• Title/Summary/Keyword: Local complication

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Sexuality, Contraception, and Induced Abortion among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Export Processing Zones of Korea (미혼여성의 성, 피임, 그리고 인공유산 - 수출공단지역의 사례연구)

  • 조성남
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.93-122
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    • 1996
  • This is a study of the determinants of sexual, contraceptive, and abortion behavior among unmarried female adolescents and young adults, which has emerged as a growing and serious health problem in Korea. As part of a larger project, data were gathered in three export zones: Kuro (Seoul), Kumi (Kyngbuk) Masan Changwon (Kyongnam) ; and the study samples are regrouped into three categories: 1) factory workers, i.e. , the reference group serving as program participants, 2) entertainment workers, and 3) ob-gyn patients. This study indicates that entertainment workers are at highest risk of experiencing premarital sex, STDs, contraceptive failure, unwanted pregnancies, and induced abortion. Of them, 20 percent had STDs as a result of first sexual experience: and about seven tenths had two or more pregnancies due to the adoption of low-efficacy methods. The proportion of those who had ever been pregnant was 60 percent for the group as a whole: 36 percent for the program participants: 64 percent for the entertainment workers ; and 91 percent four the ob-gyn patients. These proportions are exactly the same for abortion in each group, which means that all pregnancies ended in induced abortion. Of the respondents who said that they were sexually active at the time of survey, abortions were very high: 1.6 for the program participants, 2.3 for the entertainment workers, and 1.9 for the ob-gyn patients. About 80 percent of the women had abortions during the first trimester, and two thirds of the first abortions took place between the ages of 20 and 23. About one fourth experienced post-abortion complication, which was highest among the program participants (39 percent). Sixty percent of those with complications visited a hospital or took medicine to treat the problem. Even after the experience of induced abortion, the use of contraception was very low, except among the entertainment workers, whose level of use reached 53 percent. The most obvious recommendation, arising from this research, is that 'good-quality' counselling and family planning services be established under the auspices of both national and local government, particularly targeted for the entertainment workers as well as the factory workers in various textile, electronic, manufacturing, and other industrial sectors. We believe that entertainment sectors should be restructured radically so that young women who work for amusement bars and other entertainment sectors obtain protection from the risk of having unwanted pregnancies, STDs, and induced abortion.

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Clinical Application of in Vivo Dosimetry System in Radiotherapy of Pelvis (골반부 방사선 치료 환자에서 in vivo 선량측정시스템의 임상적용)

  • Kim, Bo-Kyung;Chie, Eui-Kyu;Huh, Soon-Nyung;Lee, Hyoung-Koo;Ha, Sung-Whan
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.37-49
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    • 2002
  • The accuracy of radiation dose delivery to target volume is one of the most important factors for good local control and less treatment complication. In vivo dosimetry is an essential QA procedure to confirm the radiation dose delivered to the patients. Transmission dose measurement is a useful method of in vivo dosimetry and it's advantages are non-invasiveness, simplicity and no additional efforts needed for dosimetry. In our department, in vivo dosimetry system using measurement of transmission dose was manufactured and algorithms for estimation of transmission dose were developed and tested with phantom in various conditions successfully. This system was applied in clinic to test stability, reproducibility and applicability to daily treatment and the accuracy of the algorithm. Transmission dose measurement was performed over three weeks. To test the reproducibility of this system, X-tay output was measured before daily treatment and then every hour during treatment time in reference condition(field size; $10 cm{\times} 10 cm$, 100 MU). Data of 11 patients whose pelvis were treated more than three times were analyzed. The reproducibility of the dosimetry system was acceptable with variations of measurement during each day and over 3 week period within ${\pm}2.0%$. On anterior- posterior and posterior fields, mean errors were between -5.20% and +2.20% without bone correction and between -0.62% and +3.32% with bone correction. On right and left lateral fields, mean errors were between -10.80% and +3.46% without bone correction and between -0.55% and +3.50% with bone correction. As the results, we could confirm the reproducibility and stability of our dosimetry system and its applicability in daily radiation treatment. We could also find that inhomogeneity correction for bone is essential and the estimated transmission doses are relatively accurate.

