• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.284-293
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• 2015

Purpose: To determine failure patterns and survival outcomes of T4N0-1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five patients with T4N0-1 NSCLC who received definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy from May 2003 to October 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The standard radiotherapy scheme was 66 Gy in 30 fractions. The main concurrent chemotherapy regimen was $50mg/m^2$ weekly paclitaxel combined with $20mg/m^2$ cisplatin or AUC 2 carboplatin. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes were failure patterns and toxicities. Results: The median age was 64 years (range, 34 to 90 years). Eighty-eight percent of patients (n = 84) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1, and 42% (n = 40) experienced pretreatment weight loss. Sixty percent of patients (n = 57) had no metastatic regional lymph nodes. The median radiation dose was EQD2 67.1 Gy (range, 56.9 to 83.3 Gy). Seventy-one patients (75%) were treated with concurrent chemotherapy; of these, 13 were also administered neoadjuvant chemotherapy. At a median follow-up of 21 months (range, 1 to 102 months), 3-year OS was 44%. The 3-year cumulative incidences of local recurrence and distant recurrence were 48.8% and 36.3%, respectively. Pretreatment weight loss and combined chemotherapy were significant factors for OS. Acute esophagitis over grade 3 occurred in three patients and grade 3 chronic esophagitis occurred in one patient. There was no grade 3-4 radiation pneumonitis. Conclusion: Definitive radiotherapy for T4N0-1 NSCLC results in favorable survival with acceptable toxicity rates. Local recurrence is the major recurrence pattern. Intensity modulated radiotherapy and radio-sensitizing agents would be needed to improve local tumor control.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.247-256
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• 2017

Objectives: The deaths of Korean victims exposed to the disinfectant CMIT/MIT have remained unresolved. This is mainly due to a lack of concordance between the few available toxicity tests and the abundant epidemiological data, making it difficult to establish a cause-and-effect relationship. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate any potential associations between CMIT/MIT exposure and death. Methods: Groups of experimental and control C57BL/6 mice were instilled (in the trachea) with chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT) using a visual instillobot. CMIT/MIT was instilled over a period of three days and eight weeks, respectively, to achieve acute and chronic exposures. A threshold dose-response model was applied for estimating the threshold level as one line of evidence for a causal association between CMIT/MIT and death. Results: An acute exposure of 1.2 mg ai/kg/day of CMIT/MIT was estimated to reflect the threshold for death. The dose-response curve with this threshold showed a very steep slope and a narrow range of CMIT/MIT exposures. The narrow range of CMIT/MIT exposures, in particular, indicated an evident boundary between survival and death, thus implicating a strong causal association. A similar threshold dose-response relationship observed following acute exposure was also seen following chronic exposure to CMIT/MIT. Airborne disinfectant exposure was visible as minimal or mild lung damage with no fibrosis, as shown by histopathological tests. However, many observations are considered to be functional respiratory tract or lung failure due to death, as observed in necropsies of the mice that died due to CMIT/MIT exposures. Conclusions: There are two strong lines of evidence for a causal association between death and CMIT/MIT exposure: 1) The threshold dose-response curve, with a very steep slope and a narrow range of CMIT/MIT exposures showing a visible boundary between survival and death; and 2) many cases of functional respiratory or lung failure.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 2011

Objective : The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) and/or whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for the treatment of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) metastasis to the brain. Methods : From 2000 to 2010, 50 patients underwent GKRS for metastatic brain lesions originating from SCLC. Among these patients, 11 received prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) before the development of metastatic lesions (PCI group), and GKRS was performed as an initial treatment for newly diagnosed lesions in 12 patients who had not received PCI (primary GKRS group). In addition, GKRS was performed as a salvage treatment for progressive lesions after WBRT in 27 patients (salvage GKRS group). The medical records and imaging data of all patients were retrospectively analyzed. Results : The overall survival of the 50 patients was 20.8 months (range 1-53) after the diagnosis of primary tumor and 12.0 months (range 1-47) after the development of cerebral metastasis. Median survival after GKRS was 4.8 months (range 1-15) in the PCI group, 4.6 months (range 0-18) in the primary GKRS group, and 7.6 months (range 0-33) in the salvage GKRS group. Further treatment for progressive lesions after GKRS was necessary in 15 patients, after a mean interval of 3.8 months. Causes of death were systemic organ failure in 15 patients, deterioration of neurological state in 13 patients, and unknown or combined causes in 16 patients. The local control rate of the lesions treated with GKRS was 76.4% (decreased in 13 patients and stable in 16 patients at the final imaging follow-up (mean 5.60 months). Conclusion : GKRS is an effective local treatment for brain metastasis from SCLC both as an initial treatment for newly diagnosed lesions after PCI and as a salvage treatment for recurrent or progressive lesions. However, the survival benefit is not significant because most patients die of systemic multi-organ failure with a short life expectancy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.475-482
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• 1993

