• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.482-485
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• 2013

This case report describes the increment of regulatory T cells in thyroid carcinoma of a mixed breed dog compared with normal dogs. A mixed breed dog was referred for a submandibular mass and hyperthermia. Right cervical mass was detected during the physical examination and radiography identified right cervical mass suspected thyroid gland. Accurate location and size of mass was confirmed using computed tomography and 3D reconstructed images. After confirmation of mass, surgical resection was performed and evaluation of regulatory T cells in blood of this patient was performed using flow cytometric assay. The percentage of regulatory T cells was 38.28% of all CD4 (+)/CD25 (+) T cells. This result was higher than median percentage of regulatory T cells of healthy 8 beagles ($7.66{\pm}1.65%$ (p<0.01) of all CD4 (+)/CD25 (+) T cells). And masses were confirmed as giant cell thyroid carcinoma based on histopathologic examination. After surgical resection of cervical mass was performed, the owner didn't want chemotherapy. Seven days later, cervical mass came out again. And CBC showed severe leukocytosis (WBC $47.6{\times}10^3/{\mu}L$) and non-regenerative anemia (PCV 21%). Suspected pulmonic metastasis regions became more severe. Finally the dog died of severe anemia and respiratory disorder.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4549-4553
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• 2012

This study was designed to investigate the frequency of CYP2D6 polymorphisms and evaluate the association between genetic polymorphisms of CYP2D6 and tamoxifen therapeutic outcome in Thai breast cancer patients. We recruited 48 breast cancer patients who received adjuvant tamoxifen for evaluating CYP2D6 genetic polymorphisms using microarray-based technology. Associations between genotypes-phenotypes and disease free survival were analyzed. Median follow up time was 5.6 years. The mean age of the subjects was 50 years. The 3 common allelic frequencies were 43.8% ($^*10$), 36.5 ($^*1$) and 10.4% ($^*2$) which are related to extensive metabolizer (EM) and intermediate metabolizer (IM) with 70.8% and 29.2 %, respectively. No association between CYP2D6 genotypes and DFS was demonstrated. Nevertheless, exploratory analysis showed statistically significant shorter DFS in the IM group of post-menopause patients (HR, 6.85; 95%CI, 1.48-31.69; P=0.005). Furthermore, we observed statistically significant shorter DFS of homozygous $CYP2D6^*10$ when compared with heterozygous CYP2D6*10 and other genotypes (P=0.005). $CYP2D6^*10$ was the most common genotype in our subjects. Post-menopause patients with homozygous $CYP2D6^*10$ and IM have shorter DFS. To confirm this relationship, larger samples and comprehensively designed trials in Thailand are required.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2001

Purpose: We have carried out prospective randomized clinical trial to compare survival benefit and side effect among three postoperative adjuvant chemotherapeutic regimens in serosa-negative gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Total 317 cases were recognized as serosa negative and randomized into three groups at operating room. Out of them, 172 cases were excluded because of various reasons and 135 cases were analyzed finally; Group A 36 cases, Group B 49 cases, Group C 50 cases. Group A were treated with intravenous FP combination therapy, group B with MF combination therapy and group C with oral $UFT^{(R)}$ (mixture of Tegafur and Uracil) for one year. The median follow-up period was 30 months. Results: $88.9\%$ of Group A, $83.7\%$ of Group B and $90.4\%$ of Group C received adequate chemotherapy. The complication rates of Group A ($44.4\%$) was significantly higher than group B ($20.4\%$) and group C ($24.0\%$)(P<0.05). Most frequent complications were nausea and vomiting. The 3-year survival rates and disease-free survival rates were $92.2\%$ and $89.9\%$ respectively (Group A: $96.6\%,\;87.8\%$, B: $90.3\%,\;87.7\%$, C: $95.7\%,\;93.8\%$). There were no significant differences in survival rate and disease-free survival rate among the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study might suggest that the survival benefit of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and therefore it may be a useful adjunct tool for detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in combination with other conventional techniques.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.545-550
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• 2009

