• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.190-203
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• 2023

Objective: We aimed to assess and validate the radiologic and clinical factors that were associated with recurrence and survival after curative surgery for heterogeneous targetoid primary liver malignancies in patients with chronic liver disease and to develop scoring systems for risk stratification. Materials and Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 197 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease who had a single targetoid primary liver malignancy (142 hepatocellular carcinomas, 37 cholangiocarcinomas, 17 combined hepatocellular carcinoma-cholangiocarcinomas, and one neuroendocrine carcinoma) identified on preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and subsequently surgically removed between 2010 and 2017. Of these, 120 patients constituted the development cohort, and 77 patients from separate institution served as an external validation cohort. Factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were identified using a Cox proportional hazards analysis, and risk scores were developed. The discriminatory power of the risk scores in the external validation cohort was evaluated using the Harrell C-index. The Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate RFS and OS for the different risk-score groups. Results: In RFS model 1, which eliminated features exclusively accessible on the hepatobiliary phase (HBP), tumor size of 2-5 cm or > 5 cm, and thin-rim arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) were included. In RFS model 2, tumors with a size of > 5 cm, tumor in vein (TIV), and HBP hypointense nodules without APHE were included. The OS model included a tumor size of > 5 cm, thin-rim APHE, TIV, and tumor vascular involvement other than TIV. The risk scores of the models showed good discriminatory performance in the external validation set (C-index, 0.62-0.76). The scoring system categorized the patients into three risk groups: favorable, intermediate, and poor, each with a distinct survival outcome (all log-rank p < 0.05). Conclusion: Risk scores based on rim arterial enhancement pattern, tumor size, HBP findings, and radiologic vascular invasion status may help predict postoperative RFS and OS in patients with targetoid primary liver malignancies.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.213-224
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• 2021

Objective: Clinical outcomes of patients who undergo transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for single small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not consistent, and may differ based on certain imaging findings. This retrospective study was aimed at determining the efficacy of pre-TACE CT or MR imaging findings in predicting survival outcomes in patients with small HCC upon being treated with TACE. Besides, the study proposed to build a risk prediction model for these patients. Materials and Methods: Altogether, 750 patients with functionally good hepatic reserve who received TACE as the first-line treatment for single small HCC between 2004 and 2014 were included in the study. These patients were randomly assigned into training (n = 525) and validation (n = 225) sets. Results: According to the results of a multivariable Cox analysis, three pre-TACE imaging findings (tumor margin, tumor location, enhancement pattern) and two clinical factors (age, serum albumin level) were selected and scored to create predictive models for overall, local tumor progression (LTP)-free, and progression-free survival in the training set. The median overall survival time in the validation set were 137.5 months, 76.1 months, and 44.0 months for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves of the predictive models for overall, LTP-free, and progression-free survival applied to the validation cohort showed acceptable areas under the curve values (0.734, 0.802, and 0.775 for overall survival; 0.738, 0.789, and 0.791 for LTP-free survival; and 0.671, 0.733, and 0.694 for progression-free survival at 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively). Conclusion: Pre-TACE CT or MR imaging findings could predict survival outcomes in patients with small HCC upon treatment with TACE. Our predictive models including three imaging predictors could be helpful in prognostication, identification, and selection of suitable candidates for TACE in patients with single small HCC.

• 산업경영시스템학회지
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.123-131
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• 2020

There have been a lot of studies in the past for the method of predicting the failure of a machine, and recently, a lot of researches and applications have been generated to diagnose the physical condition of the machine and the parts and to calculate the remaining life through various methods. Survival models are also used to predict plant failures based on past anomaly cycles. In particular, special machine that reflect the fluid flow and process characteristics of chemical plants are connected to hundreds or thousands of sensors, so there are not many factors that need to be considered, such as process and material data as well as application of derivative variables. In this paper, the data were preprocessed through time series anomaly detection based on unsupervised learning to predict the abnormalities of these special machine. Next, clustering results reflecting clustering-based data characteristics were applied to produce additional variables, and a learning data set was created based on the history of past facility abnormalities. Finally, the prediction methodology based on the supervised learning algorithm was applied, and the model update was confirmed to improve the accuracy of the prediction of facility failure. Through this, it is expected to improve the efficiency of facility operation by flexibly replacing the maintenance time and parts supply and demand by predicting abnormalities of machine and extracting key factors.

