• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.228-234
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• 2013

Objective : We have limited understanding on the presentation and survival of primary spinal sarcomas. The survival, recurrence rate, and related prognostic factors were investigated after treatment for primary sarcomas of the spine. Methods : Retrospective analysis of medical records and radiological data was done for 29 patients in whom treatment was performed due to primary sarcoma of the spine from 2000 to 2010. As for treatment method, non-radical operation, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy were simultaneously or sequentially combined. Overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), ambulatory function, and pain status were analyzed. In addition, factors affecting survival and recurrence were analyzed : age (${\leq}42$ or ${\geq}43$), gender, tumor histologic type, lesion location (mobile spine or rigid spine), weakness at diagnosis, pain at diagnosis, ambulation at diagnosis, initial treatment, radiation therapy, kind of irradiation, surgery, chemotherapy and distant metastasis. Results : Median OS was 60 months, the recurrence rate was 79.3% and median PFS was 26 months. Patients with distant metastasis showed significantly shorter survival than those without metastasis. No factors were found to be significant relating to recurrence. Prognostic factor associated with walking ability was the presence of weakness at diagnosis. Conclusion : Primary spinal sarcomas are difficult to cure and show high recurrence rate. However, the development of new treatment methods is improving survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.1559-1563
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• 2015

Background: Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancers found in men. It usually presents at a later age and stage as compared to female breast cancer. Treatment strategies are extrapolated from the management of female breast cancer. Our study here looked at 18 patients diagnosed with and treated for male breast cancer at The Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. We compared our findings with the existing data from Asian and Western countries. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted looking at patients with male breast cancer between January 1986 and December 2009. Patient and disease characteristics were analyzed and 5 year overall survival was calculated using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Results: The average age at diagnosis was 52 years (38-67 years). Twelve (66.7%) patients had axillary lymphadenopathy. Stage II disease was the most common stage at presentation (9 patients, 50%). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was seen in 16 patients (88.8%). Seven lesions were positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Sixteen patients had surgery in the form of either modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy. Radiation was used in 7 patients in an adjuvant setting. The five year overall survival for stage I, II, III and IV disease was 100% vs 78% vs 50% vs 0%( p<0.05). Five year overall survival was 61%. None of the other prognostic factors were statistically significant. Median follow up was 15 months (3-202 months). Conclusions: Male breast cancer may be on a slow rise but is still an uncommon disease. Tumor stage and lymph node status are important prognostic markers. Public awareness and screening may help in detecting the disease at an earlier stage. Prospective trials are needed to improve the management of this disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.4365-4368
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• 2013

Background: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is considered a subtype of adenocarcinoma of the lung. Recently BAC has been variously termed adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, lepidic predominant invasive adenocarcinoma, and invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. The aim of the study was to analyze and detect prognostic factors of patients with BAC over a 7-year period. Materials and Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 44 patients with BAC. The impact on survival of fifteen variables (gender, age, smoking status, cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, fever, chest pain, sputum, metastasis number, Karnofsky performance status, pT, pN, TNM stage, cytotoxic chemoterapy) were assessed. Results: Median age was 55 years (38-83). Most patients were male (63.6%) and stage IV (59.1%). Twenty-one patients (47.7%) received cytotoxic chemotherapy (platinum-based regimens) for metastatic disease. Objective response rate was 33.3% (4 partial, 3 complete responses). Stable disease was observed in nine in patients (42.8%). Disease progression was noted in 5 (23.8%). The median OS for all patients was 12 months (95%CI, 2.08-22.9 months). Independent predictors for overall survival were: Karnofsky performance status (HR:3.30, p 0.009), pN (HR:3.81, p 0.018), TNM stage (HR:6.49, p 0.012) and hemoptysis (HR:2.31, p 0.046). Conclusions: Karnofsky performance status, pN, TNM stage and hemoptysis appear to have significant impact on predicting patient survival in cases of BAC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.21-32
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• 2017