Background: Endobronchial ultrasonogram (EBUS) has increased the diagnostic yield of a bronchoscopic biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL). This study evaluated the diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided transbronchial biopsy (TBB) and the visibility of EBUS PPL. Methods: Between August 2007 and November 2008, 50 patients (32 men and 18 women, median age, 61.1${\pm}$10 yrs; range, 16 to 80 yrs) whose PPL lesions could not be detected with flexible bronchoscopy were enrolled in this study. Among the 50 patients, 40 cases were malignant lesions (adenocarcinoma 25, squamous cell carcinoma 10, small cell carcinoma 5) and 10 cases were benign lesions (tuberculoma 7, fungal ball 1, other inflammation 2). Results: The mean diameter of the target lesion was 35.4${\pm}$4.3 mm. Of the 50 patients examined, the overall diagnostic yield by EBUS-TBLB was 46.0% (23/50). The visualization yield of EBUS was 66.0% (33/50). A definitive diagnosis of PPL localized by EBUS was established using EBUS-TBLB in 69.6% (23/33) of cases. The diagnostic yields from washing cytology and brushing cytology from a bronchus identified by EBUS were 27.0% and 45.4% respectively. The diagnostic yields reached 78.7% when the three tests (washing cytology, brushing cytology and EBUS-TBLB) were combined. The visualization yield of EBUS in lesions <20 mm was significantly lower than that in lesions ${\geq}$20 mm (p=0.04). The presence of a bronchus leading to a lesion (open bronchus sign) on the chest CT scan was associated with a high visualization yield on EBUS (p=0.001). There were no significant complications associated with EBUS-TBLB. Conclusion: EBUS-TBLB is a safe and effective method for diagnosing PPL. The lesion size and open bronchus signs are significant factors for predicting the visualization of EBUS.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2019

Purpose: To investigate the differences in treatment outcomes between two radiation techniques, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 160 (IMRT = 23, 3DCRT = 137) patients with stage I glottic cancer treated from January 2005 through December 2016. The IMRT was performed with TomoTherapy (16 patients), volumetric-modulated arc therapy (6 patients), and step-and-shoot technique (1 patient), respectively. The 3DCRT was performed with bilateral parallel opposing fields. The median follow-up duration was 30 months (range, 31 to 42 months) in the IMRT group and 65 months (range, 20 to 143 months) in the 3DCRT group. Results: The 5-year overall survival and 3-year local control rates of the 160 patients were 95.7% and 91.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in 3-year local control rates between the IMRT and 3DCRT groups (94.4% vs. 91.0%; p = 0.587). Thirteen of 137 patients in the 3DCRT group had recurrences. In the IMRT group, one patient had a recurrence at the true vocal cord. Patients treated with IMRT had less grade 2 skin reaction than the 3DCRT group, but this had no statistical significance (4.3% vs. 21.2%; p = 0.080). Conclusion: IMRT had comparable outcomes with 3DCRT, and a trend of less acute skin reaction in stage I glottic cancer patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.211-226
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• 1988

Among 165 patients of esophagus cancer treated by either radiation alone or postoperative radiation, median survival period was 6.6 months, $16\%$ 3 years and $8\%$ 5years crude survival. In biphasic plotting of survival curve semilogarithmically all nonresponder died within one year regardless of treatments and in responder each 1, 2, 3 years survival rate was $80\%,\;70\%,\;60\%$ in the group of postoperative radiation among 20 patients ($54\%$ of 37 patients) respectively and $62\%,\;38\%,\; 23\%$ each in the group of radiation alone among 61 patients ($48\%$ of 128 patients) respectively, better survival rate of postoperative radiation vs radiation alone in 3 year (P<0.01). The most common cause of death was dysphagia $55\%$, and majority of patients died by failure to control the disease locally $62\%,\;88\%$ of stricture were associated with persistenece of cancer in esophagus. $50\%$ of patients was found to have locoregional metastatc nodes. Preoperative diagnostic failure rate was for metastatic locoregional nodes was $54\%$, for grossly metastatic nodes $29.7\%$, for blood borne organ metastasis $13.5\%$, and for local extent of the disease $14\%$. The residual cancer at surgical margin o. postitive node was not effectively killed by either 5000 to 5500 cGy conventional radiation or 5290 to 5750 cGy with 115 cGy fraction in 2 times daily; hyperfractionated radiation. However hyperfractionation schedule decreased the both acute and late complications in this study.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2001

Purpose : It is very important to endow the cancer patients underwent chemotherapy with satisfactory quality of life (QOL). However, little is known about the factors influencing QOL during chemotherapy. Therefore, we designed this study to find out the factors influencing QOL in the cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy. Methods : Ninety-seven cancer patients were studied, prospectively. The patients' characteristics were as follows; median age(range): 48(19{\sim}83) years, male:female; 57:40, PS:0,1/2,3;55/42 patients, diagnosis(number): lymphoma (28), lung cancer (22), gastrointestinal cancer (18), sarcoma (12), breast cancer (12), gynecological cancer (5), Stage: I,II/III.IV;37/60 patients. We used EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires to evaluate QOL. EORTC QLQ-C30 scores were performed before the onset of chemotherapy and after the end of 3 cycles of chemotherapy. The correlation of these scores with performance status (PS), diagnosis, disease stage, response to chemotherapy, and regimen related toxicity was evaluated. Results : The responder group (CR, PR) demonstrated marked improvement of social functional and emotional scales to non-responder group (SD,PD) (P=0.024, 0.045). Non-hematologic regimen related toxicity such as mucositis, nausea and vomiting was significantly correlated with pain scale change (P=0.043). Other factors had no notable correlation with QOL changes. Conclusion : Our preliminary study results may suggest as follows. The response to chemotherapy is associated with the change of social functional and emotional scales and the severity of non-hematologic regimen related toxicity is associated with pain scale change.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.820-825
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• 2005