• 산업공학
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.40-51
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• 2012

Today, many manufacturing companies realize that collaboration is crucial for their survival. Especially, in the perspective of quality, the importance of collaboration is emphasized because economic loss increases exponentially while defective parts go through the process in supply chain. However, the manufacturing companies are facing two main difficulties in implementing collaborative relationships with their suppliers. First, it is difficult for the suppliers to produce reliable products due to their obsolete facilities. The problem gets worse for second- or third-tire vendors. Second, the companies experience the lack of universally understandable set of terminology and effective methodologies for knowledge representation. Ontology is one of the best approaches to expressing and processing a domain knowledge. In this paper, we propose the manufacturing ontology-based quality prediction framework to represent and share the knowledge of industrial environment and to predict product quality in manufacturing processes. In addition, we develop the ontology-based quality prediction system based on the proposed framework. We carried out a series of experiments for an injection molding process at an automotive part supplier. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed framework and system can be successfully applicable in manufacturing industry.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권7호
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• pp.3089-3097
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• 2012

Background and Aims: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with resected gastric cancer. However, its role remains controversial. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. Methods: Relevant literature was identified using Medline and survival data from published studies were collected following a methodological assessment. Quality assessment of eligible studies and meta-analysis of hazard ratio (HR) were performed to review the correlation of VEGF overexpression with survival and recurrence in patients with gastric cancer. Results: Our meta-analysis included 44 published studies with 4,794 resected patients. VEGF subtype for the prediction of overall survival (OS) included tissue VEGF (HR=2.13, 95% CI 1.71-2.65), circulating VEGF (HR=4.22, 95% CI 2.47-7.18), tissue VEGF-C (HR=2.21, 95% CI 1.58-3.09), tissue VEGF-D (HR=1.73, 95% CI 1.25-2.40). Subgroup analysis showed that HRs of tissue VEGF for OS were, 1.78 (95% CI 0.90-3.51) and 2.31 (95% CI 1.82-2.93) in non-Asians and Asians, respectively. The meta-analysis was also conducted for disease free survival (DFS) and disease specific survival (DSS). Conclusion: Positive expression of tissue VEGF, circulating VEGF, VEGF-C and VEGF-D were all associated with poor prognosis in resected gastric cancer. However, VEGF demonstrated no significant prognostic value for non-Asian populations. Circulating VEGF may be better than tissue VEGF in predicting prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1281-1284
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• 2012

Background: Platinum-hased chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still considered the first choice, presenting a modest survival advantage. However, the patients eventually experience disease progression and require second-line therapy. While there are reliable predictors to identify patients receiving first-line chemotherapy, very little knowledge is available about the prognostic factors in patients who receive second-line treatments. The present study was therefore performed. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 107 patients receiving second-line treatments from August 2002 to March 2012 in the Dicle University, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Oncology. Fourteen potential prognostic variables were chosen for analysis in this study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. Result: The results of univariate analysis for overall survival (OS) were identified to have prognostic significance: performance status (PS), stage, response to first-line chemotherapy response to second-line chemotherapy and number of metastasis. PS, diabetes mellitus (DM), response to first-line chemotherapy and response to second-line chemotherapy were identified to have prognostic significance for progression-free survival (PFS). Multivariate analysis showed that PS, response to first-line chemotherapy and response to second-line chemotherapy were considered independent prognostic factors for OS. Furthermore, PS and response to second-line chemotherapy were considered independent prognostic factors for PFS. Conclusion: In conclusion, PS, response to first and second-line chemotherapy were identified as important prognostic factors for OS in advanced NSCLC patients who were undergoing second-line palliative treatment. Furthermore, PS and response to second-line chemotherapy were considered independent prognostic factors for PFS. It may be concluded that these findings may facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for the correct choice of treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1841-1844
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• 2012

