• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.75 no.6
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• pp.250-255
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• 2013

Endobronchial metastasis of leiomyosarcoma is rare, but it can cause life-threatening complications, such as massive hemoptysis, respiratory failure or even death. The development of new endoscopic modalities allows for effective endobronchial management. We report three patients with endobronchial metastases from advanced leiomyosarcomas which caused bronchial obstruction. The bronchoscopic examinations revealed masses obstructing the left main bronchus in all three patients. After removing the endobronchial tumor via interventional bronchoscopy, there was symptomatic and radiologic improvement. Moreover, the patients were able to undergo additional palliative chemotherapy. Therefore, endobronchial management of endobronchial tumors should be considered in the treatment of endobronchial metastasis, even in patients with advanced malignancies.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.66-68
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• 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak to be a pandemic on March 12, 2020. In Korea, there have been 24,027 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 420 deaths as of October 3, 2020. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic infection to death. Cancer care in this pandemic has radically changed. The literature was reviewed. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it urgently necessary to profoundly re-organize cancer patients' care without compromising cancer outcomes. Several important questions in regard to COVID-19 infection in cancer patients have emerged. Are patients with cancer at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection? Are they at an increased risk of mortality and severe illness when infected with COVID-19? Does anticancer treatment affect the course of COVID-19? Based on the existing research, cancer patients with immunosuppression are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, and cancer patients are more likely to experience severe COVID-19. However, chemotherapy and major surgery do not seem to be predictors of hospitalization or severe disease. Korean background data on patients with cancer and COVID-19 are lacking. Prospective multicenter studies on the outcomes of patients with cancer and COVID-19 should be conducted.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.80-94
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify attitudes toward advance directives (ADs) among female cancer patients and factors related to ADs. Methods: The study was conducted at a university hospital in Seoul from September 19, 2020, to January 20, 2021. The participants were 153 patients diagnosed with gynecological cancer or breast cancer. Data were collected using questionnaires and included general characteristics, disease- and AD-related characteristics, knowledge and attitudes about ADs, and attitudes about dignified death. Data were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Only 2% of the participants completed ADs. The mean score for attitudes toward ADs was 3.30, indicating a positive knowledge and attitude toward dignified death. The factors related to attitudes toward ADs were attitudes toward dignified death (𝛽=0.25, P=0.001), experience discussing life-sustaining treatment (𝛽=0.17, P=0.037), preferred time to have a consultation about ADs (𝛽=0.19, P=0.046), intention to write ADs (𝛽=0.15, P=0.038), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (𝛽=-0.37, P<0.001). The explanatory power of these variables for attitudes toward ADs was 38.5%. Conclusion: Overall, patients preferred to have a consultation about ADs when they were still active, mentally healthy, and able to make decisions. Education about ADs should be provided to patients on the first day of hospitalization for chemotherapy or while awaiting treatment in an outpatient setting so patients can write ADs and discuss them with family and friends.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2017

Background: Second line chemotherapy is often considered in advanced gastric cancers. We assessed irinotecan in combination with fluorouracil in patients experienced diseases progression after first line chemotherapy. Methods: Prospective trial was done at 7 centers in republic of Korea. Patients aged 18 years or older with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma and disease progression on or within 4 months after first-line chemotherapy were assigned to receive irinotecan 180 mg/m² and 5-fluorouraicl 400 mg/m² intravenously bolus injection on days 1 and leucovorin 200 mg/m² for 2 hours and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m² for 22 hours intravenously infusion on day 2 of a 14-day cycle (FOLFIRI group). The primary endpoint was objective tumor response (OR). Efficacy analysis was by per-protocol, and safety analysis included all patients who received at least one treatment with study drug. Results: Between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2016, 28 patients were assigned to FOLFIRI treatment. Of those 20 patients were completed the study protocol. Per-protocol analysis, two patients among 20 subjects (10.0%) showed partial response. Overall survivals of FOLFIRI group; median 10.1 months [95% CI 4.9-15.3] Grade 3 and higher adverse event that occurred about 5%, but grade 3 or higher febrile neutropenia or life threatening complication was not reported. Conclusion: Combination chemotherapy with irinotecan, 5-FU, and LV is feasible in gastric cancer patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.207-215
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• 2014

Multiple bone metastases are common manifestation of many malignant tumors such as lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma. Bone metastasis is secondary cancer in the bone, and it can lead to bone pain, fracture, and instability of the weight bearing bones, all of which may profoundly reduce physical activity and life quality. Treatment for bone metastasis is determined by multiple factors including pathology, performance status, involved site, and neurologic status. Treatment strategies for bone metastasis are analgesics, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. External beam radiotherapy has traditionally been an effective palliative treatment for localized painful bone metastasis. However, in some cases such as multiple bone metastases, especially osteoblastic bone metastasis originated from breast or prostate cancer, the radiopharmaceutical therapy using $^{89}Sr$, $^{186}Re$, $^{188}Re$, $^{153}Sm$ and $^{117m}Sn$ are also useful treatment option because of administrative simplicity (injection), few side effects, low risk of radiation exposure and high response rate. This article offers a concise explanation of the radiopharmaceutical therapy for multiple bone metastases.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.74-87
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• 2017

