• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.335-344
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• 2015

Background: A raised carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) may be associated with significant pathology during the postoperative follow-up of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 305 patients who underwent surgical resections for primary lung adenocarcinoma at a single institution between April 2006 and February 2013. Results: Preoperative CEA levels were significantly associated with age, smoking history, pathologic stage including pT (pathologic tumor stge), pN (pathologic nodal stage) and overall pathological stage, tumor size and differentiation, pathologically positive total lymph node, N1 and N2 lymph node, N2 nodal station (0/1/2=1.83/2.94/7.21 ng/mL, p=0.019), and 5-year disease-free survival (0.591 in group with normal preoperative CEA levels vs. 0.40 in group with high preoperative CEA levels, p=0.001). Preoperative CEA levels were significantly higher than postoperative CEA levels (p<0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Postoperative CEA level was also significantly associated with disease-free survival (p<0.001). A follow-up serum CEA value of >2.57 ng/mL was found to be the appropriate cutoff value for the prediction of cancer recurrence with sensitivity and specificity of 71.4% and 72.3%, respectively. Twenty percent of patients who had recurrence of disease had a CEA level elevated above this cutoff value prior to radiographic evidence of recurrence. Postoperative CEA, pathologic stage, differentiation, vascular invasion, and neoadjuvant therapy were identified as independent predictors of 5-year disease-free survival in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The follow-up CEA level can be a useful tool for detecting early recurrence undetected by postoperative imaging studies. The perioperative follow-up CEA levels may be helpful for providing personalized evaluation of lung adenocarcinoma.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1643-1655
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• 2021

Recent studies have reported dysbiosis of the microbiome in breast tissue collected from patients with breast cancer and the association between the microbiota and disease progression. However, the role of the microbiota in breast tissue remains unclear, possibly due to the complexity of breast cancer and various factors, including racial and geographical differences, influencing microbiota in breast tissue. Here, to determine the potential role of microbiota in breast tumor tissue, we analyzed 141 tissue samples based on three different tissue types (tumor, adjacent normal, and lymph node tissues) from the same patients with breast cancer in Korea. The microbiota was not simply distinguishable based on tissue types. However, the microbiota could be divided into two cluster types, even within the same tissue type, and the clinicopathologic factors were differently correlated in the two cluster types. Risk of regional recurrence was also significantly different between the microbiota cluster types (p = 0.014). In predicted function analysis, the pentose and glucuronate interconversions were significantly different between the cluster types (q < 0.001), and Enterococcus was the main genus contributing to these differences (q < 0.01). Results showed that the microbiota of breast tissue could interact with the host and influence the risk of regional recurrence. Although further studies would be recommended to validate our results, this study could expand our understanding on the breast tissue microbiota, and the results might be applied to develop novel prediction methods and treatments for patients with breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.101-105
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• 2014

Background and Purpose: Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) has been suggested to be a novel biomarker of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The present study aimed to evaluate and compare HE4 with the commonly used marker, carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), in prediction and therapy-monitoring of EOC. Patients and Methods: Serum HE4 concentrations from 123 ovarian cancer patients and 174 controls were measured by Roche electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA). Risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) values were calculated and assessed. In addition, the prospects of HE4 detection for therapy-monitoring were evaluated in EOC patients. Results: The ROMA score could classify patients into high- and low-risk groups with malignancy. Indeed, lower serum HE4 was significantly associated with successful surgical therapy. Specifically, 38 patients with EOC exhibited a greater decline of HE4 compared with CA125. In contrast, elevation of HE4 better predicted recurrence (of 46, 11 patients developed recurrence, and with it increased HE4 serum concentrations) and a poor prognosis than CA125. Conclusions: This study suggests that serum HE4 levels are closely associated with outcome of surgical therapy and disease prognosis in Chinese EOC patients.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2007