Purpose: Perioperative chemotherapy improves survival outcomes in locally advanced (LA) gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with LA gastric cancer who were offered perioperative chemotherapy consisting of epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine (EOX) from May 2013 to December 2015 at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. Results: Among the 268 consecutive patients in our study, 260 patients (97.0%) completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 200 patients (74.6%) underwent D2 lymphadenectomy, and 178 patients (66.4%) completed adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 17 months. For the entire cohort, the median overall survival (OS), 3-year OS rate, median progression-free survival (PFS), and 3-year PFS rate were 37 months, 64.4%, 31 months, and 40%, respectively. PFS and OS were significantly inferior in patients who presented with features of obstruction than in those who did not (P=0.0001). There was no difference in survival with respect to tumor histology (well to moderately differentiated vs. poorly differentiated, signet ring vs. non-signet ring histology) or location (proximal vs. distal). Survival was prolonged in patients with an early pathological T stage and a pathological node-negative status. In a multivariate analysis, postoperative pathological nodal status and gastric outlet obstruction on presentation significantly correlated with survival. Conclusions: EOX chemotherapy with curative resection and D2 lymphadenectomy is a suggested alternative to the existing perioperative regimens. The acceptable postoperative complication rate and relatively high resections, chemotherapy completion, and survival rates obtained in this study require further evaluation and validation in a clinical trial.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권12호
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• pp.4921-4926
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer type among women with increasing incidence rates, improved prognosis and survival. According to the localization of the tumor, breast cancer is designated as unilateral (UBC) or bilateral (BBC). BBC can be classified as synchronous (SBBC) or metachronous (MBBC) based on the time interval between the diagnosis of the first and the secondary tumors. According to the guideline of WHO 2012, BBC is generally defined as SBBC when contralateral breast carcinoma is diagnosed within 3 months. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics and patterns of metastasis of BBC patients with UBC. Materials and Methods: A cohort of 768 patients with breast cancer treated at the Turkish Ministry of Health-Izmir Bozyaka Research and Training Hospital between 1976 and 2012 were studied. Survival analysis was performed comparing UBC and BBC patients. In addition, evaluations were performed in patients with SBBC and MBBC sub-groups. We used a 3-months interval to distinguish metachronous from synchronous. Results: When clinical and histopathological parameters were statistically evaluated, ER status, event-free and overall survival were found to be significant between UBC and BBC patients. In comparison of SBBC and MBBC patients, age, histological type of tumor, event-free and overall survival were found to be significant. Conclusions: BBC cases were found to show worse prognosis than UBC cases. Among BBC, SBBC had the worst prognosis based on overall survival rates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.743-746
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• 2013

Background: Some studies have indicated an inverse relationship between cancer risk and sunlight exposure. Others have reported that the prognosis of some cancers such as prostate, colon, ovarian and non melanoma skin cancer, were affected by the season in which the cancer was diagnosed. In our study, we evaluated whether season is prognostic in Turkish patients with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 517 patients from Kayseri Training and Research Hospital were analysed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to season of cancer diagnosis: winter, spring, summer and autumn. The prognostic factors for disease free survival and overall survival were investigated. Results: No significant differences were found among groups regarding prognostic factors overall. Only estrogen receptor status and lymphovascular invasion were independent prognostic factors (p=0.001 and p=0.001 respectively). We found significantly differences for mean disease free survival among groups (p=0.019). Winter group had better mean DFS while summer group had worse DFS. Mean overall survival was similar in the four groups (p=0.637). Conclusions: The season is not an independent predictive factor. However, due to interaction with other factors, we think that the season of cancer diagnosis is important for cancer prognosis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.69-76
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• 1992

국소진행된 자궁경부암에 있어서의 예후인자를 알아보기 위하여 1979년 3월부터 1986년 12월까지 서울대학교병원에서 근치적방사선치료를 시행받은 154명의 환자를 대상으로 후향적 분석을 시행하였다. FIGO 병기 IIIA, IIIB, IVA의 환자 수는 각각 8, 134, 12명 이었고 병기에 따른 5년 국소치료율은 각각 $58\%$, $51\%$, $27\%$이었으며 5년 무병생존율은 각각 $57\%$, $40\%$, $25\%$, 5년 생존율은 각각 $67\%$, $51\%$, $33\%$이었다. 단변수분석에 의하면 임신 횟수, 혈색소치, 전산화단층촬영상 골반측벽 침범소견이 국소치료율에 영향을 미치는 인자 이었고 임신 횟수, 혈색소치, 전산화단층촬영상의 골반측벽 침범소견과 함께 요로조영술상의 요로패쇄증, 전산화단층촬영상의 골반임파절 비대가 무병생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자 이었으며 생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자는 전산화단층촬영상의 골반측벽 침범소견 및 방광침범소견 이었다. 다변량분석에 의하면 국소치료율에 영향을 미치는 인자는 없었고 무병생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자는 전산화단층촬영상의 골반임파절 비대이었으며 생존율에 영향을 미치는 인자는 원발병소의 크기였다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.329-335
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• 2013

