• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.331-339
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• 2007

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate LDQOL (Liver Disease Quality of Life) and its related factors of patients with Hepatitis B. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study. The LDQOL was formally translated to Korean and reliability was examined. One hundred thirty eight patients following gastroenterology outpatient clinic of S. hospital in Seoul, Korea participated. Results: The mean age of the patients was 45.43 years and 87.7% were men. The mean score of LDQOL was 77.34, and mean scores of subscale were followed; symptom of liver disease (SxLD) (82.12), effect of liver disease (ELD) (25.50), concentration (Conc) (84.47), memory (Mem) (83.24), health discomfort, (HD) (75.18), sexual function (SFun) (75.71), sexual problem (SProb) (84.70), Loneliness (85.50), Hopeless (67.43), and stigma of liver disease (SLD) (91.64). Women had a lower LDQOL score for Loneliness (p=.034), and over 45 year-old patients had a lower LDQOL overall score (p=.000). Patients who were HBV carriers, or who had Chronic Hepatitis B or Liver Cirrhosis reported lower QOL respectively(p=.032). Conclusion: Although the liver disease itself seemed to be stable, patients with HBV experienced poor QOL in ELD, SProb, SFun, and Hopeless. Therefore nursing interventions in these aspects are needed.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.123-127
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• 1998

BRCA1 is a tumor suppresser gene in familial cases of breast cancer. It has been controversial whether the subcellular localization of BRCA1 is located in nuclei or cytoplasm in normal human breast cells. We found that a p220 protein was expressed in Type II Normal human breast epithelial cells (NHBEC) but not in Type I NHBEC in Western blot analysis using the 17F8 (3A2) antibody. Immunostaining using the same antibody revealed positive staining in nuclei, cytoplasm and perinuclei of Type II cells and negative staining in Type I NHBEC. The p220 protein, however, was expressed in SV40 immortalized Type I NHBEC and tumorigenic cells derived from them after x-ray and neu oncogene treatment. The subcelluar localization was mostly cytoplasmic and punctate in the nuclei. The breast carcinoma cell lines, MCF-7 and T47D, also expressed the p220 protein. Using RT-PCR, we observed the expression of BRCA1 mRNA in both Type I and Type II NHBEC. This result indicated that there might be mechanisms involved in post-translational or translational regulation of BRCA1 gene. It is speculated that the absence of BRCA1 protein expression in Type I NHBEC might playa role in their susceptibility to neoplastic transformation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.4033-4037
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• 2014

Emerging evidence has shown associations of microRNA-205 (miR-205) with crucial cell processes such as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aberrant expression with tumorigenesis in many types of human malignancy. This prospective study characterized the contribution of miR-205 to the colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis. The real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine miR-205 levels prospectively in 36 pairs of samples of CRC tissue and adjacent noncancerous tissue (>2 cm from cancer tissue). In addition, the relationship between miR-205 levels and clinicopathological features was explored. The capability of miR-205 to function as a tumor marker was also examined. miR-205 expression levels did not show significant changes overall. However, miR-205 was significantly downregulated in a group of CRC samples compared with matched noncancerous tissue samples. Moreover, decreased miR-205 correlated significantly with lymphatic metastasis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve also showed an optimum cut off point of $1.4{\times}10^{-3}$ to distinguish lymphatic metastatic CRCs from non-metastatic CRCs. Interestingly we found lymphatic metastasis in almost 80% of the depressed samples. This study suggested that miR-205 could be reduced in the majority of metastatic CRCs and the risk of CRC metastasis may be predicted by monitoring miR-205 in patient samples collected at the time of the initial diagnosis. Therefore, targeting miR-205 and its potential environmental activators might be a promising therapeutic option to prevent malignant progression toward metastasis.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.142-146
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• 2014