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival in locally advanced gastric cancer, but it is associated with significant toxicity. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity have been studied in several types of cancers and have been reported to be associated with higher chemotherapy toxicity and morbi-mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sarcopenia/sarcopenic obesity in patients with gastric cancer, as well as its association with chemotherapy toxicity and long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using an academic cancer center patient cohort diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer between January 2012 and December 2014 and treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed body composition (skeletal muscle and visceral fat index) in axial computed tomography images. Results: A total of 48 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was $68{\pm}10years$, and 33 patients (69%) were men. Dose-limiting toxicity was observed in 22 patients (46%), and treatment was terminated early owing to toxicity in 17 patients (35%). Median follow-up was 17 months. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were found at diagnosis in 23% and 10% of patients, respectively. We observed an association between termination of chemotherapy and both sarcopenia (P=0.069) and sarcopenic obesity (P=0.004). On multivariate analysis, the odds of treatment termination were higher in patients with sarcopenia (odds ratio=4.23; P=0.050). Patients with sarcopenic obesity showed lower overall survival (median survival of 6 months [95% confidence interval {CI}=3.9-8.5] vs. 25 months [95% CI=20.2-38.2]; log-rank test P=0.000). Conclusions: Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were associated with early termination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer; additionally, sarcopenic obesity was associated with poor survival.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.74-79
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• 1994

A Phase II study of UFT which is a mixture of Tegafur and Uracil was conducted in two institutions during past two years. Ninty-four patients of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma entered this trial, of which sixty-eight were evaluated. Among those, thirty-six cases were previously untreated and thirty-two cases were recurrent UFT was administrated orally at a daily dose of $400mg/m^2$ for eight weeks. The results were as following: 1) Overall response was 30.88%, but for 38.36% for 36 cases of the untreated cases, 21.88% for 32 cases of recurrent cases. 2) UFT was more effective in early stage and well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and UFT tended to reduce the tumor size maximally at fourth or fifth week 3) There was no serious side effects except mild gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea and vomiting, which were recovered immediately after stop or reducing a daily dose. Therefore, UFT therapy is clinically effective for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and also may be useful for combination or palliative chemotherapy because of mild side effects.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was aimed to describe a case of a patient with FOLFIRI-induced diarrhea, which was improved by treatment with Korean herbal medicine, modified Wiryeong-tang. Methods : The patient with metastatic rectal cancer recieved FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab as a palliative chemotherapy and showed repetitive diarrhea despite administration of loperamide, which was treated with modified Wiryeong-tang. To evaluate the effect of the treatment, the Bristol Stool Form Scale and bowel movement frequency were checked. Results : During the treatment, the stool form using Bristol Stool Form Scale was improved from diarrhea to normal stool, and the bowel movement frequency was decreased. Conclusions : The result suggest that modified Wiryeong-tang may be an effective treatment for FOLFIRI-induced diarrhea.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.550-553
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• 2015

A 67-year-old male presented with left temporal hemianopsia and left hemiparesis. A contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance image revealed a $4.5{\times}3.5{\times}5.0cm$ rim-enhancing mass with central necrosis and associated edema located in the left occipital lobe. Of positron emission tomography and abdominal computed tomography, a 9-cm mass with poor enhancement was found in the right hepatic lobe. Craniotomy and right hemihepatectomy was performed. The resected specimen showed histological features and immunochemical staining consistent with a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor (NET). Four months later, the tumors recurred in the brain, liverand spinal cord. Palliative chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin led to complete remission of recurred lesions, but the patient died for pneumonia. This is the first case of a metastatic brain NET originating from the liver. If the metastatic NET of brain is suspicious, investigation for primary lesion should be considered including liver.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 2016

Pregnancy-associated gastric cancer is extremely rare. In many cases, it is diagnosed at an advanced stage because the symptoms during pregnancy are generally overlooked. We report three cases of gastric cancer during pregnancy with various outcomes. The first case included a patient with stage IV gastric cancer who received palliative chemotherapy. This patient had a preterm birth and died 7 months after diagnosis. The second case received neoadjuvant chemotherapy during pregnancy and a total gastrectomy was performed after delivery. She then received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. This patient developed pulmonary metastasis and died of recurrence 41 months after surgery. In the third case, a distal subtotal gastrectomy was performed at week 14 of pregnancy, with no complications. The patient received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. She is currently without recurrence 14 months after surgery. In patients with pregnancy-associated gastric cancer, treatment decisions are predominantly influenced by clinical stage and gestational age at diagnosis.