• Title/Summary/Keyword: Methotrexate

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Association between Chemotherapy-Response Assays and Subsets of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Gastric Cancer: A Pilot Study

  • Lee, Jee Youn;Son, Taeil;Cheong, Jae-Ho;Hyung, Woo Jin;Noh, Sung Hoon;Kim, Choong-Bai;Park, Chung-Gyu;Kim, Hyoung-Il
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.15 no.4
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    • pp.223-230
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    • 2015
  • Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the association between adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assays (ATP-CRAs) and subsets of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: In total, 15 gastric cancer tissue samples were obtained from gastrectomies performed between February 2007 and January 2011. Chemotherapy response assays were performed on tumor cells from these samples using 11 chemotherapeutic agents, including etoposide, doxorubicin, epirubicin, mitomycin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin, irinotecan, docetaxel, paclitaxel, methotrexate, and cisplatin. TILs in the tissue samples were evaluated using antibodies specific for CD3, CD4, CD8, Foxp3, and Granzyme B. Results: The highest cancer cell death rates were induced by etoposide (44.8%), 5-FU (43.1%), and mitomycin (39.9%). Samples from 10 patients who were treated with 5-FU were divided into 5-FU-sensitive and -insensitive groups according to median cell death rate. No difference was observed in survival between the two groups (P=0.216). Only two patients were treated with a chemotherapeutic agent determined by an ATP-CRA and there was no significant difference in overall survival compared with that of patients treated with their physician's choice of chemotherapeutic agent (P=0.105). However, a high number of CD3 TILs was a favorable prognostic factor (P=0.008). Pearson's correlation analyses showed no association between cancer cell death rates in response to chemotherapeutic agents and subsets of TILs. Conclusions: Cancer cell death rates in response to specific chemotherapeutic agents were not significantly associated with the distribution of TIL subsets.

Experimental Studies on the Anti-tumor and the Immunomodulatory Effects of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) (가미자도환(加味慈桃丸)의 항암(抗癌) 및 면역증강효과(免疫增强效果)에 관한 부험적(實驗的) 연구(硏究))

  • Jeon, Young-Soo;Shim, Bum-Sang;Choi, Seung-Hoon;Ahn, Kyoo-Sook
    • THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.103-125
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    • 2002
  • This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the anti-tumor and the immunomodulatory effects of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) against cancer. The in vitro anti-tumor effects were evaluated by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity, extension of survival days, the effect of inhibition solid tumor which was induced sarcoma 180, and the changes of body weight were evaluated for in vivo effects of anti-tumor. To evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of Jiawei- citaowan(加未慈桃丸), delayed type hypersensitivity, hemagglutinin, hemolysin titers for humoral immune response, rosette forming cells for cell-mediated immune response, natural killer cell activity, proliferation of lymphocyte, productivty of Interleukin-2, and carbon clearance were measured with methotrexate treated mice. The results were as follows; 1. In the case of existence ability of tumor cell, IC50 had an anti-tumor ativity resulted 2.52mg/ml to SNU-C4. 0.41mg/ml to SNU-396, resulted to 0.09mg/mlSNU-1. 2. The groups of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) 10mg/ml, 20mg/kg had no body weight loss. reduction in intake of water and feed, so these had no toxicity. 3. In the case of the effect of extention of existence. the group of 20mg/kg Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated group was showed 250% in ILS. 4. The effect of inhibition solid tumor was significantly decreased in both 10mg/kg, 20mg/kg of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups as compared with control group S. The groups of 10mg/kg, 20mg/kg Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) had significant effect of body weight change compared to control group. 6. Delayed type hypersensitivity was not significant in both Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups as compared with control group. 7. Hemagglutinin and Hemolysin titers were significantly increased by dose-dependent. so these results showed that the humoral immume respose was activated. 8. For the effect of rosette formimg cells was not significant in hoth Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups as compared with control group. 9. Natural killer cell activity was significantly increased in both Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups as compared with control group in the ratio of 100: 1, 50: 1 of effector and target cells, but in the ratio of 10:1, the Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups were not significant. 10. The proliferation of lymphocyte and productivty of Interleukin-2 were significantly increased by dose-dependent in both 10mg/ kg, 20mg/ kg of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated groups as compared with control group. 11. In the phagocytic effect, the 20mg/kg of Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) extract treated group showed the increasing effect with significance as compared with control group. According to the results, we can suggest that Jiaweicitaowan(加未慈桃丸) has the antitumor and the immunomodulatory effects.