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a representative diagnostic tool in epilepsy. However, there are several points of debate on the role of EEG in diagnosis and management of epilepsy. We suggest that EEG has some limitations for differential diagnosis from nonepileptic episodic diseases, classification of epilepsy, prediction of recurrence, and evaluation of treatment response. Interictal EEG cannot diagnose or exclude epilepsy because interictal epileptic discharge (IED) is frequently absent in epilepsy and can appear in nonepileptic conditions. Although EEG is helpful in classification of epilepsy, focal spikes in generalized epilepsy and secondary bilateral synchrony in localization related epilepsy cause interrater disagreement. It is controversial whether EEG predicts recurrence after the first seizure in adults. The predictive value of EEG in antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal is not absolute. The prognosis after AED withdrawal depends on epilepsy syndrome. Many studies could not confirm the value of EEG in assessing the treatment response. After all, epilepsy is clinically diagnosed and assessed. Interictal EEG alone does not provide decisive information and routine follow-up of EEG is not recommended.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.799-811
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• 2006

As an alternative measure to replace reactive stance with proactive one, a risk based management scheme has been commonly applied to enhance public satisfaction on water service by providing a higher creditable solution to handle a rehabilitation problem of pipe having high potential risk of leaks. This study intended to examine the feasibility of a simulation model to predict a recurrence probability of pipe leaks. As a branch of the data mining technique, probabilistic neural network (PNN) algorithm was applied to infer the extent of leaking recurrence probability of water network. PNN model could classify the leaking level of each unit segment of the pipe network. Pipe material, diameter, C value, road width, pressure, installation age as input variable and 5 classes by pipe leaking probability as output variable were built in PNN model. The study results indicated that it is important to pay higher attention to the pipe segment with the leak record. By increase the hydraulic pipe pressure to meet the required water demand from each node, simulation results indicated that about 6.9% of total number of pipe would additionally be classified into higher class of recurrence risk than present as the reference year. Consequently, it was convinced that the application of PNN model incorporated with a data base management system of pipe network to manage municipal water distribution network could make a promise to enhance the management efficiency by providing the essential knowledge for decision making rehabilitation of network.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2527-2530
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• 2015

Background: The cancer of the prostate risk assessment (CAPRA) score has been defined to predict prostate cancer recurrence based on the pre-clinical data, then pathological data have also been incorporated. Thus, CAPRA post-surgical (CAPRA-S) score has been developed based on six criteria (prostate specific antigen (PSA) at diagnosis, pathological Gleason score, and information on surgical margin, seminal vesicle invasion, extracapsular extension and lymph node involvement) for the prediction of post-surgical recurrences. In the present study, biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free probabilities after open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RP) were evaluated by the CAPRA-S scoring system and its three-risk level model. Materials and Methods: CAPRA-S scores (0-12) of our 240 radical prostatectomies performed between January 2000-May 2011 were calculated. Patients were distributed into CAPRA-S score groups and also into three-risk groups as low, intermediate and high. BCR-free probabilities were assessed and compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. Ability of CAPRA-S in BCR detection was evaluated by concordance index (c-index). Results: BCR was present in 41 of total 240 patients (17.1%) and the mean follow-up time was $51.7{\pm}33.0$ months. Mean BCR-free survival time was 98.3 months (95% CI: 92.3-104.2). Of the patients in low, intermediate and high risk groups, 5.4%, 22.0% and 58.8% had BCR, respectively and the difference among the three groups was significant (P = 0.0001). C-indices of CAPRA-S score and three-risk groups for detecting BCR-free probabilities in 5-yr were 0.87 and 0.81, respectively. Conclusions: Both CAPRA-S score and its three-risk level model well predicted BCR after RP with high c-index levels in our center. Therefore, it is a clinically reliable post-operative risk stratifier and disease recurrence predictor for prostate cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6935-6940
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• 2013

Background: This study aimed to develop a prognostic model in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma based on clinicopathological features, including invasive margin characteristics. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological features and outcomes of 190 patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated by surgery were collected and analyzed for factors associated with tumor recurrence. In addition to well-recognized pathological risk factors, the pathological characteristics of invasive margin (type of invasive pattern and degree of stromal desmoplasia and peritumoral inflammatory reaction) were also included in the analysis. Multiple scoring models were made by matching different clinicopathological variables and/or different weighting of the score for each variable. The model with the best performance in the prediction of recurrence and decreased survival was selected. Results: The model with the best performance was composed of a combined score of invasive pattern, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI), and degree of inflammatory reaction and stromal desmoplasia (total score =10). Compared to those with score ${\leq}8$, the patients with score 9-10 had a significantly higher recurrence rate in the overall group (p<0.001) and the subgroup without adjuvant therapy (p<0.001), while the significance was marginal in the subgroup with adjuvant therapy (p=0.069). In addition, the patients with score 9-10 had a higher rate of tumor recurrence at distant sites (p=0.007). The disease-free survival was significantly lower in the patients with score 9-10 than those with score ${\leq}8$ among the overall patients (p<0.001), in the subgroup without adjuvant therapy (p<0.001), and the subgroup with adjuvant therapy (p=0.047). Conclusions: In this study, a prognostic model based on a combination of pathological characteristics of invasive margin and LVSI proved to be predictive of tumor recurrence and decreased disease-free survival in patients with early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2020

