• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.233-239
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• 1991

This is a retrospective study of 62 patients with unresected squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus treated by radiotherapy alone (25 patients) or combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (37 patients). Of these, 14 of 25 patients treated by radiation therapy alone and 25 of 37 patients treated by combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy completed radiotherapy consisting of 55 to 60 Gy in 5 to 6 weeks and were analyzed for local control rate and survival rate. Follow up ranged from 6 days to 58 months. Three ($8\%$) of 39 patients had a complete response, twenty-eight ($72\%$) a partial response and eight ($20\%$) minimal or no response. Overall median survival was 11 months for all stages. The 1 year and 2 year actuarial survival rates were $48.6\%$ and $13\%$ respectively. Age and stage had prognostic significances (p <0.05, p<0.05 respectively). The 1 year survival rate was $70.1\%$ for stage I, $47.6\%$ for stage II, and $28.4\%$ for stage III. The median survival was 19 months for stage I, 11 months for stage II, 6 months for stage III, and 5.5 months for stage III with distant metastases. The 1 year survival rate of patients 55 years and above was $69.6\%$, 54 years and below was $0\%$. There was no significant difference in survival rate between treatment modalities, locations of tumor, and responses of tumor.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2000

Purpose :We peformed the retrospective analysis to find the outcome of external beam radiotherapy alone in advanced esophageal cancer patients. Methods and Materials : One hundred and six Patients treated with external beam radiotherapy alone between July 1990 and December 1996 were analyzed retrospectively. We limited the site of the lesions to the thoracic esophagus and cell type to the squamous cell carcinoma. Follow-up was completed in 100 patients (94$\%$) and ranged from 1 month to 92 months (median; 6 months). Results :The median age was 62 years old and male to female ratio was 104 2. Fifty-three percent was the middle thorax lesion and curative radiotherapy was peformed in 83$\%$. Mean tumor dose delivered with curative aim was 58.6 Gy (55$\~$70.8 Gy) and median duration of the radiation therapy was 53 days. The median survival of all patients was 6 months and )-year and 2-year overall survival rate was 27$\%$ and 12$\%$, respectively, Improvement of dysphagia was obtained in most patients except for 7 patients who underwent feeding gastrostomy. The complete response rate immediately after radiation therapy was 32$\%$ (34/106). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the complete responder was 14 months and 30$\%$ respectively, while those of the nonresponder was 4 months and 0$\%$ respectively (p=0.000). The median survival and 2-year survival rate of the patients who could tolerate regular diet was 9 months and 16$\%$ while those of the patients who could not tolerate regular diet was 3 months and 0$\%$, respectively (p=0.004). The survival difference between the patients with S cm or less tumor length and those with more than 5 cm tumor length was marginally statistically significant (u=0,06). However, the survival difference according to the periesophageal invasion or mediastinal tyrnphadenopathy in the chest CT imaging study was not statistically significant in this study. In a multivariate analysis, the statistically significant covariates to the survival were complete response to radiotherapy, tumor length, and initial degree of dysphagia in a decreasing order. The complication was observed in 10 patients (9$\%$). Conclusion :The survival outcome for advanced esophageal cancer patients treated by external beam radiotherapy alone was very poor. In the treatment of these patients, the brachytherapy and chemotherapy should be added to improve the treatment outcome.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.123-127
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• 2014

A recent study summarized several published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of cancer and reported two pleiotropic loci at 6p21.1 and 7p15.3 contributing to multiple cancers including lung cancer, noncardia gastric cancer (NCGC), and esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Han Chinese. However, it is not known whether such genetic variants have similar effects on the risk of gynecologic cancers, such as ovarian cancer. Hence, we explored associations between genetic variants in 6p21.1 and 7p15.3 and ovarian cancer risk in Han Chinese women. We performed an independent case-control study by genotyping the two loci (rs2494938 A > G at 6p21.1 and rs2285947 A > G at 7p15.3) in a total of 377 ovarian cancer cases and 1,034 cancer-free controls using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. We found that rs2285947 at 7p15.3 was significantly associated with risk of ovarian cancer with per allele odds ratio (OR) of 1.33 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.64, P=0.008]. However, no significant association was observed between rs2494938 and ovarian cancer risk. Our results showed that rs2285947 at 7p15.3 may also contribute to the development of ovarian cancer in Han Chinese women, further suggesting pleiotropy of 7p15.3 in multiple cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7905-7909
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• 2015

Several studies reported there was a polymorphism (rs531564 C > G) in miR-124 gene. To investigate the MiR-124 rs531564 polymorphism and cancer risk. We conducted a literature search of the Medline, Embase and Wangfang Medicine databases to identify all relevant studies for this meta-analysis. We determined that the miR-124 rs531564 polymorphism was significantly associated with decreased risks of cancers in the allelic model (G vs C, OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.53-0.94, P=0.02), homozygote model (GG vs CC, OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.26-0.66, P=0.0002), dominant model (GG/GC vs CC, OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.51-0.98, P=0.04) and recessive model (GG vs GC/CC, OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.27-0.69, P=0.0004). In an analysis stratified by cervical cancer group, significant associations were observed in the allelic model (G vs C, OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.32-0.66, P<0.0001), and dominant model (GG/GC vs CC, OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.3-0.66, P<0.0001). Subgroup analysis also revealed a decreased risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the homozygote model (GG vs CC, OR=0.45, 95% CI=0.27-0.75, P=0.002) and recessive model (GG vs GC/CC, OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.28-0.75, P=0.002). This meta-analysis suggests that the miR-124 rs531564 C > G polymorphism is an important risk factor for cancers among the Chinese population.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1407-1412
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• 2012