Results of Radiotherapy for the Uterine Cervical Cancer (자궁경부암의 방사선치료성적)

  • Kim, Chul-Yong;Choi, Myung-Sun;Suh, Won-Hyuck
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.63-73
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    • 1988
  • One hundred fifty-four patients with the carcinoma of the uterine cervix were studied retrospectively to assess the result and impact of treatment at Department of Radiation Oncology, Korea University, Hae-Wha Hospital from Feb 1981 through Dec. 1986. Prior to radiotherapy, the patients were evaluated and staged by recommendation of FIGO including physical examination, pelvic examination, cystoscopy, rectosigmoidoscopy, chest X-ray, IVP. Ba enema. Also, an additional pelvic CT scan was obtained for some of the patients. The patients were treated by radiotherapy alone or adjuvant postoperative irradiation; in case of radiation therapy only, whole pelvic irradiation was given with Co-60 teletherapy unit via AP and PA parallel opposing fields or 4-oblique fields, 180 cGy per day, 5 days per week and intracavitary insertion was performed. In satges Ia, Ib, and IIa with small primary lesion, external irradiation was initially given to pelvis up to $2,000\~3,000\;cGy/2frac{1}{2}\;-3frac{1}{2}$ weeks and then intracavitary insertion was performed using Fletcher-Mini-Declos Applicator with cesium-137 cources and followed by external irradiation of $1,000\~2,000\;cGy/1frac{1}{2}\;-2frac{1}{2}$weeks via AP and PA parallel opposing fields with midline shield to spare of bladder and rectum. However, if the primary lesion is large, external irradiation was given without midline shield. More than stages IIb, the patients were treated by external beam irradiation up to 5,400cGy/30f for 6 weeks via 4-oblique portals and at the dose of 5,040cGy/28f the field was cut 5cm from the top margin for spare of small bowel, and followed by intracavitary irradiation, If there was residual tumor an additional dose of $900\~l,200cGy/5\~7f$ was given to parametrium and/or residual tumor area. Total dose of radiation to A and B-point were as follows; A-point; In early stages, Ia, Ib, IIa; $8,000\~9,000$ B-point $5,000\~6,000 cGy$ A-point; In advanced stages IIb, IIIa, IIIb; $9,000\~10,000$ B-point $60,000\~7,000cGy$ The results were obtained and as fellows; 1 The patients distribution according to FIGO staging system were stage Ia 6, Ib 27, IIa 28, IIb 54, IIIa 12, IIIb 18, and stage IVa 9. 2. Value of CT scan were demonstration of cervix tumor mass, parametrial and pelvic side wall tumor spread, pelvic and inguinal lymph nodes metastases, and hydronephrosis. Three dimensional quantitative demonstration of tumor volume is also important in planning radiation therapy. Another advantage of CT scan was detection of recurrent tumor after radiation or surgery. 3. Local control rate of tumor according to the size was $91.3\%$ for less than 5cm in size and $44.6\%$ in tumor over 5cm (p<0.0068). 4. Thirty out of 50 recurrent sites has locoregional failures and 17 cases has distant metastases. And the para-aortic lymph nodes were the most common site for distant metastases. 5. The most common complication was temporal rectal bleeding which was controlled most by conservative management. However, 4 patients required for endoscopic cauterization. 6. The 5-year survival rates showed; stage la and Ib $95\%,\;stage\;IIa\;81\%\;stage\;lIb\;67\%,\;stage\;IIIa\;37.7\%,\;stage\;IIIb\;23\%$ and 3-year survival rate of stage IVa showed $11.6%$, retrospectively.

