• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

Purpose : Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 In cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancels. Methods : Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (DO-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at 51. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multi-variate analysis was peformed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. Results : Thirty-seven (67.2$\%$) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 70$\%$ of laryngeal, 66.7$\%$ of oropharyngeal, 66.7$\%$ of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (P=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (P=0.03) and history of smoking (P=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions : The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correlation with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2000

Purpose : This study aims to find out the quality of life of patients admitted to the hospice unit at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, at admission and after weeks hospice service and to assess the effects of hospice service on the quality of life of terminal cancer patients. Methods : This study subjects were 100 patients admitted to the hospice unit at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University between October 1999 and March 2000, and their primary caregivers. Quality of life data were collected using a questionnaire revised by the authors and were analyzed by means of repeated measures ANOVA. Results : 1) Patient's quality of life as perceived by the primary caregiver was significantly improved and the mean score was 3.31, 3.68, 3.56, 3.73, 3.75 at admission and week 1, 2, 3, 4. With the detailed item analysis, the following items were shown to be significantly improved: "clean bodies"(F=6.50, P=0.0001) "pain control"(F=18.01, P=0.0001) constipate"(F=2.96, P=0.0237) "sleep"(F=3.99, P=0.0048) "nausea/vomiting"(F=4.50, P=0.0022) "medical team's comfortable care" (F=3.95, P=0.0051) "family's care"(F=2.76, P=0.0317) "anxiety" (F=3.14, P=0.0177) "comfort"(F=3.63, P=0.0085) "treat with dignity"(F=3.32, P=0.0136). The item of "death is not the end of life rather the beginning" was significantly decreased(F=2.54, P=0.0450). 2) Patient's quality of life as perceived by the patient showed an improvement but statistically insignificant and the mean score was 3.63 and 3.83 at admission and week 1. With the detailed item analysis, the item of "pain control" was shown to be significantly improved(F=9.19, P=0.0251). 3) The quality of score in the last week of life of patient were 3.48, 3.51, 3.44, 3.46, 3.50, respectively, from 5 week prior to 1 week prior to death and these changes were insignificant. Conclusion : The findings of this study showed a positive effect of hospice service on quality of life of the terminal cancer patients admitted to the hospice unit. To improve the quality of life, we need first of all to develop hospice interventions with a particular emphasis on the spiritual aspect of patient. Secondly, measurement instruments need to be developed to collect the quality of life of the hospice patients who become weakened especially in the last weeks of their life and with this effort more representative data of hospice patients may be collected.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.180-190
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• 2000