Purpose: The probability of recurrence of cancer after adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy in patients with human papillomavirus-negative (HPV(-)) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) varies for each patient. This study aimed to identify and validate radiation sensitivity signature (RSS) of patients with HPV(-) HNSCC to predict the recurrence of cancer after radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Clonogenic survival assays were performed to assess radiosensitivity in 14 HNSCC cell lines. We identified genes closely correlated with radiosensitivity and validated them in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. The validated RSS were analyzed by ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) to identify canonical pathways, upstream regulators, diseases and functions, and gene networks related to radiosensitive genes in HPV(-) HNSCC. Results: The survival fraction of 14 HNSCC cell lines after exposure to 2 Gy of radiation ranged from 48% to 72%. Six genes were positively correlated and 35 genes were negatively correlated with radioresistance, respectively. RSS was validated in the HPV(-) TCGA HNSCC cohort (n = 203), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was found to be significantly lower in the radioresistant group than in the radiosensitive group (p = 0.035). Cell death and survival, cell-to-cell signaling, and cellular movement were significantly enriched in RSS, and RSSs were highly correlated with each other. Conclusion: We derived a HPV(-) HNSCC-specific RSS and validated it in an independent cohort. The outcome of adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy in HPV(-) patients with HNSCC can be predicted by analyzing their RSS, which might help in establishing a personalized therapeutic plan.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2022

Background/Objectives: This study analyzed the prognostic significance of clinico-pathologic factors including comprehensive nodal factors in parotid gland cancers (PGCs) patients and constructed a survival prediction model for PGCs patients using machine learning techniques. Materials & Methods: A total of 131 PGCs patients were enrolled in the study. Results: There were 19 cases (14.5%) of lymph nodes (LNs) at the lower neck level and 43 cases (32.8%) involved multiple level LNs metastases. There were 2 cases (1.5%) of metastases to the contralateral LNs. Intraparotid LNs metastasis was observed in 6 cases (4.6%) and extranodal extension (ENE) findings were observed in 35 cases (26.7%). Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and perineural invasion findings were observed in 42 cases (32.1%) and 49 cases (37.4%), respectively. Machine learning prediction models were constructed using clinico-pathologic factors including comprehensive nodal factors and Decision Tree and Stacking model showed the highest accuracy at 74% and 70% for predicting patient's survival. Conclusion: Lower level LNs metastasis and LNR have important prognostic significance for predicting disease recurrence and survival in PGCs patients. These two factors were used as important features for constructing machine learning prediction model. Our machine learning model could predict PGCs patient's survival with a considerable level of accuracy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2016

In this study, rainfall characteristics with stationary and non-stationary perspectives were analyzed using generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution and Gumbel distribution models with rainfall data collected in major cities of Korea to reevaluate the return period of sewer flooding in those cities. As a result, the probable rainfall for GEV and Gumbel distribution in non-stationary state both increased with time(t), compared to the stationary probable rainfall. Considering the reliability of ${\xi}_1$, a variable reflecting the increase of storm events due to climate change, the reliability of the rainfall duration for Seoul, Daegu, and Gwangju in the GEV distribution was over 90%, indicating that the probability of rainfall increase was high. As for the Gumbel distribution, Wonju, Daegu, and Gwangju showed the higher reliability while Daejeon showed the lower reliability than the other cities. In addition, application of the maximum annual rainfall change rate (${\xi}_1{\cdot}t$) to the location parameter made possible the prediction of return period by time, therefore leading to the evaluation of design recurrence interval.