90 patients[75 men and 15 women] with the thoracic disease underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery[VATS] during the period March 1992 to February 1993. The thoracic diseases were classified into two groups of spontaneous pneumothorax and general thoracic patients and they were 66 and 24, respectively.The mean size of the tumor resected was 4.3 $\pm$ 2.0 cm x 3.3 $\pm$ 1.1 cm x 2.7 $\pm$ 1.0 cm. The mean time of anesthesia and operation were 90.0 $\pm$ 19.9 min and 43.7 $\pm$ 13.1 min in spontaneous pneumothorax group and 123.3 $\pm$ 40.3 min and 62.8 $\pm$ 32.2 min in general thoracic group. The mean period of postoperative chest tube drainage and hospital stay were 5.0$\pm$ 5.5 days and 6.6 $\pm$ 7.4 days in spontaneous pneumothorax group and 3.5$\pm$ 1.6 days and 9.5 $\pm$ 6.1 days in general thoracic group. The indications of VATS were 71 pleural disease[78.9%: 66 spontaneous pneumothorax; 3 pleural effusions ; 1 pleural paragonimus westermanii cyst; 1 malignant pleural tumor with metastasis to the lung], 9 mediastinal disease[10.0%: 5 benign neurogenic tumor; 2 pericardial cyst; 1 benign cystic teratoma; 1 undifferentiated carcinoma], 8 pulmonary parenchymal disease[8.9%: 3 infectious disease ; 3 interstitial disease ; 2 malignant tumor ], and 2 traumatic cases of exploration and removal of hematoma[2.2%]. The applicated objectives of VATS were diagnostic[ 7 ], therapeutic[ 67 ] and both[ 16 ] and the performed procedures were pleurodesis[ 66 ], wedge resection of lung[ 59 ], parietal pleurectomy[ 11 ], removal of benign tumor[ 9 ], excision and/or biopsy of tumor[ 4 ], pleural biopsy and aspiration of pleural fluid[ 3 ] and exploration of hemothorax and removal of hematoma in traumatic 2 patients. The complication rate was 24.2%[ 16/66 ] in the spontaneous pneumothorax group and 8.3%[ 2/24 ] in the general thoracic group and so overally 20.0%[ 18/90 ]. The mortality within postoperative 30 days was 2.2%[ 2/90 ], including 1 acute renal failure and 1 respiratory failure due to rapid progression of pneumonia. The conversion rate to open thoracotomy during VATS was 5.6%[ 5/90 ], including 2 immediate postoperative massive air leakage, 1 giant bullae, 1 malignant pleural tumor with metastasis to lung and 1 pulmonary malignancy. The successful cure rate of VATS was 75.8%[ 50/66 ] in the spontaneous pneumothorax group and 76.5%[ 13/17 ] in the general thoracic group and the successful diagnostic rate was 100%[ 7/7 ]. In conclusion, although prospective trials should be progressed to define the precise role of VATS, the VATS carries a low morbidity and mortality and high diagnostic and therapeutic success rate and now can be effectively applicated to the surgical treatment of the extensive thoracic disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.86-95
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• 1992

We have performed surgical operations for 184 primary lung carcinomas over a 10 year period from December, 1979 to December, 1990 at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. We have reviewed 77 cases confirmed to be dead in the post-operative follow-up period among 184 cases. There were 68 males and 9 females [M: F=7.56: 1], with 76.62% ranging between 50 to 70 years old There were 50 cases[64.94%] of squamous cell carcinoma, 15[19.48%] of adenocarcinoma, 4[5.19%] of large cell carcinoma, 4[5.19%] of mixed cell carcinoma 3 [3.90%] of small cell carcinoma % 1 case of bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma. There were 25 cases[32.47%] in stage I, 12 [15.58%] in stage II 32 [41.56%] in stage IIIa and 8 [10.39%] in stage IIIb according to the new international staging system for lung cancer. The operative methods were left pneumonectomy in 38 cases, right pneumonectomy in 21, bilobectomy in 5, lobectomy in 12, and wedge resection in one case.ase. There were 9 operative mortalities; one case by bleeding, 5 cases by respiratory failure, one case by bleeding & renal failure, one case by empyema thoracis with BPF and one case by brain metastases. The actuarial mean survival length was 14.636$\pm$18.188months overall and 16.441$\pm$18. 627months in 68 cases excluding 9 operative deaths. The actuarial mean survival length was 18.568$\pm$11.057 months in 43 squamous cell carcinomas, 14.385$\pm$11.057 months in 14 adenocarcinomas, 10.250$\pm$8.884months in 4 large cell carcinomas and 12.250$\pm$17.193months in 4 mixed cell carcinomas. The actuarial mean survival length was 14.051$\pm$16.963months in 59 pneumonectomy cases, 15.200$\pm$12.478 months in 5 bilobectomy cases, 18.417$\pm$26.026months in 12 lobectomy cases. The actuarial mean survival length was 28.952$\pm$25.738months in 22 stage I cases, 19. 455$\pm$16.723months in ll stage II cases, 8.633$\pm$6.584months in 29 stage IIIa cases and 6. 167$\pm$4.355months in 6 stage IIIb cases. The differences of actuarial mean survival length according to the stages were statistically significant [a=0.003]

