• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.228-236
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• 2017

Purpose: Enolase is a cytoplasmic enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate in the glycolytic pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the overexpression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) can serve as a prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Materials and Methods: To assess its prognostic value in GC, NSE expression was measured by immunohistochemistry in a clinically annotated tissue microarray comprising of 327 human GC specimens. Cytoplasmic NSE expression was scored from 0 to 4, reflecting the percentage of NSE-positive cells. Results: In terms of histology as per the World Health Organization criteria (P=0.34), there were no differences between the NSE overexpression (NSE-OE) and NSE underexpression (NSE-UE) groups. The NSE-OE group showed a significantly lower rate of advanced GC (P<0.01), lymph node metastasis (P=0.01), advanced stage group (P<0.01), cancer-related death (P<0.01), and cancer recurrence (P<0.01). Additionally, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the NSE-OE group had longer cumulative survival times than the NSE-UE group (log-rank test, P<0.01). However, there were no significant differences in the serum levels of NSE expression in patients with GC and healthy volunteers (P=0.28). Conclusions: Patients with NSE overexpressing GC tissues showed better prognostic results, implying that NSE could be a candidate biomarker of GC.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rates of very elderly (age ≥80) critically ill patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a regional tertiary-care hospital in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who survived after discharged from the MICU of our hospital. Survival rates at 90 days, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were assessed between patients age ≥80 and those age <80. Survival status was evaluated using the National Health Insurance Service data. Results: A total of 468 patients were admitted, 286 (179 males, 97 females; mean age, 70.18±13.2) of whom survived and were discharged soon after their treatment. Among these patients, 69 (24.1%) were age ≥80 and 217 (75.9%) were age <80. The 90-day, 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates of patients age ≥80 were significantly lower than those in patients age <80 (50.7%, 31.9%, 15.9% and 14.5% vs. 68.3%, 54.4%, 45.6%, and 40.1%, respectively) (p<0.01). The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed significantly lower survival rates in patients age ≥80 than in those age <80 (p=0.001). Conclusion: The poor rates of long-term survival in very elderly (age ≥80) and critically ill patients admitted to an ICU should be considered while managing and treating them.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.240-246
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• 2009

Statement of problem: Insertion of endosseous implants in the atrophic maxilla is often complicated because of lack of supporting bone. Augmentation of the floor of the maxillary sinus with autogenous bone & bone substitute graft has been proven to be a reliable treatment modality, at least in the short term. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors of implant survival rate associated with maxillary sinus lift with grafts. Material and methods: The sinus floor was augmented with bone grafts derived from modified Caldwell-luctechnique(71 subject, 93 sinus, 180 implants), the autogenous bone or autogenous+Bio-oss. Before implant installation the width and height of the alveolar crest were increased in the first stage procedure in 10 patients while in the other 61 patients augmentation and implant installation could be performed simultaneously width and height of the alveolar crest > 4 mm) or delayed installation. Results: In all case bone volume was sufficients for implant insertion. 14 of 180 inserted implants were lost during follow up and the healing period Patient received implant supported overdenture(5 patients) or fixed bridge(62 patients). Conclusion: Within the limit of the result of this study, we conclude that bone grafting of the floor of the maxillary sinus floor with bone for the insertion of implants might be a reliable treatment modality and the autogenous bone graft and delayed installation method might be the factors for good results.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.165-180
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• 2007

Dental Implants have been proved to be successful prosthetic modality in edentulous patients for 10 years. However, there are few reports on the survival of implant according to location in molar regions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the $4{\sim}5$ years' cumulative survival rate and the cause of failure of dental implants in different locations for maxillary and mandibular molars. Among the implants placed in molar regions in Gwangju Mir Dental Hospital from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2002, 473 implants from 166 patients(age range; $26{\sim}75$) were followed and evaluated retrospectively for the causes of failure. We included 417 implants in 126 periodontally compromised patients, 56 implants in 40 periodontal healthy patients, and 205 maxillary and 268 mandibular molar implants. Implant survival rates by various subject factors, surgical factors, fixture factors, and prosthetic factors at each location were compared using Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival analysis was done for follow-up(FU) periods. The overall failure rate at 5 years was 1O.2%(subject level) and 5.5%(implant level). The overall survival rates of implants during the FU periods were 94.5% with 91.3% in maxillary first molar, 91.1% in maxillary second molar, 99.2% in mandibular first molar and 94,8% in mandibular second molar regions. The survival rates differed significantly between both jaws and among different implant locations(p<0.05), whereas the survival rates of functionally loaded implants were similar in different locations. The survival rates were not different according to gender, age, previous periodontal status, surgery stage, bone graft type, or the prosthetic type. The overall survival rate was low in dental implant of too wide diameter(${\geq}5.75$ mm) and the survival rate was significantly lower for wider implant diameter(p

