• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 1996

Purpose : This report is the result f retrospective analysis for children who received prophylactic cranial irradiation combined with intrathecal chemotherapy. Materials and Methods : Ninety children with ALL who had got bone marrow remission after induction chemotherapy received PCI. All but 3 children were treated with a dose of 1800 cGy as a standard regimen. While the PCI was given, all patients received intrathecal chemotherapy. Results : Nine of 90 patients experienced CNS relapse during the duration of follow-up ranged from 36 to 96 months (median 60 months). Three children experienced BM relapse prior to CNS relapse. Therefore, CNS relapse rate as the first adverse event was $6.7\%$. Median time interval of CNS relapse was 16 months from the first day of hematologic complete remission. Eighty-nine percent of patients who had CNS relapse were associated with hematologic relapse. and $78\%$ of CNS relpase occurred during maintenance chemotherapy (on-therapy relapse). The CNS RFS at 2 and 5 years are $68\%$ and $42\%$, respectively with median of 43 months. The Prognostic factors affecting CNS RFS are initial WBC count (cut-off point of 50,000/ul), FAB subtype and CALGB risk criteria. The DFS at 2 and 5 years are 61 and $39\%$, respectively with median of 34 months. The prognostic factors affecting DFS are initial WBC count (cut-off point of 50,000/ul), FAB subtype, POG and CALGB risk criteria. Conclusions : In our study, $6.7\%$ of CNS relapse rate as a first adverse event was comparable with other studies. Various risk criteria was based on age at diagnosis and initial WBC count such as POG and CALGB criteria, had prognostic significance for CNS RFS and DFS. Prospective randomized trial according to prognostic subgroup based on risk criteria and systematic study about neuropsychologic function for long term survivors, are essential to determine the most effective and least toxic form of CNS prophylaxis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if there were prognostic differences between BRCA related and BRCA non-related Korean patients with early-onset breast carcinomas. Materials and Methods: Sixty women who had developed breast cancers before the age of 40, and who were treated at the Soonchunhyang University Hospital, were studied independently of their family histories. The age range was 18 to 40 with a median of 34.5 years. Lymphocyte specimens from peripheral blood were studied for the heterozygous mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 using direct sequencing methods. Immunohistochemistry was peformed on the paraffin-embedded tissue blocks that were available. Results: Eleven deleterious mutations (18.3%, 6 in BRCA1 and 5 in BRCA2) and 7 missense mutations of unknown significance (11.7%), were found among the 60 patients. More than half of the mutation were novel, and were not reported in the database. Most of the BRCA-associated patients had no history of breast cancer. No treatment related failures were observed in the BRCA carriers, with the exception of one patient that had experienced a new primary tumor of the contralateral breast. The seven year relapse free survival rate were 50 and 79% In the BRCA carrier and BRCA negative patients, respectively. Although the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors were less common, and histological features more aggressive, in the BRCA associated tumors, the outcome of the patients with BRCA mutations was not poorer than that on the patients without deleterious mutations. Conclusion.: Despite the BRCA mutation carriers having adverse prognostic features, the recurrence rate was relatively lower than that in the BRCA non-carrying Korean patients wi4h early-onset breast carcinomas. In addition, although the prevalence of the BRCA mutation in Korean patients was higher than that in white patients, the penetrance of the cancer seemed to be relatively low in Korean women carrying BRCA mutations. A large population based study of the BRCA mutation, with a long-term follow-up of the study patients will be required to confirm these results.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.429-435
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of preoperative FDG-PET in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with hepatic metastasis (HM). Materials and Methods: 24 CRC patients (M:F=14:10; age, $63{\pm}10$ yrs) with HM who had undergone preoperative FDG PET were included. Cure-intent surgery was performed in all the patients and HMs were controlled using resection (n=13), radio-frequency ablation (RFA) (n=7), and resection plus RFA (n=4). Potential prognostic markers tested were maxSUV of primary tumor, maxSUV of HM, maxSUV ratio of HM over primary tumor (M/P ratio), histologic grade, CEA level, venous/lymphatic/nerve invasion, T stage, N stage, no. of HM, no. of lymph node metastasis, and treatment modality of HM. Results: 14 CRC patients developed a recurrence with a median follow-up duration of 244 days, whereas 10 patients did not develop recurrence with a median follow-up duration of 504 days. M/P ratios but other potential prognostic markers were significantly higher in the recurrent patients ($0.72{\pm}0.14$) than recurrence-free patients ($0.54{\pm}0.23$) (p=0.038). M/P ratio only was found to predict recurrence by Cox multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 37.7, 95% confidence interval 2.01-706.1, p=0.016). The 11 patients with lower M/P ratio of <0.61 had significantly better disease-free survival rate than the 13 patients with higher M/P ratio (${\geq}0.61$) (p=0.026). Conclusion: maxSUV ratio of HM over primary tumor (M/P ratio) may be useful for prognosis prediction of CRC patients with HM. Higher FDG uptake of HM than that of primary tumor may indicate a more advanced status in stage IV CRC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.74-81
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• 2008

