• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2021

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the survival rate by comparing Class II restoration using flowable resin composite with stainless steel crown in primary molars. Electronic medical records and radiographs of 1,504 primary molars with proximal caries of 590 patients from June 2015 to August 2019 were analyzed. With the collected data, survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The 1-year survival rate of flowable resin composite in the primary molar was 98.5%, 3-year survival rate was 87.7%, and mean survival time was 39 months. There was no statistically significant difference between flowable resin composite and stainless steel crown (p = 0.896). Within the limits of this study, Class II restoration using flowable resin composite can be considered a promising option for the treatment of proximal caries in primary molars.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 1995

We consider a step-stress life testing which is devised for a two-component parallel system with considerably long life time. To describe such a system, we use an exponential distribution as the survival function. The lift distribution is assumed between the log mean life time and the stress with the cumulative exposure model. The criterion for optimality is to minimize the sum of the variances of the maximum likelihood estimators of the mean life times of each part under the normal stress.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6381-6384
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• 2015

Background: The purpose of this retrospectively study was to examine the effectiveness and tolerability of a radiotherapy technique for the palliation of symptomatic liver metastases. Materials and Methods: Twentyseven patients with liver metastases were enrolled and received targeted whole liver irradiation consisting of mean 1, 8 Gy in five to twelve fractions to a total mean dose 17Gy. Symptoms at baseline were hepatic pain (26 patients), lost of weight (6), lack of appetite (2), and night sweats (1). Seventeen patients (63%) had failed previous treatment with chemotherapy and/or high-dose steroids. Results: Individual symptom response rates were 100% at 4 weeks. Partial or complete global symptomatic responses were noted in 11 patients (40%) after 2 months. After 3 months, 8 patients (28%) reported loss of pain. The treatment was well tolerated with one patient (3%) experiencing grade 3 toxicity (one vomiting and one diarrhoea). Overall the median survival time was 4.9 months (range 1 - 14 months). One year survival was 39%. Conclusions: This is simple and well-tolerated treatment but to achieve good palliation effects we should carefully selected patients whose conventional treatment does not bring good analgesic control.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2021

Detrimental effects of inbreeding have been studied by many researchers for a long time. However, only a few studies have shown the occurrence of inbreeding depression due to evolutionary changes as a purging process. In this study, two different populations (inbreeding and outbreeding) of Drosophila melanogaster were compared to assess inbreeding effects on artificial population bottlenecks. For inbreeding conditions, a couple of D. melanogaster (one virgin and one male) were selected from an inbred population and cultured in a vial. For outbreeding conditions, a couple of D. melanogaster were selected from different populations and cultured in a vial. There were significant differences in body lengths of adults, but not in other parameters such as the total number of adults, the rate of survival, and the rate of wing mutants. The mean body length of adults of outbreeding populations was longer than that of inbreeding populations in the first generation (G1; P = 0.004), but not in the second generation (G2; P = 0.066). Although the other three parameters (total number of adults, rate of survival, and rate of wing mutants) showed differences in their mean values between inbreeding and outbreeding populations, these differences were not statistically significant. This might be due to genetic purging. This study demonstrated one additional experimental case related to inbreeding depression in artificial bottlenecked populations. Further studies are necessary to confirm the clear interaction between inbreeding depression and genetic purging using more generations and replicates (or samples) of D. melanogaster.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.159-171
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of baseline values and temporal changes in body composition parameters, including skeletal muscle index (SMI) and visceral adipose tissue area (VAT), measured using serial computed tomography (CT) imaging on the prognosis of operable breast cancers in Asian patients. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively included 627 Asian female (mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 53.6 ± 8.3 years) who underwent surgery for stage I-III breast cancer between January 2011 and September 2012. Body composition parameters, including SMI and VAT, were semi-automatically calculated on baseline abdominal CT at the time of diagnosis and follow-up CT for post-treatment surveillance. Serial changes in SMI and VAT were calculated as the delta values. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of baseline and delta SMI and VAT values with disease-free survival. Results: Among 627 patients, 56 patients (9.2%) had breast cancer recurrence after a median of 40.5 months. The mean value ± SD of the baseline SMI and baseline VAT were 43.7 ± 5.8 cm²/m² and 72.0 ± 46.0 cm², respectively. The mean value of the delta SMI was -0.9 cm²/m² and the delta VAT was 0.5 cm². The baseline SMI and VAT were not significantly associated with disease-free survival (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.983; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.937-1.031; p = 0.475 and adjusted HR, 1.001; 95% CI, 0.995-1.006; p = 0.751, respectively). The delta SMI and VAT were also not significantly associated with disease-free survival (adjusted HR, 0.894; 95% CI, 0.766-1.043; p = 0.155 and adjusted HR, 1.001; 95% CI, 0.989-1.014; p = 0.848, respectively). Conclusion: Our study revealed that baseline and early temporal changes in SMI and VAT were not independent prognostic factors regarding disease-free survival in Asian patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4177-4183
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• 2015