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between the pre-operative plasma fibrinogen level and the adjacent organ involvement in advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 923 pre-operative plasma samples were obtained from 923 patients diagnosed clinically as having advanced gastric cancer, and fibrinogen levels were measured by immunoassay. Associations between fibrinogen levels and clinicopathologic findings (depth of tumor, adjacent organ involvement, and lymph node metastasis), along with survival were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Tumor size, tumor depth, and the presence of lymph node metastasis were found to be positively correlated with the preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels (P<0.001). Fifty (5.4%) patients had adjacent organ involvement. Lymphatic invasion (P<0.001), tumor size (P<0.001), clinical T (depth of invasion) stage (P<0.001), and clinical nodal stage (P=0.018) were found to be associated with adjacent organ involvement. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that a preoperatively elevated plasma fibrinogen level was associated with adjacent organ involvement (P<0.001, 0.028), and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that it was associated with poorer survival (P<0.001). Conclusions: Plasma fibrinogen was found to be a clinically useful marker of adjacent organ involvement and overall survival. When a high fibrinogen level is encountered, preoperatively, adjacent organ involvement should be suspected in clinically advanced gastric cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.182-191
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• 2018

Purpose: To investigate the clinical outcome of proton therapy (PT) in patients with chordoma. Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight patients with chordoma treated with PT between June 2007 and December 2015 at the National Cancer Center, Korea, were retrospectively analyzed. The median total dose was 69.6 cobalt gray equivalent (CGE; range, 64.8 to 79.2 CGE). Local progression-free survival (LPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: With the median follow-up of 42.8 months (range, 4 to 174 months), the 5-year LPFS, DMFS, OS, and DSS rates were 87.9%, 86.7%, 88.3%, and 92.9%, respectively. The tumor location was associated with the patterns of failure: the LPFS rates were lower for cervical tumors (57.1%) than for non-cervical tumors (93.1%) (p = 0.02), and the DMFS rates were lower for sacral tumors (53.5%) than for non-sacral tumors (100%) (p = 0.001). The total dose was associated with both the LPFS rate and DMFS rate. The initial tumor size was associated with the DMFS rate, but was not associated with the LPFS rate. Three patients had grade 3 late toxicity with none ≥grade 4. Conclusion: PT is an effective and safe treatment in patients with chordomas. The tumor location was associated with the patterns of failure: local failure was common in cervical tumors, and distant failure was common in sacral tumors. Further refinement of PT, such as the utilization of intensity modulated PT for cervical tumors, is warranted to improve the outcome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup2
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• pp.221-227
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• 2001

Objective : The therapeutic impact of tumor resection in glioblastomas is poorly defined and still questionable. Therefore, we conducted the current study to verify the role of tumor resection in the treatment of these highly malignant tumors. Methods : A retrospective study was performed(1990-1999) to compare the treatment results of surgical resection plus radiotherapy(130 patients) with those of stereotactic biopsy plus radiotherapy(19 patients) in glioblastomas. Only adult patients with supratentorial, de novo glioblastoma located in one lobe were included. Survival time/rate was analysed with Kaplan-Meier method, and prognostic variables were obtained from the univariate log-rank test and the multivariate Cox's proportional hazards model. Results : The resection group and the biopsy group did not differ in terms of age, gender, duration of symptoms, presenting symptoms, tumor location, tumor side, tumor size, and the frequency of midline shift. Patients in the biopsy group more often were found to have worse preoperative Karnofsky performance status(KPS)(p=0.001). On univariate analysis, age, KPS, and tumor side were associated with survival(p=0.0053, 0.0001, and 0.0331 respectively). Median survival time and 1-year survival rate were also statistically improved by tumor resection ; resection group - 13 months and 61.2%, and biopsy group - 8 months and 19.7%, respectively(p=0.0001). In patients with midline shift of the tumor, resection was highly effective comparing to biopsy(p=0.0001), but in patients without midline shift, external beam radiation alone was as effective as tumor resection(p=0.0605). Other prognostic variables did not affect survival. On multivariate analysis after variable selection, survival was independently associated with KPS(p=0.001), but not the surgical resection(p=0.2837). Even in biopsy group with midline shift of the tumor, survival rate was not different from that seen after tumor resection(p=0.3505). Conclusions : Radiotherapy alone was as effective as tumor resection plus radiotherapy in patients without midline shift of the tumor. Although there was not statistically significant, tumor resection looked like effective in patients with midline shift. For supratentorial, lobar glioblastoma patients without mass effect of the tumor, biopsy with radiotherapy is one of rational treatment strategies. We consider that tumor resection should be performed in patients with pretreatment midline shift.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.112-121
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• 2020

