• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1984

To evaluate the clinical significance of serum tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) levels in patients with malignancy, serum TP A levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 49 normal controls, 9 patients of postoperative colon cancer without recurrence and 68 patients with various untreated malignancy, who visited Seoul National University Hospital from February, 1983 to September, 1983. The results were as follows; 1) Serum TPA levels in 49 normal controls were in the range of 22-135 U/L $(74{\pm}28U/L,\;mean{\pm}S.D.)$. There was no sex or age difference. Normal upper limit of serum TPA was defined as 130 U/L (mean+2S.D.). 2) Serum TPA levels in 68 patients with various untreated malignancy (stomach cancer 33 cases, colon cancer 11 cases, lung cancer 10 cases, primary liver cancer 9 cases and metastatic cancer of unknown primary site 5 cases) were in the range of 10-800 U/L $(189{\pm}170U/L,\;mean{\pm}S.D.)$ and significantly elevated, compared with those of normal controls (p<0.005). 3) The sensitivities of serum TPA in various untreated malignancy were 39% in stomach cancer, 55% in colon cancer, 50% in lung cancer, 67% in primary liver cancer and 80% in metastatic cancer of unknown primary site respectively. 4) The sensitivities of serum TPA related to resectability in stomach and colon cancer were 32% in resectable stomach cancer, 50% in unresectable stomach cancer, 29% in resectable colon cancer and 100% in unresectable colon cancer respectively. 5) The mean value of serum TPA levels in 9 patients of postoperative colon cancer without recurrence was $70{\pm}39U/L$ and significantly decreased, compared with that of untreated colon cancer, $180{\pm}150U/L$ U/L (p<0.05). 6) In patients with stomach or colon cancer, there was no significant correlation between serum TP A and serum CEA levels, but simultaneous measurement of serum TPA and serum CEA levels increased sensitivities. From above results, we concluded that serum TPA level is a useful indicator reflecting tumor activity and responses to anticancer treatment in patients with malignancy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.2909-2913
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• 2013

Background: The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting sleep quality of 100 patients with advanced stage lung cancer. Methods and Results: it was a descriptive study. A variety of assessment tools were used to provide sleep scores to examine the relation between adverse effects caused by the treatment (nausea, vomiting, fatigue) and sleep quality. As a result, no statistically significant relation between coughing and respiratory problems of patients, or existing depression, and average sleep quality score was found (KW:0.872, p=0.646, KW: 3.174, p=0.205, u: 441.000 p=0.916). It was revealed that nausea and loss of appetite experienced also did not affect the sleep quality score (p>0.05), whereas problems such as vomiting and fatigue did exert effects (p<0.01). Conclusions: Patients with advanced stage lung cancer suffer from sleep problems and cancer related symptoms also affect their sleep quality negatively. Nurses should plan interventions that can control symptoms such as pain, vomiting and fatigue, which affect the sleep of patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2541-2544
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• 2013

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in patients with prostate cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer and peripheral nerve tumors. Materials and Methods: NSE levels were determined by ELISA in the sera of 100 prostate cancer, 47 Hodgkin lymphoma, 35 lung cancer and 35 peripheral nerve tumor patients and also in 132 healthy controls. Results: The median levels of serum NSE were elevated in patients with lung cancer (p=0.018) and peripheral nerve tumors (p=0.008). NSE levels in prostate cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma patients were higher than the controls but there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that NSE may be applied in routine to gain insight about the clinical statuses of various cancer patients, but more studies are needed to determine the organ specificity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4953-4958
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine how nurses recognize the need for supportive care of advanced cancer patients and to provide preliminary data on how adequate circumstances are to be set up and maintained in Korea. For the purpose of this study, we developed a preliminary questionnaire based on a focus group of 8 nurses run by a clinical psychologist and administered it to 228 nurses in a cancer hospital, over a 3-month period. Participants of this study were nurses with more than 5 years' experience of treating advanced cancer patients. The result showed that 207 respondents (90.8%) agreed that a smooth communication system for treatment taking into account the symptoms experienced by patients and rehabilitation issues was needed. More than 80% agreed that the items needed for an integrated management service for advanced cancer patients should include psychological support, an integrated pain and symptom management, and education for the patient and his or her caregivers. These results strongly suggest that a new system distinct from palliative care or hospices is needed for patients with advanced cancer in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8603-8605
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• 2014

