• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제78권3호
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• pp.161-167
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• 2015

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem, and the incidence of TB cases has not significantly decreased over the past decade in Korea. The standard short course regimen is highly effective against TB, but requires multiple TB-specific drugs and a long treatment duration. Recent studies using late-generation fluoroquinolones and/or high-dose rifapentine-containing regimens to shorten the duration of TB treatment showed negative results. Extending the treatment duration may be considered in patients with cavitation on the initial chest radiograph and positivity in sputum culture at 2 months of treatment for preventing TB relapse. Current evidence does not support the use of fixed-dose combinations compared to separate drugs for the purpose of improving treatment outcomes. All patients receiving TB treatment should be monitored regularly for response to therapy, facilitation of treatment completion, and management of adverse drug reactions. Mild adverse effects can be managed with symptomatic therapy and changing the timing of the drug administration, but severe adverse effects require a discontinuation of the offending drugs.

• 한국간담췌외과학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.158-165
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• 2023

Backgrounds/Aims: Within two years of surgery, 70% of resected intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) recur. Better biomarkers are needed to identify those at risk of "early recurrence" (ER). In this study, we defined ER and investigated whether preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic-inflammatory index were prognostic of both overall relapse and ER after curative hepatectomy for iCCA. Methods: A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent curative-intent hepatectomy for iCCA between 2005 and 2017 were created. The cut-off timepoint for the ER of iCCA was estimated using a piecewise linear regression model. Univariable analyses of recurrence were conducted for the overall, early, and late recurrence periods. For the early and late recurrence periods, multivariable Cox regression with time-varying regression coefficient analysis was used. Results: A total of 113 patients were included in this study. ER was defined as recurrence within 12 months of a curative resection. Among the included patients, 38.1% experienced ER. In the univariable model, a higher preoperative NLR (> 4.3) was significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence overall and in the first 12 months after curative surgery. In the multivariable model, a higher NLR was associated with a higher recurrence rate overall and in the ER period (≤ 12 months), but not in the late recurrence period. Conclusions: Preoperative NLR was prognostic of both overall recurrence and ER after curative iCCA resection. NLR is easily obtained before and after surgery and should be integrated into ER prediction tools to guide preoperative treatments and intensify postoperative follow-up.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.8715-8718
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• 2014

Background: ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine (Vb) and dacarbazine) is the standard regimen in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL).Vincristine (O) is a mitotic spindle agent like Vb. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of O as a part of ABOD in HL. Materials and Methods: Patients who had ABOD were enrolled. Stage I-II HL were evaluated for unfavorable risk factors according to NCCN. National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria was used for toxicity. Results: Seventy-nine HL patients in our center between 2003 and 2007 were evaluated retrospectively. Median follow-up was 54 months. Most of the patients were male in their third decade. Median ABOD cycles were 6 (2-8). Primary refractory disease rate was 17.7% whereas it was 5.1% for early relapse and 5.1% for late relapse disease. Response rates were as 82.3% for complete response, 11.4% for partial response, 5.1% for stable disease and 1.3% for progressive disease. Half of relapsed patients had autologous stem cell transplantation. Estimated 5-year failure-free survival was 71% and significantly longer in early stage patients without risk factors, bulky disease or radiotherapy (RT) (p=0.05, p<0.0001, p=0.02; respectively). Estimated 5-year overall survival was 74% and significantly longer in those who had no RT (p=0.001). Dose modification rate was 5.1% and chemotherapy delay rate was 19%. There were no toxicity-related deaths. Conclusions: ABOD seems to be effective with managable toxicity in HL, even in those with poor prognostic factors.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.51-56
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• 2000