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The Outcome of Conventional External Beam Radiotherapy for Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus (식도의 편평상피세포암 환자에서 외부방사선치료의 결과)

  • Jang, Ji-Young
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.17-23
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: The best treatment for advanced esophageal cancer is chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. In spite of the advance of multimodality therapy, most patients with esophageal cancer are treated with radiation therapy alone. This study reports the outcome of the use of conventional external beam radiotherapy alone for the treatment of esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and December 2005, 30 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with external beam radiotherapy using a total dose exceeding 40 Gy. Radiotherapy was delivered with a total dose of 44-60 Gy(median dose, 57.2 Gy) over $36{\sim}115$ days(median time, 45 days). Thirteen patients(43.3%) had a history of disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis, lye stricture, asthma, cerebral infarct, and cancers. Four patients metachronously had double primary cancers. The most common location of a tumor was the mid-thoracic portion of the esophagus(56.7%). Tumor lengths ranged from 2 cm to 11 cm, with a median length of 6 cm. For AJCC staging, stage III was the most common (63.3%). Five patients had metastases at diagnosis. Results: The median overall survival was 8.3 months. The survival rates at 1-year and 2-years were 33.3% and 18.7%, respectively. The complete response rate $1{\sim}3$ months after radiotherapy was 20%(6/30) and the partial response rate was 70%(21/30). Sixteen patients(53.3%) had an improved symptom of dysphagia. Significant prognostic factors were age, tumor length, stage, degree of dysphagia at the time of diagnosis and tumor response. Cox regression analysis revealed the aim of treatment, clinical tumor response and tumor length as independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Twenty-eight patients had local failure and another four patients had metastases. Three patients were detected with double primary cancers in this analysis. A complication of esophageal stricture was observed in three patients(10%), and radiation pneumonitis occurred in two patients(6.7%). Conclusion: The prognosis of esophageal cancer remains poor, in spite of advances in radiotherapy techniques. Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for the relief of dysphagia and treatment related complications are minimal. It is expected that the addition of chemotherapy or another systemic modality to radiotherapy will improve tumor control and increase the survival rate in advanced esophageal cancer.

Diagnostic Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (진단목적의 비디오 흉강경 수술)

  • Baek, Hyo-Chae;Hong, Yun-Ju;Lee, Du-Yeon;Park, Man-Sil
    • Journal of Chest Surgery
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    • v.29 no.5
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    • pp.542-547
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    • 1996
  • All patients who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for diagnostic purposes from Jan. 1992 to Aug. 1995 were reviewed. The total number of patients were 111 with 57 male and 54 female, and the mean age was 49 years (range 1 to 74). Multiple biopsies from more than one location were performed in 17 patients , pleural biopsies were performed In 49 patients, lung biopsies in 43 patients, mediastinal mass or Iymph node biopsies in 33 patients, and two pericardium biopsies and one dia- phragm biopsy, for a total of 128 biopsies. Seventeen pleural biopsy cases and one lung biopsy case underwent operation under local anesthesia , the rest were performed under general anesthesia. In patients who underwent lung biopsy, the mean age was 49.1 ye rs (range 22~ 73). The operating time was 40 to 170 minutes (mean 97), intravenous or intramuscular injection for pain control was required 0 to 22 times(mean 4.7), and chest tube was inserted from 1 to 26 days(mean 7). In all patients except two, a diagnosis was obtained from the biopsy and complication was encountered in one patient in whom intraoperative paroxysmal atrial tachycardia was detected. In 7 patients, a thorn- cotomy had to be done due to pleural adhesion or intraoperative bleeding, and 7 patients had postoperative complications associated with the chest tube. In the pleural biopsy group, the mean age was 49 years (range 17~ 74). The operating time was 25 to 80 minutes (mean 49), intravenous or intramuscular injection for pain control was needed 0 to 20 times (mean 3.6), and the chest tube was i.nserted for 0 to 67 days(mean 9.8). In all the patients, a diagnosis was possible. The chest tube was inserted for longer than 7 days in 11 patients. In the Iymph node biopsy roup, the mean age was 44.2 years (range 1 ~ 68). The operating time was )0 to 3)5 minutes(mean 105), pain control was required 0 to 15 times(mean 3.2), and a chest tube was kept in place for 1 to 36 days(mean 6.1). In one patient, a diagnosis was not possible and a chest tube was kept in place for longer than 7 days in 7 patients. In the multiple biopsy group, the mean age was 53.1 years(range 20~ 71). The operating time was 15 to 165 minutes(mean 85), and pain control was done from 0 to 17 times(mean 3.1). The chest tube was kept in place for 1 to 16 days (mean 7.9).

