• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.210-216
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• 2000

Objectives : Head injury is one of the common causes of death in the industrialized countries, and it is a common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Recently, traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage(TSAH) has been considered as a major prognostic factor. Some suggested that a certain vasodilating agent may be effective to treat or prevent the secondary brain injury due to vasospasm from TSAH. The role of TSAH is not yet fully solved. The prognosis and clinical significance of the TSAH was evaluated. Methods : A retrospective study was performed. A total of 573 consecutive patients with head injury admitted to our institute from January 1996 to December 1997 were examined with respect to outcome and clinical features. In all patients, computerized tomographic scanning was done within 2 days after the injury. Results : TSAH was found in 68 patients(11.9%). The outcome at discharge of the patients without TSAH was favorable(good recovery and moderate disability) in 84.8%, unfavorable(severe disability and vegetative state) in 8.6%, and the mortality rate 6.7%. However, the outcome was favorable in 51.5%, unfavorable in 20.6%, and the mortality rate 27.9% in patients with TSAH. Although the outcome of the patients with thick TSAH was worse than that of the patients with scanty TSAH, the difference was not statistically significant. The difference of the outcome in patients with TSAH according to the location also lacked statistical significance. TSAH was more common in patients with age of 40 years or more, and patients with low Glasgow coma scores. Patients with TSAH had abnormal pupillary responses, diffuse axonal injuries, intubations and operative interventions more frequently than patients without TSAH. Conclusion : These results strongly suggest that the TSAH per se did not worsen the prognosis. However, it represented the injury to be more severe.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.489-495
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• 2013

Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy for recurrent anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO) and anaplastic oligoastrocytoma (AOA). Methods : A multi-center retrospective trial enrolled seventy-two patients with histologically proven AO/AOA who underwent TMZ chemotherapy for their recurrent tumors from 2006 to 2010. TMZ was administered orally (150 to 200 $mg/m^2/day$) for 5 days per 28 days until unacceptable toxicity occurred or tumor progression was observed. Results : TMZ chemotherapy cycles administered was median 5.3 (range, 1-41). The objective response rate was 24% including 8 cases (11%) of complete response and another 23 patients (32%) were remained as stable disease. Severe side effects (${\geq}$grade 3) occurred only in 9 patients (13%). Progression-free survival (PFS) of all patients was a median 8.0 months (95% confidence interval, 6.0-10.0). The time to recurrence of a year or after was a favorable prognostic factor for PFS (p<0.05). Overall survival (OS) was apparently differed by the patient's histology, as AOA patients survived a median OS of 18.0 months while AO patients did not reach median OS at median follow-up of 11.5 months (range 2.7-65 months). Good performance status of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0 and 1 showed prolonged OS (p<0.01). Conclusion : For recurrent AO/AOA after surgery followed by radiation therapy, TMZ could be recommended as a salvage therapy at the estimated efficacy equal to procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy at first relapse. For patients previously treated with PCV, TMZ is a favorable therapeutic option as 2nd line salvage chemotherapy with an acceptable toxicity rate.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.225-230
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• 1990

Twenty one patients of malignant thymoma treated with curative aim at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology of Seoul National University Hospital from 1979 to 1987 were analysed retrospectively. The 3 year overall and relapse free survival rate was $80.5\%\;and\;78.6$, respectively. Myasthenia gravis (MG) was seen in $43.5\%$ at presentation and disappeared in $40\%$ (4/10) after radiotherapy with or without operation. The 3 year cumulative survival rate with and without MG was $90\;and\;78.8\%$, respectively. We could consider that MG was no longer adverse prognostic factor. The complete response rate after partial resection was $100\%$ (3/3), and that after biopsy was $20\%$(3/15). The overall local control rate including complete and partial response rate ($33\;vs\;56\%$)was$89\%$ and the 3 year actuarial survival rate by the response rate was $88.9\%\;and\;81.7\%$, respectively. There was no statistically significant survival difference between two groups. The crude rate of relapse at 3 years was $23.8\%$ (5/21), and $80\%$ (4/5) were locoregional failures. All failures were observed in biopsy only group, while no failure was observed in resected group. The major pattern of the treatment failure was the locoregional failure and the distant metastases was rarely observed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.427-432
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• 1996

Eighteen patients operated on for thymoma from 1985 to 1994 were evaluated, 3 with myasthenia gravis and 15 without. Masaoka's clinical staging revealed stage I disease in 5(27.8%), stage ll in 6 (33.3%), stage 111 in 6(33.3%), and stage IV in 1 (5.6%). Of the 18 patients, 10 had surgical resection as the only treatment and the remaining 8 (stage II : 1 patient, stage III : 6 patients, stage IV: 1 patient) had surgical resection with adjuvant preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy There was no operative mortality. Currently, 15 patients are alive, 3 are dead. The mean follow up time for all patients was 3.4 years. Acturlal survival at 5 years was 82.2 $\pm$ 9% for all patients' 100% for those in stage I and II, and 62.5% for those in stage III. Pleural and mediastinal recurrence developed in one patient in stage II which was considered to have noninvasive disease on the operating field. Two patients underwent reoperation for recurrence of thymoma a intervals of 14 months and 52 months. Clinical stage and resectability had a significant prognostic value(p < 0.05). The presence of myasthenia gravis is no longer considered as an adverse factor in survival.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2007