Objective: To assess the safety of Brucea javanica and Cantharidin combined with chemotherapy in treating patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Method: A consecutive cohort of patients with NSCLC were divided into four groups: experimental group A treated with Brucea javanica injection combined with chemotherapy; experimental group B with Cantharidin injection combined with chemotherapy; experimental group C treated with Brucea javanica and Cantharidin injection combined with chemotherapy; and the control group receiving only chemotherapy. After more than two courses of treatment, safety, quality of life and side effects were evaluated. Results: The incidences of myelosuppression in groups A, B and C were lower than that in Control group (p<0.05), but without significant differences among A, B and C. Adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract also were lower than in controls (p<0.05) without variation amnog the combined treatment groups. Conclusions: Brucea javanica or Cantharidin combined with chemotherapy could in both cases improve quality of life in our cohort of NSCLC patients without any increase in toxicity. However, further clinical experiments should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Brucea javanica and Cantharidin combined with chemotherapy for patients with NSCLC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.3-6
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• 2004

Background and Objectives: Nodal metastasis is one of the prognostic factors in salivary gland cancer. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors of nodal metastasis considered as a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with salivary gland cancer. Material and Methods: The authors retrospectively studied 82 patients with salivary gland cancer who underwent surgery from 1992 to 2002. We analyzed age, sex, tumor size, histologic type and 5-year survival rate to compare patients with and without nodal metastasis. Results: Mean age was 55.4 years, with a male-female ratio of 1 : 1.28. The overall 5-year survival rate was 85.5%. Among the 82 patients, 14 patients had nodal metastasis. There was no nodal metastasis in low grade malignancy. In patients without nodal metastasis, mean age was 52.5 years and the overall 5-year survival rate was 94.2%. In patients with nodal metastasis, mean age was 69.4 years and the overall 5-year survival rate was 42.9%. In patients with less advanced cancer (T1-T2 stage), the nodal metastasis was 7.5% and with advanced cancer (T3-T4 stage), 33.3%. Conclusion: Nodal metastasis significantly decreases survival in patients with salivary gland malignancy. High grade malignancy, large tumor size and old age are important risk factors of nodal metastasis. Nodal metastasis is more common in submandibular gland cancer compared with parotid gland cancer.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.18-30
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• 2018

Patients with advanced cancer cope with various issues, especially psychological symptoms, such as anxiety about death. Previous research from various countries indicates that most advanced cancer patients perceive distress before death, which means they cannot accept death peacefully. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with death acceptance of Thai patients with advanced cancer. The participants were 242 adult patients with advanced cancer from three tertiary hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand. The research instruments consisted of 7 questionnaires: a personal information questionnaire, the death anxiety questionnaire, Buddhist beliefs about death questionnaire, the unfinished task questionnaire, general self-efficacy scale, family relationship questionnaire, and death acceptance scale. These instruments were tested for their content validity by a panel of experts. All instruments except the first one were tested for reliability, and their Cronbach's alpha coefficient were .86, .72, .74, .74, .89, and .70, respectively. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, Point-biserial correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that a total of 42% of variance of death acceptance among Thai patients with advanced cancer was explained by death anxiety, Buddhist beliefs about death, and self-efficacy. Knowing these factors provides further information for nurses to help patients to cope with their death. From this crucial knowledge, nurses can develop interventions in decreasing or controlling anxiety about death, promoting Buddhist beliefs about death, and enhancing self-efficacy of advanced cancer patients. Therefore, a better quality of life and good death can be achieved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2663-2665
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• 2013

