• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7569-7576
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this article is to present preliminary results of simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Fifty-eight patients who underwent simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy for NPC in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University between September 2004 and December 2009 were eligible. Acute and late toxicities were scored weekly according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) acute and late radiation morbidity scoring schemes. An especial focus was on evidence of post-radiation brain injury. Also quality of life was analysed according to the EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) recommendations. Discrete variables were compared by ${\chi}^2$ test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rates and generate survival curves. Results: A total of 58 patients with a mean follow-up time of 36 months completed clinical trials.Fifty-seven patients (98.3) achieved complete remission in the primary sites and cervical lymph nodes, with only one patient (1.7%) showing partial remission.The most frequently observed acute toxicities during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy were mucositis and leucopenia. Four patients (6.9%) had RTOG grade 3 mucositis, whereas four patients (6.9%) had grade 3 leucopenia. No patient had grade 4 acute toxicity. Three (5.17%) of the patients exhibited injury to the brain on routine MRI examination, with a median observation of 32 months (range, 25-42months). All of them were RTOG grade 0. The 3-year overall, regional-free and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 85%, 94% and 91%, respectively. Conclusion: Simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy is feasible in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The results showed excellent local control and overall survival, with no significant increase the incidence of radiation brain injury or the extent of damage. A larger population of patients and a longer follow-up period are needed to evaluate ultimate tumor control and late toxicity.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to investigate antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of Artemisia capillaris extracts against Hepa-lc1c7 and Sarcoma 180 cancer cells. In in vivo experimental tests using 210 ICR mice, on the $28^{th}$ day and the $42^{nd}$ day, all animals in vehicle controled HP (Hepa-lclc7 tumor cell inoculated vehicle control) and SP (Sarcoma 180 tumor cell inoculated vehicle control) showed tumor cells in the liver and spleen based on the histopathology. However, the incidences and the percentages of regions occupied by tumor cells were dramatically and dose-dependently decreased by mACH (Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts) treatment on the histomorphometry. Although the exact mechanism of inhibition of the incidences of tumor cells in the parenchyma whether inhibition of metastasis or proliferation is unclear, mACH dramatically reduce the percentages of regions occupied by tumor cells in the liver and spleen apart from the inoculation sites of Hepa-lclc7 and Sarcoma 180. In addition, they also effectively inhibit the abnormal changes on the kidney detected in the present study. The results suggest that Artemisia capillaris methanol extracts have prominent antitumor effects on the cancer cell lines Hepa-lclc7 and Sarcoma 180 m mice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4071-4075
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• 2016

Background: FDG PET/CT is at an equivocal stage to recommend for staging of colorectal cancer as compared to contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT). This study was intended to evaluate the value of FDG PET/ceCT in colorectal cancer staging as compared to ceCT alone. Materials and Methods: PET/ceCT was performed for 61 colorectal cancer patients who were prospectively enrolled in the study. Three patients were excluded due to loss to follow-up. PET/ceCT findings and ceCT results alone were read separately. The treatment planning was then determined by tumor board consensus. The criteria for T staging were determined by the findings of ceCT. Nodal positive by PET/ceCT imaging was determined by visual analysis of FDG uptake greater than regional background blood pool activity. The diagnostic accuracy of T and N staging was determined only in patients who received surgery without any neoadjuvant treatment. Results: Of 58 patients, there were 40 with colon cancers including sigmoid cancers and 18 with rectal cancers. PET/ceCT in pre-operative staging detected bone metastasis and metastatic inguinal lymph nodes (M1a) that were undepicted on CT in 2 patients (3%), clearly defined 19 equivocal lesions on ceCT in 18 patients (31%) and excluded 6 metastatic lesions diagnosed by ceCT in 6 patients (10%). These resulted in alteration of management plan in 15 out of the 58 cases (26%) i.e. changing from chemotherapy to surgery (4), changing extent of surgery (9) and avoidance of futile surgery (2). Forty four patients underwent surgery within 45 days after PET/CT. The diagnostic accuracy for N staging with PET/ceCT and ceCT alone was 66% and 48% with false positive rates of 24% (6/25) and 76% (19/25) and false negative rates of 47% (9/19) and 21% (4/19), respectively. All of the false negative lymph nodes from PET/ceCT were less than a centimeter in size and located in peri-lesional regions. The diagnostic accuracy for T staging was 82%. The sensitivity of the peri-lesional fat stranding sign in determining T3 stage was 94% and the specificity was 54%. Conclusions: Our study suggested promising roles of PET/ceCT in initial staging of colorectal cancer with better diagnostic accuracy facilitating management planning.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2010