Background: Genomic instability, which is manifested by the replication error(RER) phenotype, has been proposed for the promotion of genetic alterations necessary for carcinogenesis. Merlo et al. reported frequent microsatellite instability in primary small cell lung cancers. However, Kim et al. found that instability occurred in only 1% of the loci tested and did not resemble the replication error-positive phenotype. The significance of microsatellite instability in the tumorigenesis of small cell lung cancer as well as the relationship between microsatellite instability and its clinical prognosis was investigated in our study. Methods: Fifteen primary small cell lung cancers were chosen for this study. The DNAs extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue blocks with primary tumor and corresponding control tissue were investigated. Forty microsatellite markers on chromosome 1p, 2p, 3p, 5q, 6p, 6q, 9p, 9q, 13q, and 17p were used in the microsatellite analysis. Results: Thirteen(86.7%) of 15 tumors exhibited LOH in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Three of 13 tumors exhibiting LOH lost a larger area in chromosome 9p. LOH was shown in 72.7% on chromosome 2p, 40% on 3p, 50% on 5q, 46.7% on 9p, 69.2% on 13q, and 66.7% on 17p(Table 1). Nine(60%) of 15 tumors exhibited shifted bands in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Nine cases exhibiting shifted bands showed altered loci ranging 2.5~52.5%(mean $9.4%\pm16.19$)(Table 2). Shifted bands occurred in 5.7% (34 of 600) of the loci tested(Table 2). Nine cases with shifted bands exhibited LOH ranging between 0~83.3%, and the median survival duration of those cases was 35 weeks. Six cases without shifted bands exhibited LOH ranging between 0~83.3%, and the median survival duration of those cases was 73 weeks. There was no significant difference between median survival durations of the two groups(p=0.4712). Conclusion: Microsatellite instability as well as the inactivation of several tumor suppressor genes may play important roles in the development and progression process of tumors. However, the relationship between microsatellite instability and its clinical prognosis in primary small cell lung cancer could not be established.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1195-1206
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to analyze womens' health problems using Green & Kreuter's 1991 PRECEDE model and to develop a model for a womens' health care center located in the community. The subjects were recruited from Wonju City. 1. The results showed that 23% of the sample population felt there was a need for a womens' health care center. The mean number of health problems was 3.1. The prevalence rate, was 44.4%, and the rate for an artificial abortion, was 36.4%. Also 30.5% did not have a health examination in the past year. Women using the hospital for medical care accounted for 45% of the sample, while 40% used the drugstore. The average score on the HPLP was 2.41, and this was influenced by self-efficacy, family support, sexual role, and health locus of control. There are a few educational programs in the city provided by the Wonju Health Center and by community health nurse practitioners. 2. The nursing center, as defined in North America, is a nurse-anchored system of primary health care delivery or neighborhood health center. Centers offer various services ranging from primary care to the more traditional such as education, health promotion, wellness screening, and coordination of services by advanced practice nurses. For examples in Sweden MCH centers provide total services for childbearing women and their families, sexual counseling and education for adolescents, and screening by midwives for cervical cancer. 3. The developed model combines purpose, target population, organization, and services, and is related to health resources. The purpose is primary health care and promotion of the quality of life. The target population can be grouped according to the life cycle, (premarriaged age group, the childbearing/child rearing age group, and middle aged and elderly women) and focuses on self-help. The organization of the center includes an advisory committee to plan and evaluate, and a health services team that will be multidisciplinary to provide health care, counseling education, and research. The model development suggested that a variety of women's health care centers are needed to insure adequate management of women's health. Follow-up research using PROCEED is needed to analyze health outcomes. Also a health nursing specialist system is required to develop health promotion, and improve the quality of life of women.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.51
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• pp.93-118
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a psycho-educational group intervention in reducing psychologic distress and enhancing coping in Korean breast cancer patients. The patient selection criteria were age younger than 70 years, having any postoperative adjuvant therapy, and surgery undergone within the previous 12 months as of the start of the study and there were 70 patients eligible for this criteria. They were randomized into three groups; experimental group(24 patients), wait-list control group(24 patients) and wait-list group(36 patients). We conducted a 8-week, structured, psychosocial group intervention, which used psycho-educational strategies combining education and psychological support. Subjects were assessed for psychological distress and coping by administering the Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and the Ways of Coping Checklist-Revised(WCCL-R) at the baseline and after 8 weeks. Forty eight patients were participated and thirty five patients completed the study. The experimental group had significantly lower scores than the controls for depression on the BDI(p=.012) after 8-week intervention. However, coping did not show a significant difference on WCCL-R after the intervention. Despite of some limitations, the results of this study suggest that a short term psychosocial group intervention produces a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with primary breast carcinoma in Korea in terms of managing depression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8265-8270
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• 2014

Background: Smoking tobacco is considered as a leading cause of preventable death, mostly in developing countries like India. One of the primary goals of international tobacco control is to educate smokers about the risks associated with tobacco consumption. Tobacco warning labels (TWLs) on cigarette packages are one of the most common statutory means to communicate health risks of smoking to smokers, with the hope that once educated, they will be more likely to quit the habit. Materials and Methods: The present survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of TWLs in communicating health risks of tobacco usage among 263 adult smokers working as bus drivers in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Mangalore, India. Information was collected on demographic details, exposure and response to health warnings on tobacco products, intention to quit and nicotine dependency. Results: The majority (79.5%) of the respondents revealed negative intentions towards quitting smoking. Nearly half of the participants had a 'low' nicotine dependency (47.5%) and 98.1% of the respondents had often noticed warning labels on tobacco packages. These health warnings made 71.5% of the respondents think about quitting smoking. Respondents who noticed advertisement or pictures about dangers of smoking had better knowledge, with respect to lung cancer and impotence as a consequence of tobacco. A higher exposure to warning labels was significantly associated with lower nicotine dependency levels of smokers among the present study population. A significantly higher number of respondents who noticed advertisement or pictures about the dangers of smoking thought about the risks of smoking and were more inclined to think about quitting smoking. As exposure increased, an increase in the knowledge and response of participants was also observed. Conclusions: Exposure to tobacco warning labels helps to educate smokers about health risks of tobacco smoking. It may be possible to promote oral health among bus drivers by developing strategies to educate them about these risk factors.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2007