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The Results of Primary Radiotherapy following Breast-Conserving Surgery for Early Breast Cancer (조기 유방암에서 보존적 수술후 방사선치료성적)

  • Koh Kyoung Hwan;Kim Mi Sook;Yoo Seong Yul;Cho Chul Koo;Kim Jae Young;Kim Yong Kyu;Moon Nan Mo;Paik Nam Sun;Lee Jong Inn;Choi Dong Wook
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.163-171
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    • 1995
  • Purpose: Primary radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery has been an accepted alternative to mastectomy during the past 2 decades. In this country, however, the practice of conservative therapy for early invasive breast cancer has not been generalized yet. The purpose of this report was to evaluate the results and complications of breast conservation therapy in Korean Cancer Center Hospital(KCCH). Materials and Methods: From January 1987 to December 1989. 45 Patients with early breast cancer treated with conservative treatment in KCCH were studied retrospectively Median follow up was 54 months(range, 4 to 82 months) . All patients received partial mastectomy (biopsy, tumorectomy. or quadrantectomy) and radiation therapy. Twenty eight patients received axillary dissection The breast was treated with two opposing tangential fields (total 50 Gy or 50.4 Gy in 5 weeks with daily target dose of 2 Gy or 1.8 Gy) Thirty patients received chemotherapy before and after radio-therapy Eleven patients received hormonal therapy. Results: Five-year survival rate, 5-rear disease free survival rate and 5-year local control rate were 87.2%, 86.5% and 97.6%,$ respectively. Administration of systemic Therapy (chemotherapy or hormonal therapy) correlated with good prognosis but statistically not significant (0.05 < p < 0.1). The severe late complication rate was 8.9% Conclusion: Primary radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery for early breast cancer is an alternative treatment comparing to radical treatment. Long term follow-up and more patients collection is needed to evaluate the Prognostic factor and cosmetic outcome.

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A Clinical Analysis of Femur Neck Fracture in Elderly Patients (노년층에서 대퇴경부 골절의 치료)

  • Ihin, Joo-Choul;Ahn, Myun-Whan;Seo, Jae-Sung
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.11-22
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    • 1985
  • Femur neck fracture is well known as one of the major death cause after trauma in elderly patients, and unsolved fracture due to its frequent association with complications such as avascular necrosis and nonunion. Through meticulous evaluation of the patient, hip and surgeon's experiences, reduction of mortality and morbidity as well as rapid recovery of the patient to the preinjury social and ambulatory status without local complications and revision after treatment is urgently needed. Many factors about this fracture In itself were noted, but we have analyzed 18 femur neck fractures of the patients older than 50 years preliminarily according to age, fracture pattern, osteoporosis, etiology and method of treatment with its delay in association with major complications especially avascular necrosis and nonunion. The results are as follows; 1. Of these 18 fractures, 11 were in females, 8 were caused by minor trauma such as slip-down accident and 4 were associated with definite osteoporosis according to the Sing's classification. 2. Fracture pattern of these 18 are undisplaced in 4, displaced subcapital in 11, displaced transcervical in 3. 11 fractures in the patients older than 60 year are composed of 3 undisplaced or impacted fractures and 8 displaced subcapital fractures. 3. These 18 fractures were treated by closed reduction and Internal fixation with multiple pins in 13, and hemiarthroplasty in 4, but one was not treated to die after discharge from hospital. 4. 4 undisplaced or impacted fractures and 3 displaced transcervical fractures were not associated with any complications such as avascular necrosis or nonunion. But 4 of 6 displaced subcapital fractures were complicated by avascular necrosis, 3 of which were reduced in the varus position within 1 week, and the other was reduced in the good position on 1 week after trauma. There was no complication in 2 displaced subcapital fractures reduced in valgus position within 3 days after trauma. According to the above results, the prognosis of the femur neck fracture is dependent upon the fracture pattern and delay in its treatment. So it is inevitable to reduce the fracture in anatomical or valgus position as early as possible. But the arthroplasty may be needed in displaced subcapital fractures delayed for several days, with its reluction in extreme varus position or impossible and with pre-existing disease in the same hip Joint (total hip replacement).