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Suppressive Effects of Haedongpi-san, a Traditional Herbal Medicine, on Collagen-induced Arthritis in Mice (해동피산(海桐皮散)의 콜라젠으로 유발된 류마티스관절염 억제 효과)

  • Kang, Sung-Youp;Jin, Mi-Rim;Choi, Jeong-June;Koo, Young-Sun;Roh, Seong-Soo;Kim, Dong-Hee
    • Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.982-991
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    • 2007
  • The present study was done to assess the suppressive effects of Haedongpi-san(HDPS), a traditional herbal medicine, on collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in mice and to examined it's effects on immune system. Oral administration of HDPS (200 or 400 mg/Kg) significantly suppressed the progression of CIA, which extend is comparable to that of methotrexate (MTX, 30 mg/Kg), a positive control. Histological examinations reveled that HDPS inhibited infiltration of inflammatory cells into affected paw joint, and bone erosion and cartilage destruction were greatly reduced compared with control. In paw joint, the number of CD3+ cells and CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells were greatly reduced by HDPS. The levels of pathologic cytokines including TNF-a and IL-6 were significantly decreased in the serum by oral treatment with HDPS. The levels of $IFN-{\gamma}$ in the culture supernatant of splenocyte stimulated with CD3/CD28 or collagen were dramatically decreased, while those of IL-4 was increased. Rheumatoid factors including IgG, IgM and collagen specific antibody were present much lower in the serum of HDPS treated mice than control. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells of HDPS treated mice, the percentage of CD3+, CD3+/CD69+, CD4+, CD4+/CD25+ cells were significantly decreased, while CD19+ cells were slightly increased compared with control. The absolute number of CD19+, CD3+, CD3+/CD69+, CD4+/CD25+, CD49b+ cell in spleen from HDPS treated mice were significantly decreased. The absolute number of CD3+, CD3+/CD69+, CD4+, CD4+/CD25+ CD8+, CD49b+, CD3+/CD49b+ cells in draining lymph node were significantly increased compared with control. Taken together, HDPS has suppressive effects on rheumatoid arthritis by modulating immune system, and has potential to use as an therapeutic for rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment Result and Prognostic Factors in Pateints with Esophageal Cancer (식도암의 근치적 치료성적 및 예후인자)

  • Chung, Weon-Kuu;Kim, Soo-Kon;Kim, Min-Chul;Jang, Myoung;Moon, Sun-Rock
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.233-241
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    • 1995
  • Purpose : To analyse clinical outcome and prognostic factors according to treatment modality, this paper report our experience of retrospective study of patients with esophageal cancer Materials and Methods : One hundred and ten patients with primary esophageal cancer who were treated in Presbyterian Medical Center from May 1985 to December 1992. We analysed these patients retrospectively with median follow up time of 28 months, one hundred and four patients($95{\%}$) were followed up from 15 to 69 months. In methods, twenty-eight patients were treated with median radiation dose irradiated 54.3Gy only. Fifty-six patients were treated with combined chemoradiotherapy. Sixteen cases of these patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiation and the other patients(forty cases) were treated sequential chemoradiotherapy. In concurrent chemoradiotherapy group, patients received 5-FU continuous IV infusion for 4 days. Cisplatin IV bolus. and concurrent esophageal irradiation to 30 Gy. After that patients received 5-FU continuous IV, Cisplatin bolus injection and Mitomycin-C bolus IV, Bleomycin continuous IV, and irradiation to 20 Gy. In sequential chemoradiotherapy group, the chemotherapy consisted of 5-FU 1,000mg/$m^2$ administered as a continuous 24 hour intravenous infusion during five days and Cisplatin 80-100mg/$m^2$ bolus injected, or Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Cisplatin, Methotrexate were used of 1 or 2 cycles. After preoperative concurrentm chemoradiation twenty-six patients underwent radical esophagectomy. Results : Ninety-three patients could be examined for response assessment, By treatment modality, response rates were $85.1{\%}$ for radiation alone group and $86.3{\%}$ for combined chemoradiation group. But in operation group, after one cycle of concurrent chemoradiation treatment, response rate was $61.9{\%}$. The pathologic complete response were $15.4{\%}$ in operation group. Overall median survival was II months and actuarial 5-year survival rate was $8{\%}$. The median survival interval was 6 months for radiation alone group, 11 months for combined chemoradiation group and 19 months for operation group. And also median survival was 19 months for complete responder group that 8 months for noncomplete responder group. In univariative analysis, statistically significant prognostic factors were tumor size, clinical stage, tumor response, and operation. In multivariative analysis, significantly better survival was associated with clinical stage, tumor response, radiation dose, and operation. Conclusion : Compared with radiotherapy alone, combined multimodality may improve the median survival in patients with localized carcinoma of the esophagus and toxicity is acceptable.