Deflazacort, an oxazoline derivative of prednisolone, has been claimed to have anti-inflammatory effects with fewer side effects compared to prednisone. The objectives of the study were to evaluate efficacy and safety of deflazacort in children with nephrotic syndrome. Eligible Patients were the children with nephrotic syndrome who were treated with deflazacort from October. 1994 to April. 1999. Nephrotic syndrome was defined as having albumin level of less than 2.5 mg/dL and 24-hour urinary protein excretion of greater than $40\;mg/m^2/hr$. The primary parameters evaluating the efficacy of deflazacort were response rate, time to respond and relapse frequency. The safety profiles were the impact on children's growth, calcium sparing effect, glucose metabolism, lipid profile and adverse drug reactions. As results, total of 60 children were evaluated (47 boys, 13 girls). Response rate was $95\%$ (57/60) for initial and late responders. Median time to respond was 12 days (range 7-110 days) and median relapse frequency was one time (range 0-6). Weight/height ratio increased from $22.05\pm3.47\;to\23.20\pm3.44\;kg/m$ (p<0.001) and plasma calcium level, from $7.55\pm3.86\;to\;9.98\pm3.77\;mg/dL$ after treatment (p<0.001). Change of fasting glucose level was not statistically significant $(91.92\pm3.53\;vs.\;98.19\pm4.78\;mg/dL,\;p=0.072)$, while change of total cholesterol was significant $(362.3\pm12.0\;vs\;251.4\pm11.5\;mg/dL$, p<0.001). In conclusion, patients on deflazacort showed similar efficacy in treatment of nephrotic syndrome as reported for prednisone with less impact on growth inhibition and metabolic side effects of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제61권2호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2018

Purpose: Although the prognosis is generally good in patients with intermediate-risk neuroblastoma, no consensus has been reached on the ideal treatment regimen. This study analyzed treatment outcomes and toxicities in patients younger than 18 months with stage 4 MYCN nonamplified neuroblastoma. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 20 patients younger than 18 months newly diagnosed with stage 4 MYCN nonamplified neuroblastoma between January 2009 and December 2015. Patients received 9 cycles of chemotherapy and surgery, with or without local radiotherapy, followed by 12 cycles of differentiation therapy with 13-cis-retinoic acid. Chemotherapy consisted of alternating cycles of cisplatin, etoposide, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (CEDC) and ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) regimens. Results: The most common primary tumor site was the abdomen (85%), and the most common metastatic sites were the lymph nodes (65%), followed by the bones (60%), liver (55%), skin (45%), and bone marrow (25%). At the end of induction therapy, 14 patients (70%) achieved complete response, with 1 achieving very good partial response, 4 achieving partial response, and 1 showing mixed response. Nine patients (45%) received local radiotherapy. At a median follow-up of 47 months (range, 17-91 months), none of these patients experienced relapse, progression, or secondary malignancy, or died. Three years after chemotherapy completion, none of the patients had experienced grade ${\geq}3$ late adverse effects. Conclusion: Patients younger than 18 months with stage 4 MYCN nonamplified neuroblastoma showed excellent outcomes, without significant late adverse effects, when treated with alternating cycles of CEDC and ICE, followed by surgery and differentiation therapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제77권4호
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• pp.161-166
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• 2014

Since tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health concern and the incidence of multi-drug resistant (MDR)-TB is increasing globally, new modalities for the detection of TB and drug resistant TB are needed to improve TB control. The Xpert MTB/RIF test can be a valuable new tool for early detection of TB and rifampicin resistance, with a high sensitivity and specificity. Late-generation fluoroquinolones, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin, which are the principal drugs for the treatment of MDR-TB, show equally high efficacy and safety. Systemic steroids may reduce the overall TB mortality attributable to all forms of TB across all organ systems, although inhaled corticosteroids can increase the risk of TB development. Although fixed dose combinations were expected to reduce the risk of drug resistance and increase drug compliance, a recent meta-analysis found that they might actually increase the risk of relapse and treatment failure. Regarding treatment duration, patients with cavitation and culture positivity at 2 months of TB treatment may require more than 6 months of standard treatment. New anti-TB drugs, such as linezolid, bedaquiline, and delamanid, could improve the outcomes in drug-resistant TB. Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease has typical clinical and immunological phenotypes. Mycobacterial genotyping may predict disease progression, and whole genome sequencing may reveal the transmission of Mycobacterium abscessus. In refractory Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease, a moxifloxacin-containing regimen was expected to improve the treatment outcome.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권8호
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• pp.427-428
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• 2015

