• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.72-75
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• 2006

Background : This report reviews our experience with persistent air leaks in the peumothorax that were not considered candidates for surgical treatment in order to evaluate the efficacy and risks of the OK-432 plus autoblood or OK-432 pleurodesis. Material & Methods : From March 2004 to July 2005, 8 consecutive patients who had an air leak in the pneumothorax over 5 days and had been treated with OK-432 plus autoblood or OK-432 pleurodesis. The patients were not considered candidates for surgical treatments because the chest CT findings revealed severe chronic lung disease with multiple bullae and/or bullous changes. A prolonged air leak with/without dead space was treated with either OK-432 plus autoblood or OK-432 pleurodesis. The efficacy and side effects of OK-432 pleurodesis were assessed by determining the duration of the air leak, the number of pleurodesis, the patients' symptoms, measurements of the white blood cell count and the c-reactive protein level. Results : All of eight patients were male and the mean age was $72.4{\pm}8.5$. The mean number of pleurodesis was $1.9{\pm}1.1$ and the mean duration of the air leak was $4.6{\pm}4.6days$ after pleurodesis. Side effects after pleurodesis were encountered in 7 patients, which included a chilling sensation in 7 cases, chest pain in 5 cases, headache in 3 cases, local heat sensation in 2 cases, and fever in 1 case. Leukocytosis was observed in 6 patients, and the mean of WBC count and CRP were $14500{\pm}2100$ and $21.9{\pm}11.4mg/dL$, respectively. Conclusion : Either OK-432 plus autoblood or OK-432 pleurodesis has acceptable side effects, and can be considered a treatment option for persistent air leaks in the pneumothorax that are not candidates for surgical treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2000

Purpose :We conducted a prospective non-randomized clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and toxic of the preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced unresectable rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1995 and June 1998, 37 conecutive patients with locally unresectable advanced rectal cancer were entered into the study. With 3- or 4- fields technique, a total of 45 Gy radiation was delivered on whole pelvis, followed by 5.4 Gy boost to the primary tumor in some cases. Chemotherapy was done at the first and fifth week of radiation with bolus i.v. 5-Fluorouracil (FU) 370$\~$450 mg/m$^{2}$, days 1$\~$5, plus Leucovorin 20 mg/m$^{2}$, days 1$\~$5. OF 37 patients, 6 patients did not receive all planned treatment course (refusal in 4, disease progression in 1, metastasis to lung in 1). Surgical resection was undergone 4$\~$6 weeks after preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Results :Complete resection rate with negative margins was 94$\%$ (29/31). Complete response was seen in 7 patients (23$\%$) clinically and 2 patients (6$\%$) pathologically. Down staging of tumor occured in 21 patients (68$\%$). Treatment related toxicity was minimal except grade III & IV leukopenia in 2 patients, respectively. Conclusion : Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer was effective in inducing down staging and complete resection rate. Treatment related toxicity was minimal. Further follow up is on-going to determine long term survival following this treatment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.629-638
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• 1997

Background : Surgical intervention is known as the principle management for hemoptysis of significant amount. But surgical procedure is applicable to only small number of patients because of increased mortality in emergency surgery and various functional and structural problems after lung resection. Bronchial artery embolization(BAE) has been used as an alternative interventional technique for immediate control of patients with increased risk for surgery due to recurrent or massive hemoptysis. BAE also has limitations such as recurrent bleeding after procedure and its role for the application to small amount of hemoptysis is still not established. Method : To evaluate immediate and long term effectiveness of BAE, we analysed 65 patients with hemoptysis according to therapeutic modalities they received ; BAE versus conservative management. Results : The success rate for immediate control of hemoptysis was significantly higher in BAE group with 43 cases(100%) among 43 cases compared with 17 cases(77%) among 22 cases in conservative group (p < 0.001). The disease control duration was $19.5{\pm}8.06$ months in BAE group and $18.8{\pm}6.06$ months in conservative group(p > 0.05). The therapeutic response in BAE group was 82%(36/43 cases) and 95%(21/22 cases) in conservative group (p > 0.05). According to the amount of hemoptysis, the therapeutic response were seen in 91%(29/32 cases) in less than 100ml and 85%(28/33 cases) in 100~400ml (p > 0.05). According to the manifestation of hemoptysis, the therapeutic response in groups of recurrent and nonrecurent were 87%(20/23 cases) and 88%(37/42 cases)(p > 0.05). Conclusion : The difference of therapeutic response between BAE and conservative group in patients with small amounts of hemoptysis was not found except for immediate control of hemoptysis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.447-453
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• 2001