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Clinical observations of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (연소성 류마티스 관절염의 임상적 고찰)

  • Lee, Joo Hoon;Ryu, Jeong Min;Park, Young Seo
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.49 no.4
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    • pp.424-430
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    • 2006
  • Purpose : Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis(JRA) is one of the most common rheumatic diseases of childhood and is an important cause of short- and long-term disability. The purpose of this study was to determine the disease course and outcome in childhood patients with JRA. Methods : Fifty nine patients with JRA who were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center from August 1990 to November 2004 were enrolled in this study. Sex, age, type, affected joints, extra-articular manifestations, laboratory and radiologic findings, treatments, and outcomes of JRA patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results : Among JRA patients, 32.2 percent had pauciarticular type, 30.5 percent had polyarticular type and 37.3 percent had systemic type. The ratio of boys to girls was 1.7 : 1 and the mean age at onset was $9.3{\pm}3.7$(1.3-15.9) years. The most commonly affected joints were knee, ankle and wrist. The extra-articular manifestations observed were fever, rash, myalgia and lymph node enlargement, etc. The main laboratory findings observed were leukocytosis, anemia, thrombocytosis, elevated ESR, and elevated CRP. Rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody(ANA) were positive in 5.3 percent and 18.0 percent. Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAID) were used most frequently and methotrexate with or without steroids was added in 27.1 percent of patients unresponsive to NSAID. 88.1 percent of patients were cured without functional disability and only one patient was in functional status IV. One patient, who had pulmonary involvement, died. Conclusion : Our results showed an even distribution in type of onset, male predominance, older age of onset, low incidence of iridocyclitis, and low positivity of ANA in JRA patients; this differs from occidental data. This study may suggest regional differences and variability in disease groups of JRA among different racies, but further multi-center trials and large scale epidemiological studies are needed to confirm our conclusion.

The effects of Galgŭnhaegit'ang and Won's-Galgŭnhaegit'ang for Taeŭmin on the immune response (태음인(太陰人) 갈근해기탕(葛根解肌湯)과 원특상(元特上)의 갈근해기탕(葛根解肌湯)이 면역반응(免疫反應)에 미치는 영향(影響))