There is increasing evidence that stromal reaction in cancer has an important diagnostic and prognostic significance. The aim of our study is to analyze the relation between the increase in mast cell number and the expression CD34 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA) in the stroma of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We investigated a total of 29 CIN (1,2,3) and 21 SCC (microinvasive and invasive) specimens and compared the distribution of $CD34^+$ stromal cells, ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells, transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ $(TGF-{\beta}1)^+$ cells, and the density of mast cells using immunohistochemistry with antibodies against CD34, ${\alpha}$-SMA, TGF-${\beta}1$, and c-Kit (CD117) respectively. Computerized image analysis was to evaluate the positive area (%) and density of the respective immunoreactive cells. In CIN $CD34^+$ cells were abundant in the stroma but no ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells were identified except the wall of blood vessels. $CD34^+$ cells were progressively decreased along the continuum from CIN 2 to microinvasive SCC and not observed in the stroma of invasive SCC. Whereas ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells were only observed in the stroma of microinvasive and invasive SCC. We found more intense TGF-${\beta}1$ expression in the increased mast cells in the stroma of invasive SCCs than that in the stroma of CIN. These results indicate that disappearance of $CD34^+$ stromal cells and appearance of ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells are associated with the stromal change of CIN to SCC and the transformation of $CD34^+$ stromal cells into ${\alpha}-SMA^+$ cells is mediated by TGF-${\beta}1$ secretions in the stromal mast cell of SCC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

연구배경 및 목적 표피성장인자수용체(EGFR)는 HER2/neu(erbB2), HER3(erbB3), HER4(erbB4)를 포함하는 receptor tyrosine ki-nase의 erbB 그룹에 속하는 수용체이다. 표피성장인자수용체의 과발현은 다양한 종류의 암, 특히 두경부편평세포암에서 예후를 악화시킨다고 알려져 있다. 이에 저자들은 하인두편평세포암에서 표피성장인자수용체의 발현 및 분포를 확인하고, 하인두암에서 표피성장인자(EGF)가 암세포의 증식과 침습에 미치는 영향에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 57명의 하인두편평세포암 환자의 조직에서 표피성장인자수용체의 발현을 면역화학적염색을 통해 확인하고, 이에 대해 임상병리학적 요인과 생존율에 대한 분석을 시행하고, 일부 환자의 정상 및 암조직에서 Western blot을 시행하였다. 하인두편평세포암 세포주인 FaDu에서 proliferative assay, colony dispersion, wound healing assay, invasion assay를 시행하여, 하인두암의 진행에서 표피성장인자의 역할에 대하여 분석하였다. 또한 RT-PCR과 Zymography를 통하여 Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2, 9의 발현을 확인하였다. 결 과 63.2%의 하인두편평세포암 조직에서 표피성장인자수용체의 발현이 확인되었다. 표피성장인자수용체의 발현은 정상조직에서 비하여 하인두암 조직에서 유의하게 증가되어 있었으며, 병리학적 병기(p=0.022)가 올라갈수록 유의하게 증가하였으나, 증례수의 제한으로 생존율에서는 통계적 유의성을 얻지는 못했다(p=0.053). in vitro의 결과로 표피성장인자를 FaDu 세포주에 처리하였을 때, FaDu 세포주의 증식이 유의하게 증가되었으며(p<0.05), Transwell invasion chamber상 침습의 증가가 확인되었다(p<0.05). RT-PCR과 zymogram 실험상 표피성장인자처리시 FaDu 세포주의 MMP-2, 9이 발현이 증가되고 활성화되는 것이 확인하였다. 결 론 본 연구에서 표피성장인자수용체의 과발현이 하인두암의 예후 인자로서의 가능성을 확인하였고, 표피성장인자가 하인두편평세포암의 증식과 침습에 관여하는 것을 확인하였다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10187-10192
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• 2015

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are a large family of constitutive and inducible mono-oxygenase enzymes that play a central role in the oxidative metabolism of both xenobiotic and endogenous compounds. Several CYPs are involved in metabolism of oxysterols, which are cholesterol oxidation products whose expression may be dysregulated in inflammation-related diseases including cancer. This study focused on CYP39A1, which can metabolize 24-hydroxycholesterol (24-OH) that plays important roles in the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. We aimed to investigate the expression status of CYP39A1 and its transcription factor (RUNX2) in relation to clinical significance in cholangiocarcinoma (CCAs) and to determine whether 24-OH could induce oxidative stress in CCA cell lines. Immunohistochemistry showed that 70% and 30% of CCA patients had low and high expression of CYP39A1, respectively. Low expression of CYP39A1 demonstrated a significant correlation with metastasis. Our results also revealed that the expression of RUNX2 had a positive correlation with CYP39A1. Low expression of both CYP39A1 (70%) and RUNX2 (37%) was significantly related with poor prognosis of CCA patients. Interestingly, oxidized alpha-1 antitrypsin (ox-A1AT), an oxidative stress marker, was significantly increased in CCA tissues in which CYP39A1 and RUNX2 were down regulated. Additionally, immunocytochemistry showed that 24-OH could induce ox-A1AT in CCA cell lines. In conclusion, our study revealed putative roles of the CYP39A1 enzyme in prognostic determination of CCAs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.139-143
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• 2014