Background: Although pulmonary resection is the standard approach for the management of pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcoma, most of them are unresectable and chemotherapy remains the only option. The effectiveness of the cytotoxic drugs may be limited by the toxicities that occur before the therapeutic dose is reached. The regional administration of doxorubicin using pulmonary arterial perfusion in a rodent model can produce 10 to 25 times higher concentrations in the lung than systemic administration with minimal systemic toxicities. However, it is unclear whether a high concentration of doxorubicin has beneficial effects for killing cancer cells. Material and Method: We studied this to evaluate the dose-dependent cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of doxorubicin on methylcholanthrene-induced rat fibrosarcoma(MCA) cells. This study examined the cytotoxicity and apoptosis-related gene expressions(Fas, FasL, Bax, caspase 1, caspase 2, caspase 8, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bcl-xS) in MCA cells after 24 hours exposure to various concentrations of doxorubicin such as 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 $\mu$M. Result: Dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed after 24 hours exposure to doxorubicin. However, peak apoptosis after 24 hours exposure was observed at 5 $\mu$M of doxorubicin. Above 5 $\mu$M, apoptotic activity was decreased with dose-increment. All mRNA levels of apoptosis-related genes after 24 hours exposure were up-regulated above the control level at 1 $\mu$M of doxorubicin and then decreased by doxorubicin dose-increment except caspase 8, which showed higher levels than the control level at 5 $\mu$M. Apoptosis-related protein levels were highest at 1 $\mu$M of doxorubicin and then decreased by doxorubicin dose-increment. However, Bax and Bcl-xL proteins steadily showed higher levels than the control throughout the different concentrations of doxorubicin. Conclusion: These results suggest that apoptosis is the main cytotoxic mechanism in low concentrations of doxorubicin in MCA cells and apoptosis-related genes, such as Bax, caspase 8, and Bcl-xL, are involved. At high concentrations, doxorubicin still can kill MCA cells, even when apoptosis is inhibited, and have its propriety for achieving much cytotoxicity against MCA cells.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.268-295
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• 1997

Sweating is natural phenomenon necessary for the regulation of an individual's body-temperature. The secretion of sweat is mediated by a portion of our vegetative nervous system(the sympathetic nervous system). In some people, this system is working at a very high activity level, far higher than needed to keep a constant temperature. This condition is referred to as hyperhidrosis. Especially excessive sweating of the hands and the feet is palmoplantar hyperhidrosis or volar hyperhidrosis. This is by far the most distressing condition. It was founded that the first important cause of this was emotional factor. The hands are much more exposed in social and prefessional activities than any other part of our body. Many individuals with palmoplantar hyperhidrosis are limited in their choice of proffession, because unable to manipulate materials sensitive to humidity or reluctant to shake hands; some patients arrive to the point to avoid social contact. The occidental medical treatments for palmoplantar hyperhidrosis include application of topical agents(chemical antiperspirants such as aluminum chloride), iontophoresis(treatment with electrical current), or surgery(thoracic sympathectomy). It was reported that the most effective treatment was thoracic sympathectomy. So this study was started to find the easy and effective oriental medical treatments against the occidental medical treatments through the oriental medical literature. The occidental medical idea for palmoplantar hyperhidrosis is only limited in neurologic system, so surgery is the best treatment. But the oriental medical idea for palmoplantar hyperhidrosis is much wider, so the oriental medical causes and treatments for this are able to be veriety. And the oriental medical teatment is freely in treating the patients of palmoplantar hyperhidrosis, because entire idea including pulse, facial color, mental condition, constitution and other symptom exists in the oriental medicine. The results of a bibliographic study of causes and treatments for palmoplantar are as follows; 1. The main causes of pa1moplantar hyperhidrosis are heat in the stomach, damp-heat in the spleen and the stomach, insufficiency of the spleen-qi and the stomach-qi, deficiency of the spleen-yin and the stomach-yin, and the others are the stomach-cold syndrome, stasis of blood and dyspepsia in the stomach, disorder of the liver-qi, deficiency of the heart-yin and the kidney-yin, deficiency of the heart-yang and the kidney-yang, stagnated heat in the liver and the spleen, the lung channel-heat etc. 2. The main methods of medical treatments for palmoplantar hyperhidrosis are clearing out the stomach-heat, eliminating dampness and heat in the spleen and the stomach, invigorating the spleen-qi and the stomach-qi, reinforcing the spleen-yin and the stomach-yin, warming the stomach, relaxing the liver and alleviating of mental depression and tonifying the heart and the kidney etc. 3. The main prescriptions of palmoplantar hyperhidrosis are Taesihotang, Palmultang-kakam, Samyeongbaechusan, Chongbisan, Sasammaekmundongtang, the others are Leejungtang, Hwangkikonjungtang, Seungkitang, Boyumtang, Baekhotang, Chongsimyonjayum, Moyrosan, etc. 4. Local medicine for external use are liquid after boiling alum in water for about 1 or 2 hours, liquid after boiling alum and pueraria root in water and liquid after boiling stragalus root, pueraria root, ledebouriella root and schizonepeta in water, etc. 5. The methods of acupuncture therapy include invigorating Bokyru, Yumkuk and purgating Hapkouk, or invigorating Bokyru, Kihae and purgating Hapkouk, or steadying Hapkouk, Nokung.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1143-1153
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• 1998