  • Park, Seong-Sik;Ko, Byung-Hee;Song, Il-Byung
    • Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.315-337
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    • 1997
  • In order to compare the dffects of $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$(葛根解肌湯) of "Dongeuisusebowon(東醫壽世保元)and Won's(元)-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$(葛根解肌湯) of "Dongeuisasansinpyun(東醫四象新編)" on the immune respone, Sprague-Dawley male rats were used and randomly divided into four groups. Normal group was under normal condition, Control group was injected i.v. with 2mg/kg Methotrexate(MTX) on the 9th day and 11th day after sensitization with SRBC on the 5th day, $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group was fed with 1ml of $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ and Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group was fed with 1ml of Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ by oral during eighteen days. In the 9th day and the 11th day after oral feeding with medication, MTX was injected in tail of rats in order to reduce immune function. Leukocyte count, lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte count of spleen, lymphocyte count of bone marrow, contact hypersensitivity to DNFB, morphologic change of thymus cell, and electropherogram of serum protein were estimated and compared according to the group. The results are as follows : 1. Before and after MTX injection, leukocyte(WBC) count was increased signigicantly in Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to control group. $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group had no significant difference compared to control group. 2. Before and after MTX injection, lymphocyte ratio was not significantly different in Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group and in $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to control group. 3. The lymphocyte count of spleen was increased significantly in $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to control group and Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group. Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group had no significant difference compared to control group. 4. The lymphocyte count of bone marrow was increased significantly in Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to control group and $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group. $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group had no significant difference compared to control group. 5. Contact hypersensitivity was increased significantly in Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to other group. $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group had no significant difference compared to control groups. 6. In the morphologic change of thymus cell, control group compared to normal group had a indistinct boundary between cortex and medulla and lymphocyte cell density of thymus was low. $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group and Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group compared to control group had a definite boundary between cortex and medulla and lymphocyte cell density of thymus was high. 7. In the SDS-PAGE electropherogram of serum protein, Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group had a wide band of nearby 25,000 Dalton, and which meant IgG generated more actively. Considering this results, $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group and Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group have an effect on the depression of immune function induced by MTX, and especially Won's-$Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group has an significant effect than $Galg{\breve{u}}nhaegit'ang$ group.

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Ototoxic Evaluation of Cis-platinum (Cis-Platinum의 이중독증에 관한 임상적 고찰)

  • 홍원표;정명현;오혜경;이경재
    • Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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    • 1982.05a
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    • pp.17.1-17
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    • 1982
  • In 1965, Rosenberg reported that platinum compounds not only inhibit growth and cell division of E. coli but also has anti-tumor activity. Since then, through animal and clinical experiments by Welsch(1971), Speer(1972), Rossof(1972), Hill(1974), and Wittes(1975), it was proved that Cis-platinum has excellent supressive effects on malignant tumor, especially on head and neck cancer. Accordingly, Cis-platinum is now widely used, sometimes without any other durg, or sometimes with Bleomycin and Methotrexate etc. Inspite of the strong anticancer effect, the use of Cis-platinum is quite often discouraged because of the reports that Cis-platinum causes auditory impairment at high frequencies above the speech range due to inner ear damage and irreversible change in the renal tubules. Since Kohonen et al(1965), Standnicki et al(1974) reported that Cisplatinum has toxic effects at the basal turn of the cochlea using guinea pig, many studies on ototoxicity after infusion of Cis-platinum have been carried out using animals. But the studies on ototoxicity in human beings can hardly be found except in reports by Piel et al(1974) and Hong et al (1979). So the authors did a study which tried to clarify the ototoxic effect by comparing the hearing level after infusion of Cis-plastinum with the hearing level before infusion of Cis-plastinum in 30 patients who was treated with Cis-platinum and admitted to the dept. of otolaryngology of Yonsei University Hospital during 2 years and a half from July. 1979 to March. 1982 and the following results were obtained. 1) The results of auditory evaluation, using the pure tone average, hearing loss of 4kHz and 8kHz, Speech Reception Threshold, PB score, SISI showed that the difference of dosage does not change the hearing level after infusion of Cis-platinum and before infusion of Cis-platinum. 2) Cis-platinum had no effect on the hearing level of patients with conductive hearing loss, or with sensorineural hearing loss, as well as with normal hearing level. 3) The infusion of Cis-platinum did not cause any change in creatinine clearance, creatinine, uric acid, but only one case showed that Cis-platinum caused severe nephrotoxicity. 4) The infusion of Cis-plastinum did not cause any change in hemoglobin, leukocyte count, platelet count and there was no correlation with the amount of infusion. 5) To see the side effect of hydration practiced with the infusion of Cis-platinum, the electrolytes, particularly the K level in the serum was measured. But the results did not show any change. 6) Judging from the results of this study mentioned above, ototoxicity caused by infusion of Cis-platinum can be prevented by sufficient hydration. Also the results might say that the appropriate method of infusion of Cis-platinum might be effective in the patients with head and neck cancer who had sensorineural hearing loss for whom the infusion of Cis-platinum has been absolutely cotraindicated.