Background & Objectives: Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both sexes in Iran. This study was designed to assess upper GI endoscopic findings among people > 50 years targeted in a mass screening program in a hot-point region. Methods: Based on the pilot results in Guilan Cancer Registry study (GCRS), one of the high point regions for GC-Lashtenesha- was selected. The target population was called mainly using two methods: in rural regions, by house-house direct referral and in urban areas using public media. Upper GI endoscopy was performed by trained endoscopists. All participants underwent biopsies for rapid urea test (RUT) from the antrum and also further biopsies from five defined points of stomach for detection of precancerous lesions. In cases of visible gross lesions, more diagnostic biopsies were taken and submitted for histopathologic evaluation. Results: Of 1,394 initial participants, finally 1,382 persons (702 women, 680 men) with a mean age of $61.7{\pm}9.0$ years (range: 50-87 years) underwent upper GI endoscopy. H. pylori infection based on the RUT was positive in 66.6%. Gastric adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus were detected in seven (0.5%) and one (0.07%) persons, respectively. A remarkable proportion of studied participants were found to have esophageal hiatal hernia (38.4%). Asymptomatic gastric masses found in 1.1% (15) of cases which were mostly located in antrum (33.3%), cardia (20.0%) and prepyloric area (20.0%). Gastric and duodenal ulcers were found in 5.9% (82) and 6.9% (96) of the screened population. Conclusion: Upper endoscopy screening is an effective technique for early detection of GC especially in high risk populations. Further studies are required to evaluate cost effectiveness, cost benefit and mortality and morbidity of this method among high and moderate risk population before recommending this method for the GC surveillance program at the national level.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1998

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of curative radiotherapy in the management of supralottic cancer. Materials and Methods : Twenty-one Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supralottis were treated with radiotherapy at Gyeongsang National University Hospital between 1590 and 1994. Median follow-up period was 36 months and 95% were observed for at least 2 years. Results : Actuarial survival rate at 5 years was 39.3% for 21 patients. The 5-rear actuarial survival rate was 75.0% in Stage I, 42.9% in Stage II, 33.3% in Stage III and 28.6% in Stage IV(p=0.54), The 5-year local control rate was 52.0% for 21 patients. The 5-rear local control rate was 75.0% in Stage I, 57.1% in Stage II, 66.7% in Stage III, and 28.6% in Stage IV(p=0.33). Double primary cancer was developed in 3 patients and those were all esophageal cancers. Conclusion : In early stage(Stage I and II) supralottic cancer, curative radiotherapy would be a treatment of choice and surgery would be better to be reserved for salvage of radiotherapy failure. In advanced stage(Stage III and IV), radiotherapy alone is inadequate for curative therapy and combination with surgery should be done in operable patients. This report emphasizes the importance of esophagoscopy and esophagogram at the follow-up of patients with supralottic cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: For the first time, a nationwide survey in the Republic of Korea was conducted to determine the basic parameters for the treatment of esophageal cancer and to offer a solid cooperative system for the Korean Pattern of Care Study database. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: During $1998{\sim}1999$, biopsy-confirmed 246 esophageal cancer patients that received radiotherapy were enrolled from 23 different institutions in South Korea. Random sampling was based on power allocation method. Patient parameters and specific information regarding tumor characteristics and treatment methods were collected and registered through the web based PCS system. The data was analyzed by the use of the Chi-squared test. $\underline{Results}$: The median age of the collected patients was 62 years. The male to female ratio was about 91 to 9 with an absolute male predominance. The performance status ranged from ECOG 0 to 1 in 82.5% of the patients. Diagnostic procedures included an esophagogram (228 patients, 92.7%), endoscopy (226 patients, 91.9%), and a chest CT scan (238 patients, 96.7%). Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 96.3% of the patients; mid-thoracic esophageal cancer was most prevalent (110 patients, 44.7%) and 135 patients presented with clinical stage III disease. Fifty seven patients received radiotherapy alone and 37 patients received surgery with adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. Half of the patients (123 patients) received chemotherapy together with RT and 70 patients (56.9%) received it as concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The most frequently used chemotherapeutic agent was a combination of cisplatin and 5-FU. Most patients received radiotherapy either with 6 MV (116 patients, 47.2%) or with 10 MV photons (87 patients, 35.4%). Radiotherapy was delivered through a conventional AP-PA field for 206 patients (83.7%) without using a CT plan and the median delivered dose was 3,600 cGy. The median total dose of postoperative radiotherapy was 5,040 cGy while for the non-operative patients the median total dose was 5,970 cGy. Thirty-four patients received intraluminal brachytherapy with high dose rate Iridium-192. Brachytherapy was delivered with a median dose of 300 cGy in each fraction and was typically delivered $3{\sim}4\;times$. The most frequently encountered complication during the radiotherapy treatment was esophagitis in 155 patients (63.0%). $\underline{Conclusion}$: For the evaluation and treatment of esophageal cancer patients at radiation facilities in Korea, this study will provide guidelines and benchmark data for the solid cooperative systems of the Korean PCS. Although some differences were noted between institutions, there was no major difference in the treatment modalities and RT techniques.