Background : Recent outbreaks of pulmonary disease due to drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis have resulted in significant morbidity and mortality in patients worldwide. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the effects of pulmonary resection on the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Method : A retrospective review was performed of 41 patients undergoing pulmonary resection for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis between January 1993 and December 1997. We divided these into 3 groups according to the radiologic findings : (1) patients who have reasonably localized lesion (Localized Lesion Group ; LLG) (2) patients who have cavitary lesions after pulmonary resection on chest roentgenogram (Remained Cavity Group : RCG) (3) patients who have Remained infiltrative lesions postoperatively (Remained infiltrative group : RIG). We evaluated the negative conversion rate after resection and overall response rate of the groups. Then they were compared with the results of the chemotherapy on the multi drug-resistant tuberculosis which has been outcome by Goble et al. Goble et al reported that negative conversion rate was 65% and overall response rate, 56% over a mean period of 5.1 months. Results : Seventy five point six percent were men and 24.4% women with a median age of 31 years (range, 16 to 60 years). Although the patients were treated preoperatively with multidrug regimens in an effort to reduce the mycobacterial burden, 22 of 41 were still sputum culture positive at the time of surgery. 20 of 22 patients(90.9%, p<0.01) responded which is defined as negative sputum cultures within 2 months postoperative. Of 26 patients with the sufficient follow up data, 19 have Remained sputum culture negative for a mean duration of 25.7 months (73.1%, p<0.05). The bulk of the disease was manifest in one lung, but lesser amounts of contralateral disease were demonstrated in 15, consisted of 8 in RIG and 7 in RCG, of 41. 12 of 12 patients (100%, p<0.01) who were sputum positive at the time of surgery in LLG converted successfully. 14 of 15 patients (93.3%, p<0.05) with the follow up have completed treatment and not relapsed for a mean period of 25. 7 months. The mean length of postoperative drug therapy of LLG was 12.2 months. In RIG, postoperative negative conversion rate was 83.3% which was not significant statistically. There was a statistical significance in overall response rate (100%, p<0.05) of RIG for a mean period of 24.4 months with a mean length of postoperative chemotherapy, 11.8 months. In RCG a statistically lower overall response rate (14.3%, p<0.01) has been revealed for a mean duration of follow up, 24.2 months. A negative conversion rate of RCG was 75% which was not significant statistically. Conclusion : Surgery plays an important role in the management of patients with multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Aggressive pulmonary resection should be performed for resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection to avoid treatment failure or relapse. Especially all cavitary lesions on preoperative chest roentgenogram should be resected completely. If all of them could not be resected perfectly, you should not open the thorax.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2016