Purpose : The presence and degree of fever in children is a useful indicator of illness. This project aimed to assess the accuracy and usefulness of infrared tympanic membrane(TM) & forehead feverscan thermometers for measuring children's temperatures. Methods : Data were obtained from 1,050 children with a median age of 4.5 years. They visited the pediatric clinics at Chung-Ang University Yongsan Hospital from January 2004 to December 2004. We measured body temperatures at axilla by mercury thermometer, at ear by infrared TM thermometer and at forehead by feverscan. Then we analyzed the correlation between these data. Results : Mercury and TM thermometer, and Mercury and forehead feverscan thermometer very well correlated with each others(P<0.05). And the sensitivity of infrared TM thermometer(right and left) to correctly identify febrile children was 81.1 percent and 82.4 percent, the positive predictive value to detect a fever was 81.8 percent and 73.6 percent. The sensitivity of forehead feverscan was 83.3 percent and the positive predictive value was 74.4 percent. Conclusion : The tympanic membrane temperature measured by the BRAUN IRT $3020^{(R)}$ and forehead arterial temperature measured by the HubDIC $DOTORY^{(R)}$ feverscan accurately reflects mercury axillary temperature, validly assesses the presence of fever in children, and is easy to use. The Braun IRT $3020^{(R)}$ & HubDIC $DOTORY^{(R)}$ therefore is an adequate tool to assess fever and may be used both in a clinical setting and for research purposes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2861-2866
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• 2012

Background: The aim of our study was to assess the practical utility of the palliative prognostic index (PPI) as a prognostic tool used by nurse specialists in a hospice consultation setting in Taiwan. Methods: In total, 623 terminal cancer patients under hospice consultation care from one medical center in northern Taiwan were enrolled between January 1 and June 30, 2011. PPI was assessed by a nurse specialist at first hospice consultation and patients categorized into groups by prognosis (good, intermediate, poor). Patient survival was analyzed retrospectively to determine significance of between-group differences. Results: By PPI sum score, 37.2% of patients were in the good prognosis group, 18% in the intermediate prognosis group and 44.8% in the poor prognosis group. The death rates were 56%, 81.2% and 89.6% and median survivals were 76, 18 and 7 days, respectively. The hazard ratio was 0.19 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10-0.24, p<0.001) for the poor versus good prognosis group and 0.54 (95% CI 0.43-0.69, p<0.001) for the poor versus intermediate prognosis group. The sensitivity and specificity for the poor prognosis group was 66% and 71%; the positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 81% and 52%, respectively, to predict patient death within 21 days (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic was 0.68). Conclusions: Assessment by PPI can accurately predict survival of terminal cancer patients receiving hospice consultation care. PPI is a simple tool and can be administered by nurse members of hospice consultation teams.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.299-304
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• 2014

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a malignancy of biliary duct with a very poor prognosis, is the leading cause of cancer death in countries of the Mekong subregion. Liver fluke infection is the main etiological factor, but genetic variation has been recognized as also important in conferring susceptibility to CCA risk. Nuclear factor (erythroid derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) is a key transcription factor in detoxification and antioxidant defense. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that genetic polymorphisms in the NRF2 gene may be associated with cancer development. The objectives of this study were to investigate the association of NRF2 genetic polymorphism with CCA risk and to evaluate the influence of the NRF2 genotype on survival time of affected patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NRF2 gene, including rs6726395: A/G, rs2886161: C/T, rs1806649: C/T, and rs10183914: C/T, were analyzed using TaqMan$^{(R)}$ SNP genotyping assays. Among 158 healthy northeastern Thai subjects, the allele frequencies were 41, 62, 94, and 92%, respectively. The correlation of NRF2 SNPs and CCA risk was analyzed in the 158 healthy subjects and 198 CCA patients, using unconditional logistic regression. The results showed that whereas the NRF2 SNPs were not associated with CCA risk (p>0.05), Kaplan-Meier analysis of 88 intrahepatic CCA patients showed median survival time with rs6726395 genotypes of GG and AA/AG to be $344{\pm}138$ (95%CI: 73-615) days and $172{\pm}37$ (95%CI: 100-244) days, respectively, (p<0.006). On multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, the GG genotype of rs6726395 was found to be associated with longer survival with a hazard ratio of 0.54 (95%CI: 0.31-0.94). In addition, non-papillary adenocarcinoma was associated with poor survival with a hazard ratio of 2.09 (95%CI: 1.16-3.75). The results suggest that the NRF2 rs6726395 polymorphism can be a potential prognostic biomarker for CCA patients.