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Comparison of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with Conventional Radiotherapy in Advanced Non-smal Cell Lung Cancer (진행된 비소세포 폐암 환자에서 Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy와 Conventional Radiotherapy의 비교)

  • Kim, Hui-Jung;Lee, Dong-Soo;Song, So-Hyang;Jung, Su-Mi;Kim, Young-Kyoon;Yoon, Se-Chul;Moon, Hwa-Sik;Song, Jeong-Sup;Park, Sung-Hak
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.44 no.3
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    • pp.493-504
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    • 1997
  • Background : Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most frequent cause of death due to cancer in men, and its incidence among women is rapidly increasing. Although there has been a recent surge of interest in combined modality therapy for stageIII non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), the optimal treatment is still not well established. Thoracic irradiation has long been the gold standard for locally advanced unresectable NSCLC. However, although conventional radiotherapy(XRT) can palliate symptom and improve local control of disease, it has at most only a modest effect on survival. Recently, cisplatin(cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) has been reported to enhance the cell-killing effect of radiation For patients with unresectable NSCLC, cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) had the advantage of therapeutic response over XRT alone and therapeutic side effect more commonly occurred in CCRT group in EORTC(European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) and other trials. Objectives : We compared therapeutic response, compliance, and side effects between CCRT and XRT in patients with advanced NSCLC. Patients and Method : Thirty patients with biopsy-proven inoperable NSCLC were randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm A consisted of XRT, radiotherapy for 4~6 weeks(1.8 Gy given 20~33 times, in five fractions a week), and arm B consisted of CCRT, radiotherapy for 2 weeks(3 Gy given to times, in five fractions a week), followed by 3 week rest period and then radiotherapy 2 more weeks(2.5 Gy given 10 times, in five fractions a week), combined with 6mg cisplatin per square meter, given daily before radiotherapy. We evaluate therapeutic response, compliance, change of performance status, side effects, and radiation pneumonitis by using the author's made scoring system. Results : There was no significant difference in therapeutic response and compliance. But there was a significantly lower laboratory complication and radiation pneumonitis in CCRT group (p < 0.05). There's significant negative correlation between stage and therapeutic response score in both groups(R=0.353, p < 0.05) In both groups, patients with squamous cell carcinoma had a tendency to higher therapeutic response score than those with adenocarcinoma. Conclusion : There was no difference between CCRT and XRT in respect to therapeutic response and compliance. But CCRT had a advantage of decreased side effects.

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Results of Radiotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Cancer (비인두암의 방사선치료 결과)