Background: Fascin is an actin-bundling protein that induces membrane protrusions and it increases cell motility in various transformed cells. Esophageal cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies, and it exhibits extensive local invasion or frequent regional lymph node metastasis even after curative surgery. We investigate the expression of fascin by performing immunohistochemistry to evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic significance of its expression in esophageal cancer patients. Material and Method: Immunochemistry for fascin was performed on 76 tumor samples from 76 patients who underwent esophageal cancer operations. The expression levels of fascin in the 76 esophageal cancer tissues were compared with those in the corresponding normal esophageal epithelium. The fascin-positive samples were defined as those showing more than 75% of fascin-positive cells. Result: Overall, a fascin positive expression was detected in 39 (51.3%) out of the total 76 cases. The tumors with positive fascin expression tended to more frequently show a higher stage (p=0.030), and a higher T-factor (p=0.031). The prognosis of the fascin negative group was significantly better than that of the fascin positive group (p=0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that lymphovascular invasion and the fascin expression were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Fascin was expressed in 513% of the esophageal cancer tissues and a positive expression of fascin was associated with more advanced tumor progression and recurrence. Our study suggests that the fascin expression may be an independent prognostic factor for an unfavorable clinical course few those patients suffering with esophageal cancer.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 1999

Objectives: To study the clinical features of the primary nasal/nasopharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and to evaluate the implication of immunophenotyping as a prognostic factor. Patients and Methods: From January 1990 to December 1997,41 patients(median age, 41 years) of primary nasal/nasopharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were studied. The clinical records and paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were reviewed retrospectively. The histologic features, immunophenotypic findings(pan-T, pan-B, CD3, CD56) and Epstein-Barr virus in situ hybridizatios were examined. The prognostic factors for clinical outcome were evaluated in these patients. According to Ann-Arbor system, there were 30 patiets(73%) with stage IE, 4(10%) with stage IIE, 3(7%) with stage IIIE, 4(10%) with stage IVE lymphoma. Among the patients with stage IE/IIE, 4 patients received local radiation alone, 4 received chemotherapy alone, 25 received combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy and 1 refused treatment. The patients with stage IIIE/IVE were given combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Results: Immunophenotyping were performed in 40 patients and staining results were as follows: 3(7%) patients with B cell, 17(42%) with T cell, 18(44%) with NK/T cell(CD56 positive), and two patients with unclassifiable result. Epstein-Barr(EB) virus in situ hybridization were performed in 28 patients and 23(82%) patients had positive EBV-encoded RNAs(EBERs). 21(55%) patients achieved a complete remission. There was no difference in complete remission between radiation alone and combination therapy. With median follow-up of 30 months, 5-years disease free survival of complete responders was 60% and 5-years overall survival rate was 36%. Multivariate analysis showed that better overall survival was related with absence of B symptoms, ECOG performance${\leq}1$ and non-NK cells. Conclusion: Most of all cases were positive for EBER. Since NK/T phenotype carried the worst prognosis, analysis for CD56 expression should be done. Further prospective studies were warranted to evaluate the role of chemotherapy in stage IE/IIE.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1992

By means of the results of In vitro fertilization(IVF) of supernumerary oocytes, the possibility of predicting a pregnancy outcome following gamete intrafallopian transfer(GIFT) and the prognostic implications for future pregnancy were evaluated in 46 GIFT cycles excluding simultaneous program of GIFT and IVF from February, 1989 to July, 1991. IVF of supernumerary oocytes were identified in 21 cycles, but not in remaining 25 cycles. There was no significant difference in age, duration and etiologic factors of infertility, and serum levels of FSH, LH and $E_2$ on MCD #3 and $E_2$ on the day of hCG injection between fertilized(N=21) and unfertilized group(N=25). The number of oocytes retrieved was similar in both groups. The number of supernumerary oocytes available for IVF after transfer was $5.43{pm}2.95$ ranging from 2 to 12. The prenancy rate in fertilized group, 33.3%(7/21), was higher without statistical significance, compared with 8.0%(2/25) in unfertilized group. Using IVF of supernumerary oocytes as a test of pregnancy following GIFT, sensitivity was 77.8 %; specificity, 61.2%; positive predictive value(PPV), 33.3%; negative predictive value(NPV), 92%. The fertilization rate of supernumerary oocytes in pregnant group, $86.4{\pm}22.8%$ was significantly higher compared with $56.1{\pm}20.2%$ in nonpregnant group. In cases with fertilization rate ${\geq}80%$, pregnancy was expected with PPV of 85.7%. In conclusion, IVF of supernumerary oocytes in GIFT program can be a profitable method as a prognostic indicator of pregnancy following GIFT. More aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic measures should be performed in cases with failure in IVF of supernumerary oocytes.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2005

