• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권8호
• /
• pp.3547-3553
• /
• 2014

Background: The prognostic value of serum alkaline phosphatase (S-ALP) has not been fully validated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and Methods: S-ALP levels were measured in 601 patients newly diagnosed with NPC before radical treatment, and possible associations of these levels with 5-year overall survival (OS) and tumor-free survival (TFS) were explored using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Elevated pretreatment S-ALP (>85 U/L) was significantly less frequent among patients classified as T1+2 or stage I+II than among those classified as T3+4 or stage III+IV. Multivariate analysis showed that elevated pretreatment S-ALP (>85 U/L), age, T classification and N stage were independent predictors of poor OS and TFS. Conclusions: Pretreatment S-ALP may be a reliable biomarker to evaluate the long-term prognosis of patients with NPC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권21호
• /
• pp.9271-9275
• /
• 2014

Background: Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease that affects more than 230 million people worldwide, according to conservative estimates. Some studies published from China and Japan reported that schistosomiasis is a risk factor for colorectal cancer in Asia where the infective species is S. japonicum. Hoqwever, there have been only few reports of prognosis of patients with schistosomal rectal cancer SRC. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze differences in prognosis between SRC and non-schistosomal rectal cancer(NSRC) with current treatments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 30 patients with schistosomal rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic total mesorectal excision operation (TME) was performed. For each patient with schistosomal rectal cancer, a control group who underwent laparoscopic TME with non-schistosomal rectal cancer was matched for age, gender and tumor stage, resulting in 60 cases and controls. Results: Univariate analysis showed pathologic N stage (P=0.006) and pathologic TNM stage (P=0.047) statistically significantly correlated with disease-free survival (DFS). Pathologic N stage (P=0.014), pathologic TNM stage (P=0.002), and with/without schistosomiasis (P=0.026) were statistically significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). Schistosomiasis was the only independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The prognosis of patients with schistosomal rectal cancer is poorer than with non-schistosomal rectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권17호
• /
• pp.7383-7387
• /
• 2014

Background: To determine rates of residual disease along with influencing factors in women with stage IA to IB1 cervical carcinoma after conization. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of medical records of 198 stage IA to IB1 cervical carcinoma patients who had undergoing cervical conization followed by primary surgical treatment during 2006-2013. Independent factors correlating with residual carcinoma in subsequent surgical specimens were analyzed by stepwise regression analysis. Results: Mean age was 48.9 years. Cone specimens demonstrated free margins in 36 women (18.8%). In case of having disease at margin, high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and carcinoma were evidenced in 58 and 97 women, respectively. Pathology of subsequent specimens revealed residual carcinoma in 78 women (39.4%), high-grade CIN or adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) in 45 (22.7%), and no residual pathology in 75 (37.9%). Age more than 35 years, postmenopausal status, having symptoms, diseases or invasive lesions at conization margins or disease on endocervical aspect, and higher stage were significantly correlated with residual cancer in surgical treatment specimens. On regression analysis, postmenopause and stage were independent factors associated with residual carcinoma.Conclusions: Patient and tumor characteristics are predictive factors for residual cancer in the studied group of women.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• 제49권5호
• /
• pp.580-586
• /
• 2022

Background Appropriate position of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) is crucial following nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM). The prevention of NAC malposition in two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction has not been well described, and the efficacy of the techniques has not been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of our technique to prevent NAC malposition in patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction after NSM. Methods Patients who underwent two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction with NSM between January 2012 and December 2019 were included. We used a surgical technique to fix the NAC to the rigid base, assuming a pocket-like appearance, with pectoralis major muscle and lateral adipofascial flap at the time of tissue expander (TE) insertion. Patients were classified into two groups based on the performance of the technique for the prevention of NAC malposition. Results In 35 patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction after NSM, the clavicle-to-nipple distance ratio was 96.0±5.0% in those who underwent NAC fixation and 86.1±11.5% in those who did not undergo NAC fixation. Conclusions Using our technique, NAC malposition could be prevented in two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction. NAC fixation during TE insertion was found to be extremely effective. This procedure successfully prevented NAC malposition without the formation of extra scars.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권3호
• /
• pp.2141-2146
• /
• 2013

