• Journal of Breast Cancer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.442-446
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• 2018

Purpose: The definition of nodal pathologic complete response (pCR) after a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) just included the evaluation of axillary lymph node (ALN) without internal mammary lymph node. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of internal mammary-sentinel lymph node biopsy (IM-SLNB) in patients with breast cancer who underwent NAC. Methods: From November 2011 to 2017, 179 patients with primary breast cancer who underwent operation after NAC were included in this study. All patients received radiotracer injection with modified injection technology. IM-SLNB would be performed on patients with internal mammary sentinel lymph node (IMSLN) visualization. Results: Among the 158 patients with cN+ disease, the rate of nodal pCR was 36.1% (57/158). Among the 179 patients, the visualization rate of IMSLN was 31.8% (57/179) and was 12.3% (7/57) and 87.7% (50/57) among those with $cN_0$ and cN+ disease, respectively. Furthermore, the detection rate of IMSLN was 31.3% (56/179). The success rate of IM-SLNB was 98.2% (56/57). The IMSLN metastasis rate was 7.1% (4/56), and all of them were accompanied by ALN metastasis. The number of positive ALNs in patients with IMSLN metastasis was 3, 6, 8, and 9. The pathology nodal stage had been changed from $pN_1/pN_2$ to $pN_{3b}$. The pathology stage had been changed from IIA/IIIA to IIIC. Conclusion: Patients with visualization of IMSLN should perform IM-SLNB after NAC, especially for patients with cN+ disease, in order to complete lymph nodal staging. IM-SLNB could further improve the definition of nodal pCR and guide the internal mammary node irradiation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4045-4050
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• 2012

Objective: The impact of ablative oral cancer surgery was studied, with particular reference to recurrence and nodal metastasis, to assess survival probability and prognostic indicators and to elucidate if ethnicity influences the survival of patients. Methods: Patients who underwent major ablative surgery of the head and neck region with neck dissection were identified and clinical records were assessed. Inclusion criteria were stage I-IV oral and oropharyngeal malignancies necessitating resection with or without radiotherapy from 2004 to 2009. All individuals had a pre-operative assessment prior to the surgery. The post operative assessment period ranged from 1 year to 5 years. Survival distributions were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: 87 patients (males:38%; females:62%) were included in this study, with an age range of 21-85 years. Some 78% underwent neck dissections while 63% had surgery and radiotherapy. Nodal recurrence was detected in 5.7% while 20.5% had primary site recurrence within the study period. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the median survival time was 57 months. One year overall survival (OS) rate was 72.7% and three year overall survival rate dropped to 61.5%. On OS analysis, the log-rank test showed a significant difference of survival between Malay and Chinese patients (Bonferroni correction p=0.033). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis revealed that 25% of the patients have reached the event of recurrence at 46 months. One year RFS rate was 85.2% and the three year survival rate was 76.1%. In the RFS analysis, the log-rank test showed a significant difference in the event of recurrence and nodal metastasis (p<0.001). Conclusion: Conservative neck is effective, in conjunction with postoperative radiotherapy, for control of neck metastases. Ethnicity appears to influence the survival of the patients, but a prospective trial is required to validate this.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 2017

The role of nodal station No. 14v (along the superior mesenteric vein) in lymphadenectomy for distal gastric cancer remains elusive. A 73-year-old woman underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric cancer, and was referred to our division for additional surgery because of pathologically non-curative resection. A laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D1+ dissection was performed, with a final diagnosis of pT1bN1M0, Stage IB (2 nodal metastases to No. 6). Four months post-surgery, abdominal computed tomography revealed a 14-mm solitary nodule along the superior mesenteric vein. The lesion was excised and pathologically identified as a lymph node metastasis. Adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium (S-1) was administered for the metastasis. Presently the patient survives without recurrence, 5.5 years after the second operation. Our findings suggest that there is lymphatic flow from the No. 6 to the No. 14v nodal station. Some patients with a No. 6 metastasis may benefit from a No. 14v lymphadenectomy, even in early-staged disease.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2004

Purpose: The most important prognostic factors in gastric cancer is the depth of invasion of the primary tumor and lymph node metastasis. The nodal staging of the 5th edition of the Union Internationale Contrala Cancrums (UICC) TNM classification in 1997 was changed based on the number of metastatic lymph node. We attempted to evaluate the prognostic significance of N2 group metastasis in pT3pN1 gastric cancer patients by comparing two different nodal staging systems. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was made for 352 gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection, including D2 dissection, from 1991 to 1997 at Asan Medical Center. A clinicopathologic comparison between two groups by using a nodal staging systems was summarized into a table. Cumulative survival rates were calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. The difference between the two groups was evaluated by using the log rank test with SPSS 11.5 for Windows Results: There were no statistical differences in clinicopathologic factors. However, there was a significant difference in survival rate between the two groups (P=0.0009). This suggests that N2 group metastasis in pT3pN1 gastric cancer patients has a clinical significance for predicting prognosis. Conclusion: Our results suggest a possibility of prognostic significance of N2 group metastasis. Therefore, anatomical location of the lymph node should be described.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.33-41
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• 2021