Background and Objectives：Supraglottic partial laryngectomy is oncologically sound surgical procedure for selected cases of laryngeal cancer which maintains physiologic speech and swallowing without permanent tracheostoma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the oncologic and functional results of supraglottic partial laryngectomy and neck dissection for supraglottic cancer. Materials and Methods：Between 1991-2005, Twenty-three supraglottic cancer patients, underwent supraglottic partial laryngectomy, were studied retrospectively. There were 5 patients with cT1, 14 with cT2, 4 with cT3 and 11 patients with cN0, 1 with cN1, 10 with cN2, 1 with cN3. All patients underwent neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy was added to twenty patients. They were reviewed with respect to primary subsites, extended subsites, treatment result, survival rate, factors affecting the prognosis, postoperative complication, time of decannulation and oral diet, and postoperative voice. Results：Among eleven patients with clinically negative node, six patients had pathologically positive nodes. So occult metastasis was 54.5%. Two patients recurred at cervical lymph node and one had distant metastasis to lung. Local and regional control were 100% and 91.3%. The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rate were 84%, 78%, respectively. Nineteen cases were squamous cell carcinomas and four were basaloid squamous cell carcinomas. Basaloid subtype was significantly affected to survival. Decannulation and oral feeding were possible in 100%. Conclusions：Supraglottic partial laryngectomy is oncologically safe and functionally good procedure in supraglottic cancers. Elective neck dissection is beneficial in management of occult cervical metastasis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 1985

A retrospective analysis of 29 patients with glottic cancer, treated at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital. $97\%$ of the patients was male. Of the 29 patients, stage $T_1N_0M_0$ comprised $31\%$, $T_2N_0M_0\;52\%$, and stage $T_3N_0M_0\;14\%$. Local control rate with radical readiotherapy was $78\%$ for stage $T_1N_0M_0,\;60\%$, for stage $T_2N_0M_0$, and $50\%$ for stage $T_3N_0M_),\;57\%$ of the patients with the radiation failure was salvaged by surgery. The overall 3 year survival rate was $89\%$ for the $T_1N_0M_0,\;80\%$ for stage $T_2N_0M_0$, and $50\%$ for stage $T_3N_0M_0$. Among the survivors: $88\%$ of $T_1N_0M_0\;75\%$ of $T_2N_0M_0,\;and\;50\%$ $T_3N_0M_0$ had an intact larynx and natural voice. It is concluded that radiotherapy is a highly effective method as the primary treatment of the early glottic cancer, emphasized on preserving of the larynx and natural voice.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 1990

From 1984 to 1988, fourty two patients with nasopharyngeal cancer were treated at the Department of Radiation Oncology in Kyungpook National University Hospital. Thirteen patients refused treatment and the median survival time was 7.8 months. Twenty nine patients received a full course of radiation at least 70 Gy to the primary site and 60 Gy to the nodal sites. These patients were all belonged to stage III or IV, The local control rate was $75\% in squamous cell carcinomas, and all the patients with lymphoepithelioma showed a complete response. Overall locoregional failure was $27.6\%. Distant metastasis was the predominant pattern of failures; 4/6 in lymphoepithelioma, 4/10 En squamous cell carcinoma. The Three-year-survival rate for squamous cell carcinoma was $40.5\%$, and for lymphoepithelioma $25.9\%, respectively. This may be due to the more frequent distant metastases in lymphoepithelioma and ineffective chemotherapy. No survival correlation was found with the level of neck node involvement. Though adjuvant chemotherapy was found to be of no benefit in overall survival, more prudent and aggressive chemotherapy would be necessary.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.206-215
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• 2013

Purpose: Re-irradiation (re-RT) is considered a treatment option for inoperable locoregionally recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC) after prior radiotherapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of re-RT using Helical Tomotherapy as image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy in recurrent HNC. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with recurrent HNC and received re-RT were retrospectively reviewed. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and secondary endpoints were locoregional control and toxicities. Results: The median follow-up period of total 9 patients was 18.7 months (range, 4.1 to 76 months) and that of 3 alive patients was 49 months (range, 47 to 76 months). Median dose of first radiotherapy and re-RT was 64.8 and 47.5 $Gy_{10}$. Median cumulative dose of the two courses of radiotherapy was 116.3 $Gy_{10}$ (range, 91.8 to 128.9 $Gy_{10}$) while the median interval between the two courses of radiation was 25 months (range, 4 to 137 months). The response rate after re-RT of the evaluated 8 patients was 75% (complete response, 4; partial response, 2). Median locoregional relapse-free survival after re-RT was 11.9 months (range, 3.4 to 75.1 months) and 5 patients eventually presented with treatment failure (in-field failure, 2; in- and out-field failure, 2; out-field failure, 1). Median OS of the 8 patients was 20.3 months (range, 4.1 to 75.1 months). One- and two-year OS rates were 62.5% and 50%, respectively. Grade 3 leucopenia developed in one patient as acute toxicity, and grade 2 osteonecrosis and trismus as chronic toxicity in another patient. Conclusion: Re-RT using Helical Tomotherapy for previously irradiated patients with unresectable locoregionally recurrent HNC may be a feasible treatment option with long-term survival and acceptable toxicities.