Cervical cancer is the third most common form of cancer that strikes Malaysian women. The National Cancer Registry in 2006 and 2007 reported that the age standardized incidence (ASR) of cervical cancer was 12.2 and 7.8 per 100,000 women, respectively. The cumulative risk of developing cervical cancer for a Malaysian woman is 0.9 for 74 years. Among all ethnic groups, the Chinese experienced the highest incidence rate in 2006, followed by Indians and Malays. The percentage cervical cancer detected at stage I and II was 55% (stage I: 21.0%, stage II: 34.0%, stage III: 26.0% and stage IV: 19.0%). Data from Ministry of Health Malaysia (2006) showed a 58.9% estimated coverage of pap smear screening conducted among those aged 30-49 years. Only a small percentage of women aged 50-59 and 50-65 years old were screened, 14% and 13.8% coverage, respectively. Incidence of cervical cancer was highest (71.6%) among those in the 60-65 age group (MOH, 2003). Currently, there is no organized population-based screening program available for the whole of Malaysia. A pilot project was initiated in 2006, to move from opportunistic cervical screening of women who attend antenatal and postnatal visits to a population based approach to be able to monitor the women through the screening pathway and encourage women at highest risk to be screened. The project was modelled on the screening program in Australia with some modifications to suit the Malaysian setting. Substantial challenges have been identified, particularly in relation to information systems for call and recall of women, as well as laboratory reporting and quality assurance. A cost-effective locally-specific approach to organized screening, that will provide the infrastructure for increasing participation in the cervical cancer screening program, is urgently required.

• 한국건설관리학회논문집
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.13-22
• /
• 2011

클레임의 발생원인과 예방에 대하여 많은 연구들이 수행되어 왔으나, 개선방안 혹은 제도개선, 대응방안 등에 대한 연구가 대부분이었다. 특히, 잠재되어 있는 클레임에 대한 구체적인 내용들을 정리하고, 예방을 위한 실무적인 연구는 미흡한 실정이다. 그러므로 향후 발생할 수 있는 클레임에 대해, 그 중 설계단계에서 잠재될 가능성이 큰 원인들을 사전에 검토 및 재확인하여 클레임을 예방할 수 있는 수단이 부족하다. 본 연구에서는, 클레임이 발생되는 시기가 대부분 시공단계이지만 클레임의 원인은 설계단계에서 발생하는 점에 착안하여, 설계단계에서 잠재된 클레임 예방을 위하여 설계단계의 설계서 등을 포함한 계약문서를 중심으로 연구를 수행하였다. 클레임의 근거서류를 준비하고, 관련법규의 적용규정을 확인하면서 클레임 발생원인을 짚어볼 수 있는 체크리스트를 개발하였다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권5호
• /
• pp.2871-2877
• /
• 2013

Objectives: To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and invasiveness of lobectomy by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of stage I/II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: A total of 148 patients presenting with Stage I or II NSCLC were enrolled into our study, comprising 71 who underwent VATS and 77 patients undergoing conventional thoracotomic lobectomy, in combination with systematic lymph node resection. Results: It was found that VATS was superior to conventional thoracotomy in terms of the duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, frequency of the need to administer postoperative analgesia, thoracic intubation indwelling time, post-operative hospital stay, and survival rate (P<0.05). We saw no obvious difference in the number of resected lymph nodes with either approach. Conclusions: VATS lobectomy is a safe and reliable surgical approach for the treatment of Stage I/II NSCLC, characterized by significantly minimal invasiveness, rapid post-operative recovery, and markedly lower loss of blood.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권13호
• /
• pp.5283-5286
• /
• 2014