Objective: To compare the efficacy and complications of chemotherapy and late course three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in treating patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods: All patients were divided into two groups: to receive chemotherapy and late course 3DCRT (3DCRT group), or chemotherapy and conventional fraction radiation (control group). In the 3DCRT-group, patients were given 6~15 MV X-rays with a total dose of 40 Gy, followed by 3DCRT, 2.5 Gy~3.0 Gy per fraction, 1 fraction/every day, total 68 Gy~70 Gy; in the control group, with conventional fraction radiation the total dose was 64~66 Gy. The chemotherapy regimen in both cases was EP (VP-16 and DDP). Results: Sixty four patients with stage III NSCLC were divided into two groups: 32 patients into 3DCRT, 32 into the control group. One and 2-year survival rates in 3DCRT and control group were 87.5%, 56.3%mad 65.6%, 34.4%, respectively (P<0.05); local control rates were 90.6%, 81.3% and 65.6%, 53.1%, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: Chemotherapy and late course 3DCRT is associated with improved survival rate in patients with stage III NSCLC with good tolerability.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of extended-field radiation therapy for patients with thoracic superficial esophageal cancer (SEC). Materials and Methods: From May 2007 to October 2016, a total of 24 patients with thoracic SEC (T1a and T1b) who underwent definitive radiotherapy and were analyzed retrospectively. The median total radiotherapy dose was 64 Gy (range, 54 to 66 Gy) in conventional fractionation. All 24 patients received radiotherapy to whole thoracic esophagus and 23 patients received elective nodal irradiation. The supraclavicular lymph nodes, the celiac lymph nodes, and both of those nodal areas were included in 11, 3, and 9 patients, respectively. Results: The median follow-up duration was 28.7 months (range 7.9 to 108.0 months). The 3-year overall survival, local control, and progression-free survival rates were 95.2%, 89.7%, and 78.7%, respectively. There were 5 patients (20.8%) with progression of disease, 2 local failures (8.3%) and 3 (12.5%) regional failures. Three patients also experienced distant metastasis and had died of disease progression. There were no treatment-related toxicities of grade 3 or higher. Conclusion: Definitive extended-field radiotherapy for thoracic SEC showed durable disease control rates in medically inoperable and endoscopically unfit patients. Even extended-field radiotherapy with elective nodal irradiation was safe without grade 3 or 4 toxicities.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.313-327
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• 2020

Purpose: Nodal downstaging after preoperative therapy for gastric cancer has been shown to impart excellent prognosis, but this has not been validated in a national cohort. The role of neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NACR) in nodal downstaging remains unclear when compared with that of neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone (NAC). Furthermore, it is unknown whether the prognostic implications of nodal downstaging differ by preoperative regimen. Materials and Methods: Using the National Cancer Database, overall survival (OS) duration was compared among natural N0 (cN0/ypN0), downstaged N0 (cN+/ypN0), and nodepositive (ypN+) gastric cancer patients treated with NACR or NAC. Factors associated with nodal downstaging were examined in a propensity score-matched cohort of cN+ patients, matched 1:1 by receipt of NACR or NAC. Results: Of 7,426 patients (natural N0 [n=1,858, 25.4%], downstaged N0 [n=1,813, 24.4%], node-positive [n=3,755, 50.4%]), 58.2% received NACR, and 41.9% received NAC. The median OS durations of downstaged N0 (5.1 years) and natural N0 (5.6 years) patients were similar to one another and longer than that of node-positive patients (2.1 years) (P<0.001). In the matched cohort of cN+ patients, more recent diagnosis (2010-2015 vs. 2004-2009) (odds ratio [OR], 2.57; P<0.001) and NACR (OR, 2.02; P<0.001) were independently associated with nodal downstaging. The 5-year OS rate of downstaged N0 patients was significantly lower after NACR (46.4%) than after NAC (57.7%) (P=0.003). Conclusions: Downstaged N0 patients have the same prognosis as natural N0 patients. Nodal downstaging occurred more frequently after NACR; however, the survival benefit of nodal downstaging after NACR may be less than that when such is achieved by NAC.