Objective : Brain metastases in primary breast cancer patients are considerable sources of morbidity and mortality. Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has gained popularity as an up-front therapy in treating such metastases over traditional radiation therapy due to better neurocognitive function preservation. The aim of this study was to clarify the prognostic factors for local tumor control and survival in radiosurgery for brain metastases from primary breast cancer. Methods : From March 2001 to May 2011, 124 women with metastatic brain lesions originating from a primary breast cancer underwent GKRS at a tertiary medical center in Seoul, Korea. All patients had radiosurgery as a primary treatment or salvage therapy. We retrospectively reviewed their clinical outcomes and radiological responses. The end point of this study was the date of patient's death or the last follow-up examination. Results : In total, 106 patients (268 lesions) were available for follow-up imaging. The median follow-up time was 7.5 months. The mean treated tumor volume at the time of GKRS was 6273 $mm^3$ (range, 4.5-27745 mm3) and the median dose delivered to the tumor margin was 22 Gy (range, 20-25 Gy). Local recurrence was assessed in 86 patients (216 lesions) and found to have occurred in 36 patients (83 lesions, 38.6%) with a median time of 6 months (range, 4-16 months). A treated tumor volume >5000 $mm^3$ was significantly correlated with poor local tumor control through a multivariate analysis (hazard risk=7.091, p=0.01). Overall survival was 79.9%, 48.3%, and 15.3% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. The median overall survival was 11 months after GKRS (range, 6 days-113 months). Multivariate analysis showed that the pre-GKRS Karnofsky performance status, leptomeningeal seeding prior to initial GKRS, and multiple metastatic lesions were significant prognostic factors for reduced overall survival (hazard risk=1.94, p=0.001, hazard risk=7.13, p<0.001, and hazard risk=1.46, p=0.046, respectively). Conclusion : GKRS has shown to be an effective and safe treatment modality for treating brain metastases of primary breast cancer. Most metastatic brain lesions initially respond to GKRS, though, many patients have further CNS progression in subsequent periods. Patients with poor Karnofsky performance status and multiple metastatic lesions are at risk of CNS progression and poor survival, and a more frequent and strict surveillance protocol is suggested in such high-risk groups.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.23-28
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• 2009

목적: 뇌 성상세포종 환자에서 수술 후 외부 방사선치료의 효과를 평가하고 최적의 방사선 치료 방법 및 예후 인자를 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1989년 10월부터 2006년 9월까지 본원에서 수술 후 방사선치료를 받은 69명의 뇌 성상세포종 환자를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 환자 나이의 중앙값은 36세이었다. 41명은 40세 이하이었으며 28명은 41세 이상이었다. 14명의 환자는 조직 검사만을 시행하였고 55명의 환자는 아절제술을 시행하였다. 카르노프스키 수행 점수는 39명은 80%미만 이었고 30명은 80%이상 이었다. 2명의 환자는 뇌전체를 조사받은 후 축소 조사야로 치료받았고 67명의 환자는 적당한 여유를 두고 부분조사를 시행하였다. 대부분의 환자는 5,000 내지 5,500 cGy를 조사받았다. 결과: 전체 환자의 5년 및 7년 생존율은 40% 및 45%이었다. 5년 및 7년의 무병 생존율은 각각 45%와 40%이었다. 아절제술을 시행 받은 환자에서 조직검사만을 시행 받은 환자보다 보다 나은 생존율을 나타내었다. 아절제술을 시행 받은 환자와 조직 검사만을 시행 받은 환자의 5년 생존율은 각각 57% 및 38%이었다. 40세 이하 41명의 환자에서 41세 이상 28명의 환자보다 높은 5년 생존율을 보였다(56% vs 40%). 그러나 카르노프스키 수행 점수 80% 이상 환자와 80% 이하 환자의 5년 생존율은 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 나타내지 않았다(51% vs 47%). 비록 환자 한 명이 방사선 치료 중 치료를 중단 하였으나 유의한 방사선 치료에 의한 합병증은 관찰되지 않았다. 결론: 뇌 성상세포종의 수술 후 외부 방사선 치료는 안전하고 효과적인 치료요법이었다. 수술의 정도 및 나이가 유의한 예후 인자임을 알 수 있었다. 그러나 성상세포종 환자의 장기 생존율을 높이기 위한 보다 효과적인 치료법이 향후 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.355-362
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• 2014

Objective: Altered regulation of many transcription factors has been shown to play important roles in the development of leukemia. hMSH2 can modulate the activity of some important transcription factors and is known to be a regulator of hematopoietic differentiation. Herein, we investigated epigenetic regulation of hMSH2 and its influence on cell growth and overall survival of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Methods: hMSH2 promoter methylation status was assessed by COBRA and pyrosequencing in 60 ALL patients and 30 healthy volunteers. mRNA and protein expression levels of hMSH2, PCNA, CyclinD1, Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by real time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The influence of hMSH2 on cell proliferation and survival was assessed in transient and stable expression systems. Results: mRNA and protein expression of hMSH2 and Bcl-2 was decreased, and that of PCNA, CyclinD1 and Bax was increased in ALL patients as compared to healthy volunteers (P<0.05). hMSH2 was inactivated in ALL patients through promoter hypermethylation. Furthermore, hMSH2 hypermethylation was found in relapsed ALL patients (85.7% of all cases). The median survival of patients with hMSH2 methylation was shorter than that of patients without hMSH2 methylation (log-rank test, P=0.0035). Over-expression of hMSH2 in cell lines resulted in a significant reduction in growth and induction of apoptosis. Conclusions: This study suggests that aberrant DNA methylation and epigenetic inactivation of hMSH2 play an important role in the development of ALL through altering cell growth and survival.