  • Shin Byung Chul;Ma Sun Young;Moon Chang Woo;Yum Ha Yong;Jeung Tae Sig;Yoo Myung Jin
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.215-223
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    • 1995
  • Purpose : The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness, survival rate and complication of radiation in nasopharyngeal cancer. Materials and Methods : From January 1980 to May 1989. Fifty patients who had nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with curative radiation therapy at Kosin Medical Center were retrospectively studied. Thirty seven patients($74{\%}$) were treated with radiation therapy alone(Group I) and 13 patients ($26{\%}$) treated with combination of chemotherapy and radiation (Group II). Age distribution was 16-75 years(median : 45.8 years). In histologic type, squamous cell carcinoma was in 30 patients($60{\%}$), undifferentiated carcinoma in 17 patients($34{\%}$), and lymphoepithelioma in 3 patients($6{\%}$). According t AJCC staging system. 4 patients($8{\%}$) were in $T_1$, 13 patients($26{\%}$) in $T_2$. 20 patients($40{\%}$) in $T_3$, 13 patients($26{\%}$) in $T_4$ and 7 patients($14{\%}$) in $N_0$, 6 patients($12{\%}$) $N_1$, 23 patients($46{\%}$) in $N_2$, 14 patients($28{\%}$) in $N_3$. Total radiation dose ranges were 5250-9200cGy(median : 7355 cGy) in Group I and 5360-8400cGy(median : 6758cGy) in Group II Radiotherapy on 4-6MV linear accelerator and/or 6-12MeV electron in boost radiation was given with conventional technique to 26 patients($52{\%}$), with hyperfractionation(115-120cGy/fr., 2times/day) to 16 patients($32{\%}$), with accelerated fractionation(160cGy/fr., 2 times/day) to 8 patients($16{\%}$). In chemotherapy, 5 FU 1000mg daily for 5 consecutive days, pepleomycin 10mg on days 1 and 3, and cisplatin 100mg on day 1 were administered with 3weeks interval, total 1 to 3 cycles(average 1.8cycles) prior to radiation therapy. Follow up duration was 6-140 months(mean : 58 months). Statistics was calculated with Chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Results : Complete local control rates in Group I and II were $75.7{\%},\;69.2{\%} Overall 5 year survival rates in Group I and II were $56.8{\%},\;30.8{\%}$. Five year survival rates by histologic type in Group I and II were $52.2{\%},\;14.3{\%}$ is squamous cell carcinoma and $54.5{\%},\;50{\%}$ in undifferentiated carcinoma. Survival rates in Group I were superior to those of Group II though there were not statistically significant. In both group, survival rates seem to be increased according to increasing total dose of radiation up to 7500cGy, but not increased beyond it. There were not statistically significant differences in survival rates by age, stage, and radiation techniques in both group. Twenty four patients($48{\%}$) experienced treatment failures. Complications were found in 12 patients($24{\%}$). The most common one was osteomyelitis(4 patients, $33.3{\%}$) involving mandible (3 patients) and maxilla(1 patient). Conclusion : Chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy was found to be not effective to nasopharyngeal cancer and the survival rate was also inferior to that of radiation alone group though it was statistically not significant due to small population in chemotherapy combined group.

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Problems in the field of maternal and child health care and its improvement in rural Korea (우리나라 농촌(農村)의 모자보건(母子保健)의 문제점(問題點)과 개선방안(改善方案))