Background: Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Asia, and the majority type is gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Most GAC patients die of recurrence and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been thought to be responsible for the initiation, development, metastasis, and ultimately recurrence of cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate expression and clinical significance of CSCs markers, CD133 and Lgr5, and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in primary GAC. Materials and Methods: Specimens from 261 Chinese patients with follow-up were analyzed for CD133, Lgr5 protein expression and VM by immunohistochemical and histochemical staining. The Pearson Chi's square test was used to assess the associations among the positive staining of these markers and clinicopathological characteristics. Postoperative overall survival time was were studied by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: In GAC tissues, positive rates of 49.0%, 38.7%, and 26.8% were obtained for CD133, Lgr5, and VM, respectively. The mean score of microvessel density (MVD) was $21.7{\pm}11.1$ in GAC tissues. There was a significantly difference between the positive and negative groups. There was a positive relationship between the VM, the expression of CD133 and Lgr5, and the score of MVD and the grades of tumor, lymph node metastasis, TNM stages (all p<0.05). The overall mean survival time of the patients with CD133, Lgr5, VM, and MVD (${\geq}22$) positive expression was lower than that of patients with negative expression. The score of MVD, positive expression of CD133 and VM were independent prognostic factors of GAC (p<0.05). Conclusions: VM, and expression of CD133, Lgr5, and the score of MVD are related to grades of tumor, lymph node metastasis, TNM stages, and overall mean survival time. It is suggested that CSCs and VM could play an important role in the evolution of GAC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7193-7196
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• 2013

Ovarian cancer patients need a surveillance program for the detection of tumor progression after completion of treatment. The methods generally consist of history taking, physical examination, tumor marker monitoring and imaging. However, the details of recurrence detection with each method are not well defined. To clarify this issue, ovarian cancer patients who achieved complete or partial responses and developed tumor progression at the follow up time between January 2004 and December 2010 in University Hospital Chiang Mai, Thailand, were reviewed. Clinical data, CA 125 level and imaging results at the tumor progression time were recorded and analyzed. There were 144 ovarian cancer patients meeting the inclusion criteria with the mean age of 51 years and 62.5% of them were in an advanced stage. Complete response was achieved in 89 patients (61.8%) after primary treatment. The median progression free survival and overall survival were 15.5 months and 37.5 months, respectively. Abnormal symptoms presented in 49.3% of the studied patients and 59.7% developed physical examination abnormalities. In addition, CA 125 was elevated in 89.6% while in 74.3% of tumor progression was identified by CT-scan. Short treatment time period and a high level of CA 125 were significant independent prognostic factors in these patients. In conclusion, careful history taking, physical examination and monitoring of CA 125 levels are important methods for tumor progression detection in a surveillance program for epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3451-3454
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• 2012