Despite high interests on microenvironmental regulation of leukemic cells, little is known for bone marrow (BM) niche in leukemia patients. Our recent study on BMs of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients showed that the mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are altered during leukemic conditions in a clinical course-dependent manner. Leukemic blasts caused reprogramming of transcriptomes in MSCs and remodeling of niche cross-talk, selectively suppressing normal primitive hematopoietic cells while supporting leukemogenesis and chemo-resistance. Notably, differences in BM stromal remodeling were correlated to heterogeneity in subsequent clinical courses of AML, i.e., low numbers of mesenchymal progenitors at initial diagnosis were correlated to complete remission for 5-8 years, and high contents of mesenchymal progenitor or MSCs correlated to early or late relapse, respectively. Thus, stromal remodeling by leukemic cell is an intrinsic part of leukemogenesis that can contribute to the clonal dominance of leukemic cells over normal hematopoietic cells, and can serve as a biomarker for prediction of prognosis. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(8): 427-428]

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.101-105
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• 2011

Neurolymphomatosis, an uncommon manifestation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is lymphomatous infiltration of peripheral nerves. We confirmed the diagnosis of neurolymphomatosis in a 75-year old woman with a history of complete remission of diffuse large B cell type lymphoma on the nasal cavity seven years ago. She complained of painful weakness of left leg and took the electrophysiologic study, extremity ultrasonography, fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT, and extremity MRI serially. She was diagnosed as neurolymphomatosis by targeted posterior tibial nerve mass biopsy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.187-197
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the treatment outcome and long-term toxicity of 70 Gy hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for localized prostate cancer using a customized rectal balloon. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of 86 prostate cancer patients who received curative radiotherapy between January 2004 and December 2011 at our institution. Patients were designated as low (12.8%), intermediate (20.9%), or high risk (66.3%). Thirty patients received a total dose of 70 Gy in 28 fractions over 5 weeks via IMRT (the Hypo-IMRT group); 56 received 70.2 Gy in 39 fractions over 7 weeks via 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (the CF-3DRT group, which served as a reference for comparison). A customized rectal balloon was placed in Hypo-IMRT group throughout the entire radiotherapy course. Androgen deprivation therapy was administered to 47 patients (Hypo-IMRT group, 17; CF-3DRT group, 30). Late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were evaluated according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. Results: The median follow-up period was 74.4 months (range, 18.8 to 125.9 months). The 5-year actuarial biochemical relapse-free survival rates for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients were 100%, 100%, and 88.5%, respectively, for the Hypo-IMRT group and 80%, 77.8%, and 63.6%, respectively, for the CF-3DRT group (p < 0.046). No patient presented with acute or late GU toxicity ${\geq}$grade 3. Late grade 3 GI toxicity occurred in 2 patients (3.6%) in the CF-3DRT group and 1 patient (3.3%) in the Hypo-IMRT group. Conclusion: Hypo-IMRT with a customized rectal balloon resulted in excellent biochemical control rates with minimal toxicity in localized prostate cancer patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.58-68
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• 2018

Purpose: Generally, adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) should be initiated as soon as possible after surgery to eradicate microscopic cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of early AC on the survival of stage II/III gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Four hundred sixty patients who received AC (S-1 or XELOX) for pathologic stage II/III gastric cancer at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2008 and December 2014 were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups: early AC administration (within 4 weeks) and late AC administration (more than 4 weeks). Patients in the early AC group (n=174) were matched 1:1 with patients in the late AC group (n=174) by propensity scoring to adjust for clinical differences. Three-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was evaluated according to the timing of AC. Results: Three-year RFS was 98.1% in stage IIA (n=109), 85.0% in stage IIB (n=83), 87.4% in stage IIIA (n=96), 83.5% in stage IIIB (n=91), and 62.5% in stage IIIC (n=81). After propensity score matching, RFS was similar between early and late AC groups (hazard ratio [HR],1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.74; P=0.889). Pathologic stage and histological type were independent prognostic factors of RFS (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.06-3.96; P=0.033 and HR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.42-4.80; P=0.002, respectively). Conclusions: Early initiation of AC within 4 weeks does not affect survival rates in stage II/III gastric cancer.