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.294-298
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• 2007

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disorder that is characterized by the abundant accumulation of surfactant-derived material within the alveolar spaces and distal bronchioles. Although the findings of homogenous ground-glass opacities overlaid by thickened septa, which form a "crazy paving" pattern on high-resolution computed tomography, can assist in making a diagnosis, a lung biopsy is usually required. This disorder has a variable clinical course, from spontaneous resolution to respiratory failure and death. While a whole lung lavage has been the standard treatment since the early 1960s, GM-CSF therapy has been attempted based on the recently suggested pathogenetic mechanism. We report a case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis that resolved spontaneously after an open lung biopsy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.449-456
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• 2013

Background: Tumor recurrence is the most common cause of treatment failure, even after complete resection of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated the prognosis of patients with early recurrence in order to identify independent risk factors related to early recurrence. Methods: Between February 1995 and December 2012, 242 patients who underwent surgical resection for stage I NSCLC at Dong-A University Hospital were reviewed. The factors predicting overall survival (OS) and early recurrence were investigated. We also investigated the relationship between the patterns and period of recurrence and clinicopathological factors. Results: For patients with stage IA and IB NSCLC, the 5-year OS rate was 75.7% and 57.3% (p=0.006), respectively. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that gender (p=0.004), comorbidity number (p=0.038), resection type (p=0.002), and tumor size (p=0.022) were the statistically significant predictors of OS. Moreover, the multivariate analysis revealed that smoking history (p=0.023) and histologic grade (p=0.012) were the independent predictors of early recurrence. Additionally, only histologic grade (poor differentiation) was found to be significantly associated with a higher frequency of distant metastasis; there was no relationship between the patterns and period of recurrence and clinicopathological factors. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that smoking history and histologic grade were independent prognostic factors for early recurrence within two years in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Patients with these predictive factors may be good candidates for adjuvant therapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.2
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• pp.207-211
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• 2012

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare disorder characterized by the triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. HUS arises from a wide spectrum of conditions, and chemotherapeutic agents have been reported to be associated with HUS, including Mitomycin, Cisplatin, Bleomycin, and Gemcitabine. A 76-year-old man treated with Gemcitabine due to non-small cell lung cancer developed clinical and laboratory findings compatible with HUS. Gemcitabine was ceased and hemodialysis and plasma exchange were utilized and he recovered. A high level of suspicion for HUS is necessary when cancer patients are treated with Gemcitabine, and prompt recognition and treatment are also essential.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 2008

Although a paradoxical response of tuberculosis to antituberculous therapy is not a rare phenomenon, it can be a clinical challenge to differentiate a paradoxical response from treatment failure. A 25-year-old woman was admitted for miliary lung nodules and multiple intracranial nodules. Antituberculous treatment was started with a preliminary diagnosis of tuberculosis based on the history and clinical findings. After one month, the military lung nodules improved while the intracranial nodules increased in size and number. Based on a stereotactic biopsy, it was confirmed that the intracranial lesions were tuberculomas. Although the therapeutic regimen was not changed, the symptoms eventually were ameliorated and the intracranial nodules improved two months later.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2018

Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes according to radiation dose in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Materials and Methods: From January 2006 to December 2015, 38 patients with LS-SCLC were treated with CCRT with etoposide and cisplatin. Total radiation doses ranged from 45 Gy to 66 Gy (1.8-2 Gy/fraction) and were classified into three groups: 45-54 Gy, 60-63 Gy, and 66 Gy. The impact of radiation dose on survival outcomes were evaluated. Toxicities were evaluated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. Results: The median follow-up period was 21 months. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and local failure-free survival (LFFS) rates were 45.8% and 67.5%, respectively. The 2-year LFFS rates were 33.3% for 45-54 Gy group, 68.6% for 60-63 Gy group, and 87.1% for 66 Gy group (p = 0.014). In multivariate analysis, radiation dose was a significant factor for LFFS (p = 0.015). Although radiation dose was not a significant factor for OS and disease-free survival (DFS) in multivariate analysis, both OS and DFS of 66 Gy group tended to be better than that of 45-63 Gy group in univariate analysis. However, there were no differences in severe toxicities among three groups. Conclusion: Higher radiation dose achieved better local control in patients with LS-SCLC treated with CCRT. In addition, a total dose of 66 Gy tended to improve OS and DFS.