Background/Objectives: Extra-nodal extension (ENE) is one of the strongest prognosticators in oral cancers. Here we tried to evaluate clinicopathological factors associated with the presence of ENE. Materials & Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical information of 120 patients who diagnosed with oral cancer and received curative surgery at our hospital from Mar 2012 to Apr 2020. We comparatively analyzed clinicopathological factors associated with the presence of lymph node (LN) metastasis and ENE, respectively. Results: Variable factors of primary tumor characteristics such as lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, largest diameter of tumor, depth of invasion and maximum standardized uptake value were significantly associated with the presence of cervical LN metastasis. The largest diameter of tumor was statistically significant also in multivariate analysis for predicting the LN metastasis. Meanwhile, the association between primary tumor characteristics and the presence of ENE were not statistically significant except the primary tumor size. Importantly, factors associated with LN characteristics including the maximum diameter and number of metastatic LNs were significantly associated with ENE. Conclusion: In this study, several factors affecting cervical LN metastasis and ENE in oral cancer patients were identified. The ENE seems to be influenced by the status of the metastatic LNs, such as the number of metastatic LNs, rather than the characteristics of the primary tumor itself.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 1991

Elective neck dissection (END), provide proper information on nodal status and stage which are significant prognosticator in head and neck cancers with clinically $N_{(0)}$ neck. But there are many controversies for the extents, methods of surgery, moreover, whether normal lymph nodes, local defencer, have to be removed or not. The authors performed 47 END in 39 patients of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from 1984 to 1989 and a retrospective study of the cases was conducted. Eighteen percent of nodal metastasis and five percent of extracapsular spread were found in END specimens. We concluded that END provide significant information for the management and evaluation of prognosis in head and neck cancer.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.293-294
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• 2022

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.85-94
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• 1983

A total of 47 patients with a diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was treated in Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital during last 4 years. Of the 47 patients, 23(49%) had undifferentiated carcinoma, 20(43%) had squamous cell carcinoma, while 4(8%) had lymphoepithelioma. Most of the patients(71%) has Stage IV disease, cervical lymph node metastases were found in 36(77%) and distant metastasis was found in 1 at the time of diagnosis. Complete response rate after radiotherapy for 47 patients of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was 85.1%. The overall actuarial 3 year survival rates was 0.718 and the disease free actuarial 3 year survival rates was 0.468. Nodal involvement and symptom duration were statistically significiant influencing factors for actuarial survival rate. Treatment failures were found in 20 patients (42.6%), local recurrence only in 6(30%), local and neck recurrence in 3(15%), local recurrence with metastasis in 4(20%) and distant metastasis only in 7(35%). Local failures were more frequent in the patients with cranial nerve symptoms (P=0.032). Distant metastases were more frequent with T4 lesions (P=0.047), and with nodal involvement (P<0.01). Retreatment after the tumor recurrence was chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, two pationts refreated for local recurrence were alive without evidence of disease for more than 19 and 44 months after retreatment.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2011

Backgrounds : Head and neck cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. It tends to remain localized at the primary site and regional lymph nodes, but if distant metastasis occurs, it has a poor prognosis. This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of distant metastasis and to determine the risk factor in locally advanced head and neck cancer after induction chemotherapy followed locoregional control therapy. Methods : A retrospective review was performed in 420 patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer who treated with induction chemotherapy followed locoregional control therapy from January 2001 to December 2010. Among them, 31 patients who had distant metastasis as first relapse within 2 years after termination of therapy were analyzed for clinical features and the risk factors of distant metastasis. Results : The overall incidence of distant metastasis was 7.3%. The bone, lung, and liver were the most frequent metastatic organs. In univariate analysis, nodal stage, nasopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, G3/G4 neutropenia during induction chemotherapy, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were the influencing factors for distant metastasis. In multivariate analysis, advanced N stage and nasopharynx were the risk factors of distant metastasis, and grade 3/4 neutropenia during induction chemotherapy was considered to decrease distant metastasis. Conclusion : This study suggests that the advanced N stage is the risk factor of distant metastasis and Grade 3/4 neutropenia during induction chemotherapy can be beneficial against distant metastasis in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed locoregional control therapy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2010

Background : Though papillary microcarcinoma(PMC) of thyroid gland is known to have very favorable long-term prognosis, the recurrence in the neck and distant metastasis have been often reported. The predictive factors of node metastasis and tumor recurrence in clinical course were investigated to define surgical decision or guidelines in surgery of papillary microcarcinoma. Methods : The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 216 patients of PMC treated with surgery at Department of Surgery, Busan Paik Hospital for the period from 1997 to 2007. Of these patients, 58 cases showing cervical lymph node metastasis at initial surgery were studied. Results : In overall 216 patients, the sex ratio of male to female was 1 : 9.3(male 21, female 195 cases), the mean age at the time of diagnosis was 44.7 years and the median tumor size was 6.61mm. Neck lymph node metastasis was found in 58 patients(26.9%), thyroid capsular invasion was 56 cases(25.9%), multifocality and bilaterality were found in 32(14.8%) and 29 cases(13.4%), respectively. Through statistical analysis, sex, capsular invasion, ETE, and tumor size(>5mm) were considered to be predictive factors of cervical lymph nodes metastasis. Of them, capsular invasion was the most predictive indicator of cervical lymph node metastasis on multivariate analysis. Nodal recurrence was observed in 6 of 58 patients of node positive at initial surgery. Conclusion : The cervical lymph node metastasis is known to be a risk factor of prognosis in PMC of thyroid gland. The results of this study showed four statistically significant independent predictive factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in PMC : capsular invasion, tumor size(>5mm), ETE, and sex. On multivariate analysis, capsular invasion was a great influencing factor in prediction of lymph node metastasis. Basically, patients who has predictive factors of cervical lymph node metastasis should have a thorough investigation, and close surveillance for nodal status is required in follow-up.