• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4571-4575
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• 2012

Introduction and Purpose: The frequency of bilateral breast cancer is 1.4-11.0% among all breast cancers. It can present as synchronous (SC) or metachronous (MC). Data regarding clinical course of bilateral breast cancer are scarce. In this study, we therefore evaluated demographic, pathological and clinical characteristics, treatments and responses in bilateral breast cancer cases; making distinctions between metachronous-synchronous and comparing with historic one-sided data for the same parameters. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty bilateral breast cancer cases from ten different centers between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively scanned. Age of the cases, family history, menopausal status, pathological features, pathological stages, neoadjuvant, surgery, adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy/radiotherapy were examined in the context of the first and second occurrence and discussed with reference to the literature. Results: Metachronous and synchronous groups showed similar age, menopausal status, tumor type, HER2/neu expression; the family history tumor grade, tumor stage, ER-negativity rate, local and distant metastases rates, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy application rates were identified as significantly different. Palliative chemotherapy response rate was greater in the metachronous group but median PFS rates did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Although bilateral breast cancer is not frequent, MC breast cancer is different from SC breast cancer by having more advanced grade, stage, less ER expression, more frequent rates of local relapse and distant metastasis and better response to chemotherapy in case of relapse/metastasis.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.3-16
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• 2023

Unlike in the past, standards for the quantity and quality of work expected from medical school faculty are continuously rising, causing changes and stress in various areas. This highlights the need for career development among medical school faculty for professional, personal, organizational, and societal reasons. The role of medical school faculty has become more diverse, leading to an increase in the types and levels of competencies required. Medical schools must support their faculty members with diverse identities in fully utilizing their capabilities to achieve the institution's mission. Furthermore, societal changes suggest that career development for medical school faculty will become even more crucial in the future. To achieve this, both individuals and organizations must make efforts and play appropriate roles. For this purpose, medical schools use a combination of promotion and tenure evaluations and faculty development programs, while individual faculty members follow a career path within the medical school environment. Medical school faculty must be able to meet the evolving demands at each stage of their careers. It is important for professors, who engage in career development, to have a clear sense of their identity and values, and to prioritize their career goals. Medical schools should also ensure that the implicit messages they convey align with the organization's explicit values. Finally, proactively preparing for future changes in society and generations is essential from a long-term perspective.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to analyze the current status and performance evaluation systems of faculty in Korean medical colleges and professional graduate medical schools (called medical schools). We developed a research tool based on previous studies and distributed it to 40 medical schools from July to October 2017. The response rate was 100%. We calculated the number of faculty members and analyzed the faculty evaluation systems and awareness according to national and private medical schools. As of 2017, the number of medical faculty in Korea was 11,111 (4,973 faculty were employed by their alma mater, which is 44.76% of the total), with non-medical doctor faculty accounting for 754 of the total. The medical schools reflect research achievements as most important for re-appointment and screening to promote faculty, and the area of education is secondary excepting clinical faculty of private medical schools. However, important issues in the faculty evaluation deal with the relevance of research achievement and the need for qualitative assessment. Some medical schools revised or have been revising the faculty evaluation system in areas such as minimum standards of education for promotion and separation of promotion and tenure review. Opening non-tenure track lines for faculty show positive effects such as increasing the number of positions for hire and easing the financial burdens of medical schools. Downfalls include inconsistencies between the responsibilities and actual practices of tenure not being available and the instability of faculty's status. In conclusion, medical schools need to prepare a faculty evaluation system that fits the position of faculty members and attempt to establish a reasonable compensation system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.204.2-204.2
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.131-132
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• 2005

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4801-4802
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• 2015

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3449-3453
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• 2013

Background: Telomerase has been considered as an attractive molecular target for breast cancer therapy. The main objective of this work is to assess the inhibitory effects of silibinin and curcumin, two herbal substances, on telomerase gene expression in breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: For determination of cell viability tetrazolium-based assays were conducted after 24, 48, and 72 h exposure times and expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene was measured with real-time PCR. Results: Each compound exerted cytotoxic effects on T47D cells and inhibited telomerase gene expression, both in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The mixture of curcumin and silibinin showed relatively more inhibitory effect on growth of T47D cells and hTERT gene expression as compared with either agent alone. Conclusions: These findings suggest that cell viability along with hTERT gene expression in breast cancer cells could be reduced by curcumin and silibinin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4241-4246
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• 2016