  • Lee, Sung-Kwan
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.29-36
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    • 1976
  • Introduction Recently, changes in the patterns and concepts of maternity care, in both developing and developed countries have been accelerating. An outstanding development in this field is the number of deliveries taking place in hospitals or maternity centers. In Korea, however, more than 90% of deliveries are carried out at home with the help of untrained relatives or even without helpers. It is estimated that less than 10% of deliveries are assisted by professional persons such as a physician or a midwife. Taking into account the shortage of professional person i11 rural Korea, it is difficult to expect widespread prenatal, postnatal, and delivery care by professional persons in the near future, It is unrealistic, therefore, to expect rapid development of MCH care by professional persons in rural Korea due to economic and sociological reasons. Given these conditions. it is reasonable that an educated village women could used as a "maternity aid", serving simple and technically easy roles in the MCH field, if we could give such a women incentive to do so. The midwife and physician are assigned difficult problems in the MCH field which could not be solved by the village worker. However, with the application of the village worker system, we could expect to improve maternal and child hoalth through the replacement of untrained relatives as birth attendants with educated and trained maternity aides. We hope that this system will be a way of improving MCH care, which is only one part of the general health services offered at the local health centre level. Problems of MCH in rural Korea The field of MCH is not only the weakest point in the medical field in our country hut it has also dropped behind other developing countries. Regarding the knowledge about pregnancy and delivery, a large proportion of our respondents reported having only a little knowledge, while 29% reported that they had "sufficient" knowledge. The average number of pregnancies among women residing in rural areas was 4.3 while the rate of women with 5 or more pregnancies among general women and women who terminated childbearing were 43 and 80% respectively. The rate of unwanted pregnancy among general women was 19.7%. The total rate for complications during pregnancy was 15.4%, toxemia being the major complication. The rate of pregnant women with chronic disease was 7%. Regarding the interval of pregnancy, the rates of pregnancy within 12 months and within 36 months after last delivery were 9 and 49% respectively. Induced abortion has been increasing in rural areas, being as high as 30-50% in some locations. The maternal death rate was shown 10 times higher than in developed countries (35/10,000 live births). Prenatal care Most women had no consultation with a physician during the prenatal period. Of those women who did have prenatal care, the majority (63%) received such care only 1 or 2 times throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Also, in 80% of these women the first visit Game after 4 months of gestation. Delivery conditions This field is lagging behind other public health problems in our country. Namely, more than 95% of the women deliveried their baby at home, and delivery attendance by a professional person occurred only 11% of the time. Attendance rate by laymen was 78% while those receiving no care at all was 16%. For instruments used to cut the umbilical corn, sterilized scissors were used by 19%, non-sterilized scissors by 63% and 16% used sickles. Regarding delivery sheets, the rate of use of clean sheets was only 10%, unclean sheets, vinyl and papers 72%, and without sheets, 18%. The main reason for not using a hospital as a place of delivery was that the women felt they did not need it as they had previously experience easy deliveries outside hospitals. Difficult delivery composed about 5% of the total. Child health The main food for infants (95%) was breast milk. Regarding weaning time, the rates within one year, up to one and half, two, three and more than three years were 28,43,60,81 and 91% respectively, and even after the next pregnancy still continued lactation. The vaccination of children is the only service for child health in rural Korea. As shown in the Table, the rates of all kinds of vaccination were very low and insufficient. Infant death rate was 42 per 1,000 live births. Most of the deaths were caused by preventable diseases. Death of infants within the neonatal period was 83% meaning that deaths from communicable diseases decreased remarkably after that time. Infant deaths which occurred without medical care was 52%. Methods of improvement in the MCH field 1. Through the activities of village health workers (VHW) to detect pregnant women by home visiting and. after registration. visiting once a month to observe any abnormalities in pregnant women. If they find warning signs of abnormalities. they refer them to the public health nurse or midwife. Sterilized delivery kits were distributed to the expected mother 2 weeks prior to expected date of delivery by the VHW. If a delivery was expected to be difficult, then the VHW took the mother to a physician or call a physician to help after birth, the VHW visits the mother and baby to confirm health and to recommend the baby be given proper vaccination. 2. Through the midwife or public health nurse (aid nurse) Examination of pregnant women who are referred by the VHW to confirm abnormalities and to treat them. If the midwife or aid nurse could not solve the problems, they refer the pregnant women to the OB-GY specialist. The midwife and PHN will attend in the cases of normal deliveries and they help in the birth. The PHN will conduct vaccination for all infants and children under 5, years old. 3. The Physician will help only in those cases referred to him by the PHN or VHW. However, the physician should examine all pregnant women at least three times during their pregnancy. First, the physician will identify the pregnancy and conduct general physical examination to confirm any chronic disease that might disturb the continuity of the pregnancy. Second, if the pregnant woman shows any abnormalities the physician must examine and treat. Third, at 9 or 10 months of gestation (after sitting of the baby) the physician should examine the position of the fetus and measure the pelvis to recommend institutional delivery of those who are expected to have a difficult delivery. And of course. the medical care of both the mother and the infants are responsible of the physician. Overall, large areas of the field of MCH would be served by the VHW, PHN, or midwife so the physician is needed only as a parttime worker.

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