• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.7
• /
• pp.701-707
• /
• 1997

Although many reseraches have been persued to detect the molecular tumor marker to define the cancer, ideal tumor marker which speak for the characteristics of malignancy and has high sensitivity and specificity is not known. One of the characteristics of the malignant cells is indefinite proliferative potential, in other word, immortality. The expression of telomerase and stabilization of te10meres are con omitant with the attaiunent of immortality in tumor cells; thus the measurement of telomerase activity in clinically obtained tumor samples may provide important information which would be useful as a diagnostic marker to detect immortal cancer cells. Telomerase activity was analyzed in 12 non-small cell . lung cancer cell lines and 41 primary non-small cell lung cancers with the use of a PCR-based assay. All the cell lines and the majority of tumors displayed telomerase activity, but telomerase was not detectable in most of the corresponding pathologically-normal tissues. Telomere length was not correlated with telomerase activity. The present study indicate that measurement of telomerase activity may be useful as a molecular tumor marker in non-small cell lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.10
• /
• pp.4693-4697
• /
• 2016

Aim: The objective of this study is to investigate prognostic factors affecting survival of patients undergoing concurrent or sequential chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCL). Methods and materials: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 148 patients with advanced, inoperable stage III NSCLC, who were treated between 2007 and 2015. Results: The median survival was found to be 19 months and 3-year overall survival was 27%. Age (<65 vs ${\geq}65years$, p=0.026), stage (IIIA vs IIIB, p=0.033), dose of radiotherapy (RT) (<60 vs ${\geq}60Gy$, p=0.024) and treatment method (sequential chemotherapy+RT vs concurrent CRT, p=0.023) were found to be factors affecting survival in univariate analyses. Gender, histological subtype, weight loss during CRT, performance status, induction/consolidation chemotherapy and presence of comorbidities did not affect survival (p>0.050). Conclusion: Young age, stage IIIA, radiotherapy dose and concurrent chemoradiotherapy may positively affect survival in stage III NSCL cases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.11
• /
• pp.6267-6271
• /
• 2013

Objective: To determine clinical efficacy, safety and prognostic factors of pemetrexed plus platinum as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: Clinical characteristics, short-term efficacy, survival and adverse reactions of 47 advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients who had received pemetrexed plus platinum as first-line treatment in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 2009 to June 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The Chi-squared test was applied to statistically analyze the overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and toxicity reactions in both groups, while survival data wereanalyzed by Kaplan-Meier and logrank methods, and the COX proportional hazards model was adopted for a series of multi-factor analyses. Results: Only two patients were lost to follow-up. The ORR, DCR, medium progression-free survival time (PFS) and medium overall survival (OS) were 31.9%, 74.5%, 5 months and 15.2 months, while 1- and 2-year survival rates were 63.8% (30/47) and 19.2% (9/47), respectively. Single-factor analysis showed that tumor pathological patterns and efficacy were in association with medium PFS (P<0.05), whereas tumor pathological patterns, smoking history and efficacy were closely connected with medium OS (P<0.05). Multi-factor analyses demonstrated that pathological patterns and efficacy were independent factors influencing OS (P<0.05). The rate of toxicity reactions in degree III/IV was low, including hematologic toxicity marked by decline in white blood cell count and decrease in the platelet count (PLT), and non-hematologic toxicity manifested by gastrointestinal reactions, such as nausea and vomiting. Conclusions: Pemetrexed plus platinum as first-line treatment has excellent efficacy and slight adverse reactions with favorable drug-tolerance in patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.171-176
• /
• 2018

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tends to grow more rapidly and spread much faster than non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A concurrent combination of chemotherapy and thoracic radiotherapy is suggested as the standard conventional treatment, but it is more challenging for elderly patients having pulmonary and cardiovascular comorbidities. Case presentation: Here we present a case of an 80-year-old male, current smoker diagnosed with SCLC in limited stage T3N0M0 (36mm right upper lobe, satellite nodule) in Dec, 2015. The standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy was not available for his comorbidities, which included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and angina pectoris. Furthermore, he and his family refused the recommended chemotherapy or radiotherapy exclusively. Alternatively, he received various non-conventional treatments including local radiofrequency hyperthermia, mistletoe, and Traditional Korean medicine including acupuncture, moxibustion and herbs since Jan. 2016. Despite the progression in primary tumor size, there have been no other distant relapse so far, and the patient has been in stable condition ever since. Conclusion: We suggest that a combination of various alternative treatments could be a candidate for elderly patients intolerable to conventional cytotoxic treatments.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.45-53
• /
• 2012

Objective : We introduce a case of non-small cell lung cancer patient treated with allergen removed Rhus verniciflua Stokes. Methods : This patient started Allergen-removed Rhus Verniciflua Stokes from Feb 2010 right after his firstline chemotherapy, and maintained his Oriental medicine regimen until now. Results : It shows 12.0 months of progression-free-survival since starting point of maintenance chemotherapy, and 9.3 months of overall-survival since progression disease after 2nd chemotherapy, compared with 6.3 months of its known overall survival. Conclusion : Allergen removed Rhus verniciflua Stokes prolonged overall survival and slowed disease progression of a non-small cell lung cancer patient.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2012

Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate the synergistic effects of Traditional Korean Medicine with Gefitinib chemotherapy on a non small cell lung cancer. Methods : A 61 year-old male patient diagnosed with left non small cell lung cancer stage IIIb (T2aN0M1a) was admitted to East-West Cancer Center (EWCC) on Apr. 2012. He received Gefitinib chemotherapy since 20th June. 2011. He suffered from many complication like as skin toxicities, peripheral neuropathy, lassitude, diarrhea and so on. He was treated with Traditional Korean Medicine consisted of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. The symptoms were measured by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE version 3.0) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Performance status was measured by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Results : TKM consisting of acupuncture, moxibusion, herbal medicine significantly alleviated Gefitinib induced complication. Quality of life was also significantly improved. Conclusion : This case study suggests that TKM would beneficial to adverse effects such as skin toxicities, peripheral neuropathy, lassitude from gefitinib.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.1557-1561
• /
• 2012

Objective: To investigate the promoter methylation status of the E-cadherin gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its association with clinical pathological parameters, and to explore the relationship between downregulation of E-cadherin gene expression and the methylation status of its promoter region. Methods: Nested methylation-specific PCR was performed to examine CpG methylation within the 5' CpG island of the E-cadherin gene in lung cancer and para-cancerous tissue from 37 patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to measure the level of E-cadherin mRNA. Results: Of thirty-seven cases, 12 (32.4%) samples showed aberrant CpG methylation in tumor tissues compared with the corresponding normal tissues. In addition, a reduction in E-cadherin mRNA levels was observed in 11 of the 12 (91.7%) tumor tissues carrying a methylated E-cadherin gene. However, only 10 (43.5%) cases displayed reduced mRNA levels in tumor tissues from the remaining 23 cases (excluding 2 samples from which mRNA was unavailable) without methylation events. Downregulation of E-cadherin gene expression significantly correlated with the promoter methylation status of this gene. Conclusion: These results provide strong evidence that the methylation status of E-cadherin gene contributes to a reduction in the expression of E-cadherin mRNA, and may play a role in the development and progression of NSCLC.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effectiveness of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Samchilchoongcho-Jung (HAD-B1) in conjunction with Alectinib. Methods: The patient was diagnosed with Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutated (2+) non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma stage IV, suffering from edema of lower extremities, dyspnea, pleural effusion, general weakness, insomnia. The patient being treated with Alectinib was treated with Samchilchoongcho-Jung (HAD-B1) for disease control and symptom management. The clinical outcomes were measured by National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (NCI-CTCAE), Numeral rating scale (NRS) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Results: After treatment, dyspnea and edema of lower extremities was relieved from NRS 7 to 5, and 6 to 1 respectively. And ECOG score of the patient was improved from grade 3 to 2. During and after treatment, we didn't find any severe toxicities on laboratory findings. Conclusion: This case study suggests that Samchilchoongcho-Jung (HAD-B1) may improve symptom relief and life quality of NSCLC patient in conjunction with Alectinib.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.630-641
• /
• 2008

Gamisamgibopae-tang (GMSGBPT) is a traditional Korean medicine, which has been used for patients suffering from a lung disease in Oriental medicine. In the present study, we examined the biochemical mechanisms of apoptosis by GMSGBPT in NCI-H460 and A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines. It was found that GMSGBPT could inhibit the cell proliferation of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, however GMSGBPT did not affect the cell proliferation of NCI-H460 cells. Apoptotic cell death in A549 cells were detected using DAPI staining and annexin V fluorescein methods. The induction of apoptotic cell death by GMSGBPT was connected with a down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression, and proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in A549 cells. However, GMSGBPT did not affect the levels of pro-apoptotic Bax and Bad expression, and activity of caspase-8. GMSGBPT treatment also concomitant degradation and/or inhibition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), ${\beta}$-catenin, phospholipase C-1 (PLC${\gamma}$1) and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase (DFF45/ICAD). Taken together, these findings suggest that GMSGBPT may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human non-small-cell lung cancer cells and further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of GMSGBPT.

• CELLMED
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.10.1-10.8
• /
• 2013

Cancer is one of the major dreaded diseases causing high mortality. Lung cancer is second in position of all cancer related deaths and mainly divided into two morphologic sub-types: small-cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC is an aggressive neoplasm which hardly responds to any conventional chemotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) belongs to the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinase that is mainly over-expressed in NSCLC. EGFR is mainly involved in the pathogenesis and progression of different carcinoma. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest that EGFR and EGF like peptides are often over-expressed in human NSCLC and these proteins are able to induce cell transformation. The conventional therapies mostly inhibit the EGFR activity and expression level in human NSCLC with the use of some EGFR-inhibitors like HKI-272, EKB569, CL-387785 etc. and some synthetic chemotherapeutic drugs like erlotinib, gefitinib, plumbagin, docetaxel, cisplatin etc., alone or in combination of two or more drugs. These therapies selectively act by competitive inhibition of the binding of adenosine triphosphate to the tyrosine kinase domain of the EGFR, resulting in inhibition of the EGFR signaling pathway. But these chemotherapeutic drugs have some cytotoxic activities to the normal cells and have some adverse side-effects. Recent studies on some traditional alternative therapies including some herbal and plant extracts, active ingredients like curcumin, different homeopathic drugs, etc. can target EGFR-signalling in NSCLC with less toxic side-effects are being currently developed.