Purpose : This study aimed to compare and evaluate between the efficiency of two respective devices, 3D-bolus and step-bolus when the devices were used for the treatment of patients whose chest walls were required to undergo the electron beam therapy after the surgical procedure of modified radical mastectomy, MRM. Materials and Methods : The treatment plan of reverse hockey stick method, using the photon beam and electron beam, had been set for six breast cancer patients and these 6 breast cancer patients were selected to be the subjects for this study. The prescribed dose of electron beam for anterior chest wall was set to be 180 cGy per treatment and both the 3D-bolus, produced using 3D printer(CubeX, 3D systems, USA) and the self-made conventional step-bolus were used respectively. The surface dose under 3D-bolus and step-bolus was measured at 5 measurement spots of iso-center, lateral, medial, superior and inferior point, using GAFCHROMIC EBT3 film (International specialty products, USA) and the measured value of dose at 5 spots was compared and analyzed. Also the respective treatment plan was devised, considering the adoption of 3D-bolus and stepbolus and the separate treatment results were compared to each other. Results : The average surface dose was 179.17 cGy when the device of 3D-bolus was adopted and 172.02 cGy when step-bolus was adopted. The average error rate against the prescribed dose of 180 cGy was -(minus) 0.47% when the device of 3D-bolus was adopted and it was -(minus) 4.43% when step-bolus was adopted. It was turned out that the maximum error rate at the point of iso-center was 2.69%, in case of 3D-bolus adoption and it was 5,54% in case of step-bolus adoption. The maximum discrepancy in terms of treatment accuracy was revealed to be about 6% when step-bolus was adopted and to be about 3% when 3D-bolus was adopted. The difference in average target dose on chest wall between 3D-bolus treatment plan and step-bolus treatment plan was shown to be insignificant as the difference was only 0.3%. However, to mention the average prescribed dose for the part of lung and heart, that of 3D-bolus was decreased by 11% for lung and by 8% for heart, compared to that of step-bolus. Conclusion : It was confirmed through this research that the dose uniformity could be improved better through the device of 3D-bolus than through the device of step-bolus, as the device of 3D-bolus, produced in consideration of the contact condition of skin surface of chest wall, could be attached to patients' skin more nicely and the thickness of chest wall can be guaranteed more accurately by the device of 3D-bolus. It is considered that 3D-bolus device can be highly appreciated clinically because 3D-bolus reduces the dose on the adjacent organs and make the normal tissues protected, while that gives no reduction of dose on chest wall.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.295-301
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• 1993

Since Jan. 1991 a prospective randomized study for Stage III unresectable non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been conducted to evaluate the response rate and tolerance of induction chemotherapy with MVP followed by hyperfractionated radiotherapy and evaluate the efficacy of maintenance chemotherapy in Asan Medical Center. All patients in this study were treated with hyperfractionated radiotherapy (120 cGy/fx BID, 6480 cGy/54 fx) following 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy, MVP (Mitomycin C 6 $mg/m^2,$ Vinblastin 6 $mg/m^2,$ Cisplatin 60 $mg/m^2$) and then the partial and complete responders from induction chemotherapy were randomized to 3 cycles of adjuvant MVP chemotherapy group and observation group. 48 patients were registered to this study until December 1992; among 48 patients 3 refused further treatment after induction chemotherapy and 6 received incomplete radiation therapy because of patient's refusal, 39 completed planned therapy. Twenty-three $(58\%)$ patients including 2 complete responders showed response from induction chemotherapy. Among the 21 patients who achieved a partial response after induction chemotherapy,1 patient rendered complete clearance of disease and 10 patients showed further regression of tumor following hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Remaining 10 patients showed stable disease or progression after radiotherapy. Of the sixteen patients judged to have stable disease or progression after induction chemotherapy, seven showed more than partial remission after radiotherapy but nine showed no response in spite of radiotherapy. Of the 39 patients who completed induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 25 patients $(64\%)$ including 3 complete responders showed more than partial remission. Nineteen patients were randomized after radio-therapy. Nine Patients were allocated to adjuvant chemotherapy group and 4/9 showed further regression of tumor after adjuvant chemotherapy. For the time being, there is no suggestion of a difference between the adjuvant chemotherapy group and observation group in distant metastasis rate and survival. Median survival time was 13 months. Actuarial survival rates at 6,12 and 18 months of 39 patients who completed this study were $84.6\%,\;53.7\%\;and\;40.3\%,$ respectively. The partial and complete responders from induction chemotherapy showed significantly better survival than non-responders (p=0.028). Incidence of radiation pneumonitis in this study group was less than that in historical control group inspite of induction chemotherapy. All patients tolerated hypertractionated radiotherapy without definite increase of acute complications compared with conventional radiotherapy group. The longer follow up is needed to evaluate the efficacies of induction and maintenance chemotherapy and survival advantage by hyperfractionated radiotherapy but authors are encouraged with an excellent tolerance, higher response rate and improvement of one year survival rate in patients of this study.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2019