Although correlations between platelets and lung cancer has been recognized, effects on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis remain to be determined in detail. In the present study, wound healing assays revealed a role of platelets in NSCLC cell migration. Thus the mean migration rate of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells was significantly elevated after co-culture with platelets ($81.7{\pm}0.45%$ vs $41.0{\pm}3.50%$, P<0.01). Expression of GAPDH was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to study the effect of platelets on NSCLC cell proliferation. The result showed that the proliferation of A549 and SPC-A1 cells was not affected. Mouse models were established by transfusing A549 cells and SPC-A1 cells into mice lateral tail veins. We found tumor metastasis nodules in lungs to be increased significantly after co-transfusion with platelets (in A549, $4.33{\pm}0.33$ vs $0.33{\pm}0.33$, P=0.01; in SPC-A1, $2.67{\pm}0.33$ vs $0.00{\pm}0.00$, P=0.01). In addition, consecutive inoperable patients with newly diagnosed NSCLC (TNM stage III or IV) between January 2009 and December 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, NSCLC patients with a high platelet counts demonstrated a significantly shorter progression free survival compared with those with a low platelet count (> $200{\times}10^9/L$, 3 months versus ${\leq}200{\times}10^9/L$, 5 months, P=0.001). An elevated platelet count was also identified as an independent prognostic factor by Cox regression analysis for prgression free survival (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.16, 2.46; P=0.006). This study suggested that platelets might contribute to the hematogenous metastatic process by promoting cancer cell migration, which eventually affects the prognosis of NSCLC.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2001

Objectives : The management of massive brain swelling remains an unsolved problem in neurosurgical field. Despite newly developed medical and pharmacological therapy, the mortality and morbidity due to massive brain swelling remains high. According to many recent reports, surgical decompression with dura expansion is superior to medical management in patients with massive brain swelling. We performed surgical treatment on the first line of treatment, and followed medical management in case with refractory increased intracranial pressure(ICP). To show the quantitative effect of decompressive surgery on the intracranial pressure, we performed ventricular puncture and checked the ventricular ICP continuously during the decompressive surgery and postoperative period. Materials and Methods : Fifty-one patients with massive brain swelling, undergoing bilateral decompressive craniectomy with dura expansion, were studied in this study. In all patients, ventricular puncture was performed at Kocher's point on the opposite side of massive brain swelling. The ventricular pressure was monitored continuously, during the bilateral decompression procedures and postoperative period. Results : The initial ventricular ICP were varied from 13mmHg to 112mmHg. Immediately after the bilateral craniectomy, mean ventricular ICP decreased to $53.1{\pm}15.8%$ of the initial ICP(ranges from 5mmHg to 87mmHg). Dura opening decreased mean ICP by additional 36.7% and made the ventricular pressure $16.4{\pm}10.5%$ of the initial pressure (ranges from 0mmHg to 28mmHg). Postoperatively, ventricular pressure was lowered to $20.2{\pm}22.6%$(ranged from 0mmHg to 62.3mmHg) of the initial ICP. The ventricular ICP value during the first 24 hours after decompressive surgery was found to be an important prognostic factor. If ICP was over 35mmHg, the mortality was 100% instead of additional medical(barbiturate coma therapy and hypothermia) treatments. Conclusion : Bilateral decompression with dura expansion is considered an effective therapeutic modality in ICP control. To obtain favorable clinical outcome in patients with massive brain swelling, early decision making on surgical management and proper patient selection are mandatory.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.87-93
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• 1996

Purpose : To determine the incidence and prognostic effects of EGFR over-expression in the high-grade astrocytomas. Materials and Methods : With 23 paraffin blocks of the high-grade astrocytomas (7 anaplastic astrocytomas and 16 glioblastoma multiforme), expression of EGFR were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining employing polyclonal antibody raised to short cytoplasmic domain of the molecule. Result : Two out of 7 anaplastic astrocytomas and 9 out of 16 glioblastoma multiforme patients showed overexpression of EGFR(p=0.44). Three out of 11 patients of age below 55 and 8 out of 12 patients of age over 54 showed EGFR overexpression(p=0.141). Median survival of the EGFR negative anaplastic astrocytoma patient was 37 months. Median survival of the glioblastoma multiforme Patients were 11 months in EGFR negative group and 7 months in EGFR positive group. But survival difference was not significant (p=0.17). Conclusion There was a marked trend of increasing overexpression of EGFR in older patients. But survival of the glioblastoma multiforme decreased by the overexpression of the EGFR without significant.