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Breast Conserving Operation and Radiation Therapy in Early Breast Cancer : Interim Analysis (초기유방암에서 유방보존수술 후 방사선치료 : 중간분석)

  • Kim, Jin-Hee;Kim, Ok-Bae;Kim, You-Sah
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.27-33
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    • 2001
  • Purpose : To evaluate interim results in terms of failure, cosmetic results and survival after breast conserving operation and radiation therapy in early breast cancer. Material and Methods : From January 1992 through December 1997, seventy two patients with early stage 0, I and II breast cancer were treated with conservative surgery plus radiotherapy at Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. Age distribution was 25 to 77 years old with median age of 43. According to TNM stage, five patients had stage 0, thirty three were stage I, twenty five were IIa, and nine were IIb. Most patients underwent excision of all gross tumor and ipsilateral axillary dissection. Breast was irradiated through medial and lateral tangential fields of 6 MV photons to 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions over 5.5 weeks. We delivered a boost irradiation dose of 10 to 16 Gy in 1 to 2 weeks to excision site. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in forty one patients with CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) regimens of 6 cycles concurrently or before radiation. Cosmetic results were assessed by questionnaire to patients grading of excellent, good, fair, poor. Follow-up periods were 22 to 91 months with median 40 months. Results : Five year disease free survival rate (5YDFS) was $95.8\%$. According to stage, 5YDFS was $100\%,\;96.9\%,\;96\%\;and\;88.9\%$ in stage 0, I, IIa and IIb, respectively. Two patients had distant metastasis and one had local and distant failure. One patient with distant failure had bone and liver metastasis at 14 months after treatment and the other had lung and both supraclavicular metastasis at 21 months after treatment. Patient with local and distant failure had local recurrence on other quadrant in same breast and then salvaged with total mastectomy and chemotherapy but she died due to brain metastasis at 55 months. Complications were radiation pneumonitis in five patients (four patients of asymptomatic, one patients of symptomatic) and hand or arm edema(4 patients). Fifty nine patients answered our cosmetic result questionnaire and cosmetic results were good to excellent in fifty one patients $(86\%)$. Conclusion : We considered that conservative surgery and radiation for the treatment of early stage invasive breast cancer was safe and had excellent survival and cosmetic results. We need to assess about prognostic factors with longer follow up and with large number of patients.

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Preliminary Results of Management for Primary CNS Lymphoma (원발성 중추신경계 림프종의 치료에 관한 예비적 결과)

  • Ahn, Seung-Do;Chang, Hye-Sook;Choi, Eun-Kyong
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.79-82
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    • 1993
  • From October 1989 to March 1992, ten patients diagnosed as primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma were treated with radiation therapy at Asan Medical Center. To obtain pathologic diagnosis, five patients had stereotactic biopsy and the others underwent craniotomy & tumor removal. According to the classification by International Working Formulation, seven of 10 patients showed diffuse large cell types and the remaining 3 had diffuse mixed cell types. Computed tomographic scans of the brain disclosed solitary (6 cases) or multiple (4 cases) intracranial lesions. All patients received 4000 cGy/20 fx to the whole brain followed by an additional 2000 cGy/10 fx boost to the primary lesion. Six patients with initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF involvement were treated with whole brain irradiation and intrathecal Methotrexate (IT-MTX) chemotherapy. One of them received an additional spinal irradiation after 3 cycles of IT-MTX chemotherapy because of MTX induced arachnoiditis. One patient received 3 cycles of systemic chemotherapy prior to rodiation therapy and one received 5 cycles of salvage chemotherapy for recurrence. With a median follow up time of 8 months, all patients were followed from 7 to 26 months. Radiologically seven patients showed complete remission and the remaining three showed partial remission at one month after radiotherapy. The 1 and 2 year survival rate was $86{\%}\;and\;69{\%}$ respectively. Until now, two patients expired at 7 and 14 months. These patients developed extensive CSF seeding followed by local failure. Considering initial good response to radiation therapy and low incidence of extraneural dissemination in primary CNS lymphoma, we propose to increase total tumor dose to the primary lesion by hyperfractionated radiotherapy or stereotactic radiosurgery. For the patients with CSF involvement at diagnosis, we propose craniospinal irradiation with IT MTX chemotherapy.