Purpose: The usefulness of using single-electron radiation for secondary radiotherapy of breast cancer patients after surgery is assessed and the use of a combine of different energy. Methods and materials : In this study, 40 patients (group A) using energy 6 MeV and 9 MeV, and 19 patients (group B) using a combine of 9 MeV and 12 MeV were studied among 59 patients who performed secondary care using combine electronic radiation. Each patient in each group, 6 MeV, 9 MeV, Combine(6 MeV / 9 MeV) and 9 MeV, 12 MeV, Combine (9 MeV / 12 MeV) were developed in different ways, and the maximum doses delivered to the original hospital, D95, D5, and $V_3$, $V_5$, $V_{10}$ were compared. Result: The D95 mean value of Group A treatment plan was $785.33{\pm}225.37cGy$, $1121.79{\pm}87.02cGy$ at 9 MeV, and $1010.98{\pm}111.17cGy$ at 6 MeV / 9 MeV, and the mean value at 6 MeV / 9 MeV was most appropriate for the dose. The mean values of the low dose area $V_3$ and $V_5$ in the lung of the breast direction being treated were $3.24{\pm}3.49%$ and $0.72{\pm}1.55%$ at 6 MeV, the highest 9 MeV at $7.25{\pm}4.59%$, $3.07{\pm}2.64%$, the lowest at 6 MeV. Maximum and average lung dose was $727.78{\pm}137.27cGy$ at 6 MeV / 9 MeV, $49.16{\pm}24.44cGy$, highest 9 MeV at $998.97{\pm}114.35cGy$, $85.33{\pm}41.18cGy$, and lowest 6 MeV at $387.78{\pm}208.88cGy$, $9.27{\pm}6.60cGy$. The value of $V_{10}$ was all close to zero. Group B appeared in the pattern of Group A. Conclusion: Relative differences in low-dose areas of the lungs $V_3$ and $V_5$ were seen and were most effective in the dose transfer of tumor bed in the application of combined energy. It is thought that the method of using electronic energy in further radiation treatments for breast cancer is a more effective way to use the energy effect of limiting energy resources, and that if you think about it again, it could be a little more beneficial radiation treatment for patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.210-217
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• 2009

Purpose: To assess the influence of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression on the survival of patients with a combination of rectal cancer and lymph node metastasis. Materials and Methods: The study included rectal cancer patients treated by radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at the Dong-A university hospital from 1998 to 2004. A retrospective analysis was performed on a subset of patients that also had lymph node metastasis. After excluding eight of 86 patients, due to missing tissue samples in three, malignant melanoma in one, treatment of gastric cancer around one year before diagnosis in one, detection of lung cancer after one year of diagnosis in one, liver metastasis in one, and refusal of radiotherapy after 720 cGy in one, 78 patients were analyzed. The immunohistochemistry for COX-2 was conducted with an autostainer (BenchMark; Ventana, Tucson, AZ, USA). An image analyzer (TissueMine; Bioimagene, Cupertino, CA, USA) was used for analysis after scanning (ScanScope; Aperio, Vista, CA, USA). A survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan Meier method and significance was evaluated using the log rank test. Results: COX-2 was stained positively in 62 patients (79.5%) and negatively in 16 (20.5%). A total of 6 (7.7%), 15 (19.2%), and 41 (52.6%) patients were of grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively for COX-2 expression. No correlation was found between being positive of COX-2 patient characteristics, which include age (<60-year old vs. $\geq$60), sex, operation methods (abdominoperineal resection vs. lower anterior resection), degrees of differentiation, tumor size (<5 cm vs. $\geq$5 cm), T stages, N stages, and stages (IIIa, IIIb, IIIc). The 5-year overall and 5-year disease free survival rates for the entire patient population were 57.0% and 51.6%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates for the COX-2 positive and negative patients were 53.0% and 72.9%, respectively (p=0.146). Further, the 5-year disease free survival rates for the COX-2 positive and negative patients were 46.3% and 72.7%, respectively (p=0.118). The 5-year overall survival rates were significantly different (p<0.05) for the degree of differentiation, N stage, and stage, whereas the 5-year disease free survival rates were significant for N stage and stage. Conclusion: Being positive for and the degree of COX-2 expression did not have a significant influence on the survival of rectal cancer patients with lymph node metastasis. However, N stage and stage did significantly influence the rateof survival. Further analysis of a greater sample size is necessary for the verification of the effect of COX-2 expression on the survival of rectal cancer patients with lymph node involvement.