Background: Dysregulation of miRNA expression may be used as a biomarker for specific tumours because it may contribute to development of cancer. Circulating miRNA profiles have been highlighted for their potential as predictive markers in heterogeneous diseases such as breast cancer. In the literature, there is evidence that miR-195 levels are differentially expressed pre- and post-operative periods in breast cancer patients. At the same time, miRNA expression levels may vary because of ethnic origins. This study aimed to determine expression levels and potential roles of miR-195 in Turkish breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The expression patterns of miR-195 were initially examined in breast cancer tissues (luminal A and B type) (n=96). Subsequently, blood samples were prospectively collected from preoperative and postoperative Turkish breast cancer patients and disease free controls. Total RNA was isolated, and the expression level of miR-195 was quantified by real-time PCR. Results: We found that miR-195 level was altered in Turkish breast cancer patients, with down-regulation evident in breast cancer tissues compared to normal adjacent specimens. Furthermore, circulating levels of miR-195 was significantly decreased in post-operative blood samples compared with pre-operative levels (p=0.01 and <0.05). However, miR-195 was significantly increased in pre-operative blood samples of the luminal B type (p=0.04 and <0.05). Conclusions: This study represents the first report of a miR-195 expression profile in Turkish breast cancer patients. Our data suggests that miR-195 levels might be a clinically useful biomarker in the earliest stage of Turkish breast cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8931-8936
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• 2014

Background: Herbal compounds such as curcumin which decrease telomerase and gene expression have been considered as beneficial tools for lung cancer treatment. In this article, we compared the effects of pure curcumin and curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAA nanoparticles on telomerase and PinX1 gene expression in a lung cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: A tetrazolium-based assay was used for determination of cytotoxic effects of curcumin on the Calu-6 lung cancer cell line and telomerase and pinX1 gene expression was measured with real-time PCR. Results: MTT assay showed that Curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAA inhibited the growth of the Calu-6 lung cancer cell line in a time and dose-dependent manner. Our q-PCR results showed that the expression of telomerase gene was effectively reduced as the concentration of curcumin-loaded NIPAAm-MAA increased while expression of the PinX1 gene became elevated. Conclusions: The results showed that curcumin-loaded-NIPAAm-MAA exerted cytotoxic effects on the Calu-6 cell line through down-regulation of telomerase and stimulation of pinX1 gene expression. NIPPAm-MAA could be good carrier for such kinds of hydrophobic agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.5119-5124
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine response rates, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity of gemcitabine and paclitaxel combinations with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients (NSCLC) who have progressive disease after platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the file records of patients treated with gemcitabine plus paclitaxel in advanced or metastatic NSCLC cases in a second-line setting. The chemotherapy schedule was as follows: gemcitabine $1500mg/m^2$ and paclitaxel 150 mg/m2 administered every two weeks. Results: Forty-eight patients (45 male, 3 female) were evaluated; stage IIIB/IV 6/42; PS0, 8.3%, PS1, 72.9%, PS2, 18.8%; median age, 56 years old (range 38-76). Six (12.5%) patients showed a partial response (PR), 13 (27.1%) stable disease (SD), and 27 (56.3%) progressive disease (PD). The median OS was 6.63 months (95% CI 4.0-9.2); the median PFS was 2.7 months (95% CI 1.8-3.6). Grade 3 and 4 hematologic toxicities, including neutropenia (n=4, 8.4%), and anemia (n=3, 6.3%) were encountered, but no grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia. One patient developed febrile neutropenia. There were no interruption for reasons of toxicity and no exitus related to therapy. Conclusion: The combination of two-weekly gemcitabine plus paclitaxel was an effective and well-tolerated second-line chemotherapy regimen for advanced or metastatic NSCLC patients previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy. Although the most common and dose limiting toxicities were neutropenia and neuropathy, this regimen was tolerated well by the patients.