjuvant radiation on oncologic outcomes in elderly women with breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3277-3280
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• 2016

Background: Gastric cancer is considered the fourth most common cancer and second most common cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide. Gastric cancer develops more frequently among elderly. The oxaliplatin/5FU/leucovorin (FOLFOX) regimen has shown a notable activity against gastric cancer. Aim: To evaluate the responses and complications of FOLFOX-4 regimen as first line chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: From October 2014 to November 2015, a total of 21 patients with metastatic or local AGC (advanced gastric cancer) were analyzed. All patients were administered a FOLFOX-4 regimen consisting of a 2h infusion of oxaliplatin $85mg/m^2$ (day 1), continuous infusion of $1000mg/m^2$ 5-Fu in 24h., and leucovorin $200mg/m^2$ in 2h infusion as a first-line chemotherapy. Results: A total of 18 patients were assessable for efficacy and toxicity. One of 18 patients achieved a complete response, and 12 had partial responses, giving an overall response rate of 72.6%. Three (16%) patients demonstrated stable disease and 2 (12%) progression. The median progression free survival was 7.3 months, and the median overall survival was 11.9 months. One patient had grade 3 neuropathy. No other grade 3 or 4 NCI-CTC were seen. Conclusions: The FOLFOX-4 regimen used in our study was both active and acceptable for AGC in elderly patients as neoadjuvant and main therapy.