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) causing fatal pulmonary hypertension is a rare presentation of malignancy. In general, patients with PTTM rapidly succumb to death due to severe hypoxia. To date, very few cases of PTTM have been reported in the literature; and most of these cases were from gastric cancer and were diagnosed on post mortem autopsy, as it is extremely challenging to make an ante mortem diagnosis. We here report on a case of undiagnosed diffuse gastric cancer, presenting as worsening hypoxia. The clinical, radiographic, and echocardiographic features, and laboratory and pathological results were consistent with PTTM from gastric cancer. The patient was started on anticoagulation therapy, corticosteroids, and high-flow oxygen. However, her hypoxia worsened to the extent that she required ventilator support, and she died soon after intubation due to cardiac arrest. Since diffuse gastric cancer is associated with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome, cadherin 1 gene mutation analysis was performed to estimate the risk to her daughters. The test came back negative.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine patients with Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) and their level of knowledge of their disease, uncertainty, stress and health behaviors and to identify factors influencing their health behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used. The sample included 136 patients in a gastroenterology outpatient department at one hospital located in Seoul. The mean age of the subjects was 41 and 77.2% were male. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from April to June 2009. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 15.0. Results: The reported scores for knowledge of the disease, uncertainty, stress, and health behaviors were 14.43, 81.50, 26.50, 52.11, respectively. There were statistically difference between health behaviors and gender, age, marital status and antivirus treatment. A positive correlation existed between knowledge of disease and health behaviors (r=.199, p=.020). In contrast, there was a negative correlation between uncertainty and health behaviors (r=-.250, p=.003). The factors influencing health behaviors were knowledge of disease, gender, age, uncertainty, antivirus treatment, and marital status ($R^2$=.267, p<.001). Conclusion: These findings support that strategies for enhancing knowledge of disease and reducing uncertainty are needed to promote health behavior in patients with CHB.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.261-267
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• 2012

Purpose: The relationship between thymidylate synthase (TS) expression and outcomes in gastric cancer (GC) patients remains controversial, although most studies reported poor survival and reduced response to fluoropyrimidine were related to high TS in tumors. We carried out a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis to estimate the predictive value of TS expression from published studies. Methods: We indentified 24 studies analysing the outcome data in gastric cancer stratified by TS expression. Effect measures of outcome were hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS), or the odds ratio (OR) for overall response rate (ORR). HRs and ORs from these eligible studies were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Fifteen studies investigated outcomes in a total of 844 patients with advanced GC, and nine studies investigated outcomes in a total of 1,235 patients with localized GC undergoing adjuvant therapy. Meta-analysis of estimates showed high TS expression was significantly associated with poor OS in the advanced setting (HR: 1.43, 95%CI: 1.08 - 1.90), and poor EFS in the adjuvant setting (HR: 1.53, 95%CI: 1.01 - 2.32). Subgroup analysis demonstrated TS expression to haves even greater value in predicting OS, EFS and ORR in advanced GC patients treated with fluoropyrimidine monotherapy (HR for OS: 2.32, 95%CI: 1.53 - 3.50; HR for EFS: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.19 - 2.60; OR for ORR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.11 - 0.95). Conclusion: High levels of TS expression were asssociated with a poorer OS for advanced GC patients compared with low levels. In the adjuvant setting, high TS expression was also associated with a worse EFS. Additional studies with consistent methodology are needed to define the precise predictive value of TS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.231-235
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• 2012

In order to explore the role of nutrients and bioactive related substances in colorectal cancer, we conducted a case-control in Uruguay, which is the country with the highest production of beef in the world. Six hundred and eleven (611) cases afflicted with colorectal cancer and 1,362 controls drawn from the same hospitals in the same time period were analyzed through unconditional multiple logistic regression. This base population was submitted to a principal components factor analysis and three factors were retained. They were labeled as the meat-based, plant-based, and carbohydrates patterns. They were rotated using orthogonal varimax method. The highest risk was positively associated with the meat-based pattern (OR for the highest quartile versus the lowest one 1.63, 95 % CI 1.22-2.18, P value for trend = 0.001), whereas the plant-based pattern was strongly protective (OR 0.60, 95 % CI 0.45-0.81, P value for trend <0.0001. The carbohydrates pattern was only positively associated with colon cancer risk (OR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.02-2.09). The meat-based pattern was rich in saturated fat, animal protein, cholesterol, and phosphorus, nutrients originated in red meat. Since herocyclic amines are formed in the well-done red meat through the action of amino acids and creatine, it is suggestive that this pattern could be an important etiologic agent for colorectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.625-631
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• 2012