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An Analysis of the Study Tendency on Rheumatoid Arthritis -Focusing on Domestic Theses for a Degree and Journal Since 2004- (류마토이드 관절염의 연구동향에 대한 소고(小考) -2004년 이후의 국내 학위논문 및 학회지 논문을 중심으로-)

  • Choi, Yong-Hun;Yoon, Il-Ji
    • Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.125-156
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    • 2009
  • Objectives : To research the trend of studies related to rheumatoid arthritis and to indicate the hereafter direction for its study in oriental medicine and its treatment. Methods : I reviewed 75 domestic oriental medical journals, and 50 medical journals about rheumatoid arthritis published after 2004, and comparative analysis was made. And these theses were classified by college, year, field of study, subject. Results : The following are the results of this study. 1. Classified by oriental medical college, Dae-jeon college published the most theses, followed by Dong-guk, Kyung-hee, Se-myung and Dong-shin college. Han-yang college published the most theses among college of medicine. 2. Classified by type of thesis, experimental theses(70 pieces, 94%) showed higher rate than that of clinical theses(4 pieces, 5%) in oriental medical studies. However, in medical studies, clinical theses(34 pieces, 68%) showed higher rate than that of experimental theses(15 pieces, 30%). 3. Analyzed by subject, the most dealt subject in oriental medicine was herb medication, followed by herbal acupuncture, single herb, electroacupuncture, sasang & gene, acupuncture & moxibustion, complex accordingly. The most dealt subject in medical clinical journals was standards of diagnosis & prognosis, followed by medication, gene analysis, pathogenesis, clinical pattern, operative treatment and complication accordingly. 4. In theses related to herb medication, most of the subject was to evaluate anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects of herb medication with geopungseup, jibitong, hwalhyeolgeoer function. The tendency of experimental methods was focusing on understanding anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms through molecular biologic methods by analyzing cytokine and gene. 5. Most of theses related to herbal acupuncture were experimental studies verifying ant-inflammatory and immnoregulatory effects through methods observing change of cytokine and immunoregulatory factors. Regarding remedies for herbal acupuncture, Ulmus davidiana Planch was most preferred, followed by bee venom. 6. In theses related to single herb, Boik-yak was most prefered, followed by Geopungseup-yak and Hwalhyeolgeoer-yak. Regarding methods of research, there were tendency of shifting from methods verifying travail, anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic effects through a test of behavior, morphometry, serology and temperature measurement of the rectum and the skin into verifying anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects through observing inflammatory cytokine in the joint and cells of spleen. 7. In theses related to electroacupuncture, ST36 and adjuvant were most preferred as acupoints and induced factor. The tendency of experimental methods was turning from verifying mechanism of travail effect to analyzing inflammation and pain inducing factors. 8. Diverse medical clinical studies were published. Subjects such as diagnosis and prognosis, medication, gene analysis, clinical pattern, operational treatment, complication and pathogenesis were published. Especially, studies about standards of early diagnosis, and research on possible parallel medications with methotrexate were actively inquired. 9. Most of theses related to medical experimental studies was about mediators and receptors related to inflammatory induction and osteoclasia mechanism. Also, it was presented blockage of them can be effective on rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions : The oriental medicine studies have merit in its diversity of treatment, but it clinical studies is lacking compared to experimental studies. Also, more diversity of subjects is necessary. Therefore, complementary measures are needed. Hereafter, oriental medicine research about rheumatoid arthritis needs more clinical research verifying the effectiveness and safety in clinical field. Also, we require oriental medical standard of diagnosis and researches on pathological generation which would make early checkup and prognosis possible.