Background: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has become more common in nosocomial infections, especially in urine samples. However, until now, no treatment regimen has been proven to effectively eradicate urine VRE colonization. Therefore, to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline in eradicating urine VRE and shortening VRE isolation period, we compared VRE colony detection period between doxycycline-treated and untreated patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 83 patients with VRE colonization in urine cultures was conducted at a tertiary academic hospital from January 2011 to February 2018. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate eradication rates in the treatment and non-treatment groups. Factors affecting urine VRE colonization persistence were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall rate of VRE eradication during the entire hospital stay was higher in the doxycycline treatment group (90.5%) than in the non-treatment group (58.1%, p=0.014). Survival analysis showed that the 5-, 10-, and 20-day cumulative eradication rates were 78.3%, 100%, and 100% in the doxycycline treatment group, and 18.5%, 45.7%, and 67.8% in the non-treatment group, respectively, thereby indicating that eradication rates were higher in the doxycycline treatment group than in the non-treatment group (p<0.001). Only doxycycline treatment was shown to affect urine VRE colonization persistence in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Doxycycline treatment enhanced the eradication rate of urine VRE colonization and appeared to be useful in shortening VRE isolation period.

• Gut and Liver
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.728-735
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• 2018

Background/Aims: The combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine (nab-P/Gem) is widely used for treating metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC). We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes and prognostic role of treatment-related peripheral neuropathy in patients with MPC treated with nab-P/Gem in clinical practice. Methods: MPC patients treated with nab-P/Gem as the first-line chemotherapy were included. All 88 Korean patients underwent at least two cycles of nab-P/Gem combination chemotherapy (125 and $1,000mg/m^2$, respectively). Treatment-related adverse events were monitored through periodic follow-ups. Overall survival and progression-free survival were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazards regression linear model was applied to assess prognostic factors. To evaluate the prognostic value of treatment-related peripheral neuropathy, the landmark point analysis was used. Results: Patients underwent a mean of $6.7{\pm}4.2$ cycles during $6.3{\pm}4.4$ months. The median overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 14.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.8 to 20.3 months) and 8.4 months (95% CI, 7.1 to 13.2 months), respectively. The disease control rate was 84.1%; a partial response and stable disease were achieved in 30 (34.1%) and 44 (50.0%) patients, respectively. Treatment-related peripheral neuropathy developed in 52 patients (59.1%), and 13 (14.8%) and 16 (18.2%) patients experienced grades 2 and 3 neuropathy, respectively. In the landmark model, at 6 months, treatment-related peripheral neuropathy did not have a significant correlation with survival (p=0.089). Conclusions: Nab-P/Gem is a reasonable choice for treating MPC, as it shows a considerable disease control rate while the treatment-related peripheral neuropathy was tolerable. The prognostic role of treatment-related neuropathy was limited.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.228-236
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• 2008

Purpose: The purposes of this study is to provide basic informations on oriental medical research and treatment through analysis of breast cancer patients, who visited M $\mu$ integrative cancer center, O O university East-West neo medical center. Methods: Electronic medical records of 106 breast cancer patients who visited oriental medical center from June 2, 2006 to February 28, 2008 were selected to collect clinical data of those patients. Clinical data were analyzed for types of clinical characteristics, and received therapies. For analysis of survival and recurrence, Kaplan-Meier method was used. All the data were processed and analyzed using SPSS version 13.0. Results: Average age of breast cancer patients, who visited oriental medical center was 48.72 ($\pm$10.13). The stage distribution record indicated stage I (5.8%), stage II (7.0%), stage III (5.8%), and stage IV (81.4%). Original purposes of patients were analyzed to be supplementary treatment for western therapy (68.9%), treatment for recurrence prevention (18.9%), and oriental medical treatment (12.2%) in order. While receiving oriental medical treatment, 60.4% of patients received conventional medical treatment simultaneously. Conclusion: Majority of patients who visited oriental medical hospital were stage IV at terminal stage and mainly visited for the purpose of supportive care. Further clinical study of breast cancer patients is needed to validate the effectiveness of oriental medical treatment based on this study.