In order to investigate whether SKI-II could reverse drug resistance and its possible mechanisms, we treated SGC7901/DDP cells with SKI-II or SKI-II in combination with DDP. Then cell growth, apoptosis, micromorphological changes, and expression of SphK1, P-gp, NF-${\kappa}B$, Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed by MTT assay, flow cytometry, electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry and Western blot assay respectively. SGC7901/DDP cells were insensitive to cisplatin 2.5mg/L, but when pretreated with SKI-II, their proliferation was inhibited by cisplatin 2.5mg/L significantly, the inhibition rate increasing with time and dose. The apoptosis rate was also significantly elevated. Expression of SphK1 and P-gp was decreased significantly, Pearson correlation analysis showing significant correlation between the two (r=0.595, P<0.01). Expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ and Bcl-2 was decreased significantly,while that of Bax was increased, compared to the control group. There were significant correlations between SphK1 and NF-${\kappa}B$(r=0.723, P<0.01), NF-${\kappa}B$ and Bcl-2(r=0.768, P<0.01). All these data indicated that SKI-II could reverse drug resistance of SGC7901/DDP to cisplatin by down-regulating expression of P-gp and up-regulating apoptosis through down-regulation of SphK1. The increased apoptotic sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP to cisplatin was due to the decreasing proportion of Bcl-2/Bax via down-regulating NF-${\kappa}B$.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4699-4701
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• 2012

Objective: To explore the effect of portal vein chemotherapy on liver metastasis after surgical resection of colorectal cancer. Methods: Patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were assigned to receive either surgery plus 1-week continuous infusion of 5-FU (study group) or surgery alone (observational group). Patients in the study group received portal vein chemotherapy, whereby 5-FU (1000 mg/d) and heparin (5000 IU/d) infusion was initiated from the day of surgery and lasted for 7 consecutive days. Liver metastasis was monitored during five years follow-up postoperatively. Results: Sixty four patients were recruited and assigned to the study group (12 with colon and 20 with rectal cancer) or the control group (10 with colon and 22 with rectal cancer). Liver metastasis rate was 12.5% in study and 25.0% in observational group, the difference being significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: Portal vein chemotherapy could be an effective treatment in preventing liver metastasis after surgical resection of colorectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3549-3554
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• 2013

Background: It is generally accepted that gastric carcinomas are preceded by a sequential multistage process that includes chronic gastritis, gastric atrophy, usually with intestinal metaplasia (IM), and dysplasia. This series of changes in gastric carcinogenesis is often initiated by Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection. The aim of the present study was determination of gastric histopathologic changes in IM patients after at least one year in Guilan province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This case-series study was conducted in Guilan Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GLDRC) during 2010 to 2011. Gastric biopsy was performed for all 71 known cases of IM and precanceric lesions including gastric atrophy, IM, dysplasia and H pylori infection were determined after at least one year. Results: Of the total of 71 patients with established IM who were enrolled, 50 had complete-type IM and 21 had incomplete-type IM. Fifty two people had H pylori infection. H pylori eradication was achieved in 39 patients (75%). Secondary pathology findings of patients with IM were complete metaplasia (39.4%), incomplete metaplasia (32.4%), dysplasia (23.9%) and other precanceric lesions (4.2%). Dysplasia (20%vs 33%) occurred in patients who had complete and incomplete IM at baseline respectively (p>0.05). Age, gender, family history of gastric cancer(GC); smoking habits and NSAIDs use were not associated with gastric premalignant lesions in initial and secondary pathologies (p>0.05). The difference became statistically significant between H pylori infection in patients with more than 3 years diagnostic intervals (p<0.05). Statistical difference between eradicators and non-eradicators was not significant. Conclusions: We found that incomplete IM increased the risk of subsequent dysplasia in this study.