Background: The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer present with advanced disease. Systemic chemotherapy has limited impact on overall survival (OS) so that eligible patients should be selected carefully. The aim of this study was to analyze prognostic factors for survival in Turkish advanced pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving gemcitabine (Gem) alone or gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GemCis). Methods: This retrospective evaluation was performed for patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and who received gemcitabine between December 2005 and August 2011. Twenty-seven potential prognostic variables were chosen for univariate and multivariate analyses to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. Results: Among the 27 variables in univariate analysis, three were identified to have prognostic significance: sex (p = 0.04), peritoneal dissemination (p =0.02) and serum creatinine level (p=0.05). Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model showed only peritoneal dissemination to be an independent prognostic factor for survival. Conclusion: In conclusion, peritoneal metastasis was identified as an important prognostic factor in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who survived more than one year from the diagnosis of recurrent and/or metastatic disease and receiving Gem or GemCis. The findings should facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for treatment.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.54-60
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• 2019

Plant tissue culture techniques offer quick methods of regeneration of plants of medicinal importance but the survival chances of such plants are always questionable when shifted to the in vivo conditions. The present study enumerates the micromorphological developments in the leaves of in vitro regenerated and field transferred plantlets of Oldenlandia umbellata. The leaves developed in vitro after $4^{th}$ subcultures of multiplication phase and after 6 weeks of field transferred plants were used. Statistically significant differences in the number of stomata, veins, raphides, crystals and trichome density per square mm were observed. The improvements in stomatal apparatus and density (decreased from 41.85 to 32.20), developments in leaf architectural parameters and emergence of defense mechanism through increased numbers of raphides (8 to 15), crystals and trichomes (13.5 to 18.2) proved acclimation of tissue culture raised plantlets from in vitro to the in vivo environments lead to 100 % success in field establishment of the plantlets. The in vitro induced foliar abnormalities (changes in stomata, venation pattern, vein density, trichomes, crystals etc.) were repaired while hardening of plantlets in the greenhouse and finally in the field. The observed micromorphological response of leaves under altered environmental conditions could help in determination of proper stage of field transfer and prediction of survival percentage of in vitro regenerated O. umbellata plantlets.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4707-4712
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• 2012

Annexin A1 is a 37-kDa calcium- and phospholipid-binding protein of the annexin superfamily considered to play an important role in tumorigenesis. However, associations with clinicopathological features in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cases have yet to be fully defined. We therefore investigated the prognostic value of annexin A1 protein as a PDAC biomarker in 83 tumor and matched non-cancerous tissues or normal pancreas tissues. Expression was analyzed using real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. In non-tumor tissue, myoepithelial cells showed no or weak expression of annexin A1 while expression was strong and sometimes even located in the nuclei of endothelial cells in tumor tissue. High expression was significantly associated with advanced stage (P <0.05) and a worse overall survival (P <0.05). These results provide new insights to better understand the role of annexin A1 in PDAC survival, and might be relevant to prediction of prognosis and development of more effective therapeutic strategies aimed at improving survival.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.138-143
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• 1999

Accurately estimating survival times in terminal cancer patients is very difficult for palliative care clinicians. But a reasonably accurate estimate of survival would permit the medical team to : Plan the ideal therapeutic strategy between overtreatment and too early discontinuation of specific therapy. Answer any questions asked by the patient or family. Organize adequate assistance for the patient concerned. Decide on the eligibility of the patient for clinical trials and whether to begin a treatment, the effects of which will not be immediate. This case was a 79 year-old male patient with colon cancer. He complained of dry mouth, anorexia, weight loss and showed KPS $40{\sim}50$ on admission day. 40 days later he died. To improve patient/family quality of life, it is necessary to improve the ability to estimate accurately a patient's length of survival.