Purpose: The lymph node status assessed by conventional histological examination is the most important prognostic factor in patients undergoing surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma. The presence of lymph node metastasis has a strong adverse impact on patient survival even after extended radical resection. Despite these findings, tumour recurrence is not rare after surgery, even when histological examination shows no lymph node metastasis. Recently, molecular-genetically and immunohistochemically demonstrated micrometastasis to the lymph nodes has been shown to have a significant adverse influence on survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and histologically negative nodes. The present study sought to determine the incidence and clarify the clinical significance of molecular-genetically and immunohistochemically demonstrated nodal micrometastases and to correlate these data with the stage of oral cancer. Methods: Lymph nodes systematically removed from 71 patients who underwent curative resection between 1998 and 2003 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were examined molecular-genetically to detect cytokeratin 5 mRNA with RT-PCR and immunohistochemically to detect cells that stained positively for cytokeratins with the monoclonal antibody cocktail AE1/AE3. The postoperative course and survival rates were compared among patients with and without micrometastases, after numerical classification of overt metastatic nodes. Results: micrometastases were detected in 43(60%) of 71 patients by RT-PCR and 26(36%) of 71 patients by immunohistochemistry. By RT-PCR analysis, patients exhibiting a positive band for CK 5 mRNA had a significantly worse prognosis than those were RT-PCR negative. By immunohistochemistry, the presence of micrometastasis did not predict patient outcome. Conclusion: Micrometastases detected by RT-PCR may be of clinical value in identifying patients who may be at high risk for recurrence and who are therefore likely to benefit from systemic adjuvant therapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.952-960
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• 2003

It has been reported that p53 regulates the G2-M checkpoint transition through cyclin Bl, and it has been suggested that p53 plays an important role in the development and progression of various malignancies. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of the cell cycle regulators, cyclin B1 and p53 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Material and Method: Tissue samples from 46 patients with ESCC were included in this study. Expression levels of cyclin Bl and p53 in samples of normal squamous epithelium, dysplasia, and tumor cells from patients with ESCC were analyzed by immunohistochemical study Result: Several cells in the basement layer of normal epithelium expressed cyclin B1. The number of cyclin B1 positive cells tended to increase as the degree of dysplasia increased from low grade to high grade. More than 10% of tumor cells were cyclin B1 positive in 19 patients (41.3%). Several clinicopathologic parameters, including tumor stage (p<0.05), pathologic Iymph node status (p<0.05) and invasion of Iymphatic vessels (p<0.05), were correlated with the overexpression of cyclin B1. Elevated expression levels of cyclin B1 also correlated with a poor prognosis in patient with ESCC in univariate analysis (p<0.05) and multivariate analysis (p<0.05), In contrast, p53 expression exhibited significant correlation with the level of cyclin B1 expression, but was not associated with prognostic parameters in patients with ESCC. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cyclin B1 is involved in the pathogenesis of carcinoma of the esophagus and that elevated levels of cyclin B1 expression, but not p53 expression, may indicate a poor prognosis for patients with ESCC.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.5 s.262
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• pp.376-381
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• 2006

Background: The Ki-67 protein is a biomarker associated with cell proliferation and a valuable negative prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer. We investigated the Ki-67 protein expression in resected non-small cell lung cancer to evaluate the impact on clinicopathological characteristics and postoperative prognosis. Material and Method: Using monoclonal antibody Ki-67, we immunohistochemically examined 38 surgically resected non-small ceil lung cancers to determine Ki-67 Labeling Index (LI). We analysed the differences of clinicopathological characteristics and postoperative recurrence and survival between High Ki-67 Group $(LI{\ge}20%)$ and Low Ki-67 Group (LI<20%). Result: The Ki-67 LIs were heterogenous and a mean values was $20.0{\pm}20.05%$. There were no significant differences in age, sex, smoking, TNM stage, and vascular invasion between High Ki-67 Group and Low Ki-67 Group. A High Ki-67 Group was significantly associated with squamous cell type, poor differentiation, and lymphatic invasion $(p{\le}0.05)$. High Ki-67 Group showed a trend of lower survival (median 47.2 vs. 90.5 months, p=0.312) and lower disease-free survival (median 18.2 vs. 72.3 months, p=0.327) than Low Ki-67 Group. Conclusion: These results indicate that increased Ki-67 protein expression may be a negative prognostic factor and showed a trend of shortened survival and disease-free survival. To evaluate the pivotal role of Ki-67 protein expression, a long-term follow-up and further study are required.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the treatment results of medial meniscus posterior horn tear. Materials and Methods: Forty seven patients who had been performed the arthroscopic surgery for medial meniscus posterior horn tear were enrolled in this study. We analyzed the clinical outcomes with Lysholm score and Tegner activity score in accordance with the factors such as patients' age, tibiofemoral angle, uptake in bone scintigraphy, surgical methods and patterns of meniscal tears, respectively. Results: The patients' age didn't affect to the results, but the preoperative tibiofemoral angle over valgus $4^{\circ}$ and the preoperative normal uptake in scintigraphic assessment showed a positive influence on the clinical outcomes. The partial meniscectomy and repair in surgical methods had no statistically significance. In addition, the pattern of meniscal tear did not have an effect on the clinical results. Conclusion: We can conclude that many factors should be considered to get satisfactory results. Among them, preoperative bone scintigraphy may be a good assessment factor for the postoperative prognosis, reflecting the condition of meniscal tear and the periarticular bone and soft tissue.