Stage of cervical cancer may adversely affect the quality of life (QOL) among patients. The objective of this study was to predict the QOL among cervical cancer patients by the stage of their cancer. A cross-sectional study from September 2012 until January 2013 was conducted among cervical cancer patients who completed treatment. All patients completed a interviewer-guided questionnaire comprising four sections: (A) socio-demographic data, (B) medical history, (C) QOL measured by general health status questionnaire (QLQ-30) and (D) cervical cancer specific module CX-24 (EORTC) was used to measured patient's functional, symptom scale and their global health status. Results showed that global health status, emotional functioning and pain score were higher in stage III cervical cancer patients while role functioning was higher in stage I cervical cancer patients. Patients with stage IV cancer have a lower mean score in global health status (adjusted b-22.0, 95 CI% -35.6, -8.49) and emotional functioning (adjusted b -22.5, 95CI% -38.1, -6.69) while stage III had lower mean score in role functioning (adjusted b -14.3, 95CI% -25.4, -3.21) but higher mean score in pain (adjusted b 22.1, 95 CI% 8.56, 35.7). In conclusion, stage III and IV cervical cancers mainly affect the QOL of cervical cancer patients. Focus should be given to these subgroups to help in improving the QOL.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권14호
• /
• pp.5639-5644
• /
• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to determine effects of doctor-patient communication on the quality of life among breast cancer survivors in 16 communities in southern China. Methods: Multistage random sampling was to use to recruit 260 females from the Guangzhou Cancer Registry Database who were diagnosed with breast cancer. A questionnaire provided data on the doctor-patient communication (including the doctor's attitude, the patient's participation with the medical decision and information about the disease) and QOL (quality of life), as measured using FACT-B. Univariate analysis, non-conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between the doctor-patient communication and QOL. Results: Females who received good attitudes from doctors demonstrated higher FACT-B (OR=4.65, 95% CI: 1.68-12.86), social well-being (OR=5.88, 95% CI: 2.16-16.05), emotional well-being (OR=4.77, 95% CI: 1.92-11.88), and functional well-being ((OR=5.26, 95% CI: 1.90-14.52) compared to the females who encountered worse attitudes from their doctor, adjusting for age, education, marriage, employment, family income, years since diagnosis, TNM stage, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and side effects, particularly when the TNM stage was 0-II and the patients exhibited no side effects. Regardless of the length of time after diagnosis, doctors' good attitudes resulted in higher QOL scores. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the doctor-patient communication has a significant association with the QOL of breast cancer survivors, mainly dependent on the doctors' attitude. Effective intervention is required to develop optimal doctor-patient communication.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.199-203
• /
• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic value of serum CYFRA21-1, CEA and hemoglobin levels regarding long-term survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: Age, gender, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), tumor location, tumor length, T stage, N stage and serum hemoglobin, and CYFRA21-1 and CEA levels before concurrent CRT were retrospectively investigated and related to outcome in 113 patients receiving 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin combined with radiotherapy for ESCC. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze prognosis, the log-rank to compare groups, the Cox proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis, and ROC curve analysis for assessment of predictive performance of biologic markers. Results: The median survival time was 20.1 months and the 1-, 2-, 3-, 5- year overall survival rates were 66.4%, 43.4%, 31.9% and 15.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that factors associated with prognosis were KPS, tumor length, T-stage, N-stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level. Multivariate analysis showed T-stage, N-stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level were independent predictors of prognosis. By ROC curve, CYFRA21-1 and hemoglobin showed better predictive performance for OS than CEA (AUC= 0.791, 0.704, 0.545; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.409). Conclusions: Of all clinicopathological and molecular factors, T stage, N stage, hemoglobin, CYFRA21-1 and CEA level were independent predictors of prognosis for patients with ESCC treated with concurrent CRT. Among biomarkers, CYFRA21-1 and hemoglobin may have a better predictive potential than CEA for long-term outcomes.