Background: Esophageal cancer in Iran is the sixth most common cancer and is particularly important in east Azerbaijan. The aim of this study was to calculate survival rates and define prognostic factors in esophageal cancer patients. Methods: In this study, all patients with esophageal cancer registered in the Radiation Therapy Center, during March 2006 to March 2011, were analyzed and followed up for vital status. Data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Out of 532 patients, survival information was available for 460, including 205 (44/ 5%) females and 255 (55/4%) males. The mean age was $65.8{\pm}12.2$, ranging from 29 to 90 years at the time of diagnosis. 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after diagnosis were 55%, 18% and 12%, respectively, with a median survival time of $13.2{\pm}.7$ (CI 95% =11.8-14.6) months. In the univariate analysis, age (P=0/001), education (P=0/001), smoking status (P= 0/001), surgery (P= 0/001), tumor differentiation (P= 0/003) and tumor stage (P= 0/001) were significant prognostic factors. Tumor morphology, sex, place of residence, tumor histology and tumor location did not show any significant effects on the survival rate. In multivariate analysis, age (P = 0/003), smoking (P= 0/01) and tumor stage (P= 0/001) were significant independent predictors of survival. Conclusion: In summary, prognosis of esophageal cancer in North West of Iran is poor. Therefore, reduction in exposure to risk factors and early detection should be emphasized to improve survival.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2014

Purpose: Survival outcome of locally advanced pancreatic cancer has been poor and little is known about prognostic factors of the disease, especially in locally advanced cases treated with concurrent chemoradiation. This study was to analyze overall survival and prognostic factors of patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 34 patients diagnosed with unresectable pancreatic cancer and treated with definitive CCRT, from December 2003 to December 2012, were reviewed. Median prescribed radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 41.4 to 55.8 Gy), once daily, five times per week, 1.8 to 3 Gy per fraction. Results: With a mean follow-up of 10 months (range, 0 to 49 months), median overall survival was 9 months. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 40% and 10%, respectively. Median and mean time to progression were 5 and 7 months, respectively. Prognostic parameters related to overall survival were post-CCRT CA19-9 (p = 0.02), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status (p < 0.01), and radiation dose (p = 0.04) according to univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, post-CCRT CA19-9 value below 180 U/mL and ECOG status 0 or 1 were statistically significant independent prognostic factors associated with improved overall survival (p < 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: Overall treatment results in locally advanced pancreatic cancer are relatively poor and few improvements have been accomplished in the past decades. Post-treatment CA19-9 below 180 U/mL and ECOG performance status 0 and 1 were significantly associated with an improved overall survival.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2009

Purpose: With the development of diagnostic techniques, second primary neoplasms such as synchronous or metachronous cancers in gastric cancer patients are being increasingly found. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological features and clinical significance of gastric neoplasms combined with synchronous and metachronous cancers. Materials and Methods: 1,048 patients who were diagnosed with gastric cancer in Chosun University Hospital from January 1998 to March 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: 38 of the 1,048 patients with gastric cancer (3.6%) had synchronous and metachronous cancers. Of the 38 patients, 16 patients (42.1%) had synchronous cancer and 22 patients (57.9%) had metachronous cancer. The average time interval between gastric cancer and the secondary primary cancer was $27.08{\pm}31.25$ months. The most common second primary neoplasm was lung cancer (8/38, 21.1%), followed by colorectal cancer (8/38, 21.1%). Among the 27 patients who underwent surgical resection for gastric cancer, 5 patients (18.5%) were in the synchronous group and 22 patients (81.5%) were in the metachronous group. The mean survival time of the 38 patients was 49.8 months. The mean survival time was 24.6 months for the synchronous cancer patients and 68.1 month for the metachronous cancer patients. The 3 year survival rate of the synchronous group and the metachronous group was 33.3% and 81.1%, respectively. Conclusion: We must pay attention on the preoperative workup for synchronous cancer and on the postoperative follow-up for metachronous cancer in gastric cancer patients.