The natural history of gastric cancer is unclear. We report here on a rare case of advanced gastric cancer for which we performed curative gastrectomy 78 months after the diagnosis. A 74-year-old woman with epigastric pain underwent esophagogastroscopy in January, 2000 and she was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer. Suspicious omental cake was noted on CT. After refusing all kinds of treatment, she underwent a follow up CT scan on September, 2002, which no longer suggested omental cake. She once again refused treatment, but she visited the hospital in June, 2006 due to severe epigastric pain and a decreased oral intake. Abdominal CT showed no distant metastasis, and so radical subtotal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed in July, 2006 and the TNM stage was T2bN1M0 (stage II).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6673-6679
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• 2015

Background: Male breast cancer is a rare neoplasm, and its treatments are based on those of female breast cancer. This study aimed to analyze 20 years of male breast cancer clinical characteristics and treatment results from the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 16 male breast cancer patients treated in our tertiary hospital between 1994 and 2014 was performed. Epidemiologic data, tumor characteristics, and treatments were recorded and compared with 466 female breast cancer ((premenopausal; n = 230) + (postmenopausal n = 236)) patients. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were calculated. Results: Male breast cancer constituted 0.1% of all malignant neoplasms in both sexes, 0.2% of all malignant neoplasms in males, and 0.7% of all breast cancers. The mean patient age in this study was $59.8{\pm}9.5$ (39-74) years. The mean time between first symptom and diagnosis was $32.4{\pm}5.3$ (3-60) months. Histology revealed infiltrative ductal carcinoma in 81.3% of patients. The most common detected molecular subtype was luminal A, in 12 (75%) patients. Estrogen receptor rate (93.8%) in male breast cancer patients was significantly higher than that in female breast cancer (70.8% in all females, p = 0.003; 68.2% in postmenopausal females, p = 0.002) patients. Most of the tumors (56.3%) were grade 2. Tumor stage was T4 in 50% of males. The majority (56.3%) of the patients were stage III at diagnosis. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine-therapy were applied to 62.5%, 62.5%, 81.2% and 73.3%, respectively. Loco-regional failure did not occur in any of the cases. All recurrences were metastastic. The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates in male breast cancer patients were 58% and 68%, respectively. Conclusions: Tumors found in male breast cancer patients were similar in size to tumors found in females, but they advanced to T4 stage more rapidly because of the lack of breast parenchymal tissues. The rate of estrogen receptor expression tended to be higher in male breast cancer patients than in female breast cancer patients. Metastasis is the most important problem in initially non-metastatic male breast cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6311-6318
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• 2012

Background: HER2/neu overexpression due to gene amplification is an important factor in breast cancer, modifying the sensitivity to anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody therapy. The clinical significance of HER2 expression in non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is currently under evaluation. The tumor suppressor gene PTEN negatively regulates the HER2/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of simultaneous alteration in HER2 and PTEN protein expression in relation to biological behaviour of NSCLCs. Materials and Methods: Protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in sixty-one (n=61) NSCLC cases along with CISH for HER2 gene analysis and detection of chromosome 17 aneuploidy. Patients were followed-up for a period of 34 to 41 months after surgery. Results: HER2 overexpression (2+/3+score) was detected in 17 (27.9%) patients while loss of PTEN expression was observed in 24 (39.3%) cases, low expression in 29 (47.6%) and overexpression in 8 (13.1%). Simultaneous HER2 overexpression and PTEN low/loss of expression were correlated with metastasis (71.4% vs 36.2% p=0.03). Analysis in the subgroup of 22 patients of pTNM stage III with lymph node status N1 or N2 revealed that there was a relationship between the number of positive regional lymph node groups and simultaneous deregulation of the two genes (p=0.04). Multivariate analysis determined that HER2 overexpression was associated with an increasing risk of developing metastases (OR: 4.3; 95%CI: 1.2-15.9; p: 0.03) while PTEN overexpression was associated with lower risk (OR: 0.1; 95%CI: 0.1, 1.0; p: 0.05). Conclusions: Simultaneous HER2/PTEN deregulation is a significant genetic event that leads to a more aggressive phenotype of NSCLC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 2007

Gastric carcinoid tumor is a neoplasm that arises from enterochromaffine-like (ECL) cells in the gastric fundus. It is a rare disease that comprises less than 2% of all gastric neoplasms; however its incidence has been recently increasing. We experienced one case of gastric carcinoid tumor that was revealed to be multiple polypoid lesions. A 29-year-old female patient visited a hospital three years ago due to syncope. The blood hemoglobin was measured as 6.0 g/dl. Gastroscopy revealed multiple polypoid lesions with bleeding; therefore endoscopic clipping was performed. The polyps were diagnosed as carcinoid tumor via endoscopic biopsy. She was transferred to our hospital because of persistent iron deficiency anemia that was caused by bleeding at the gastric polyps. Gastroscopy revealed more than twenty various-sized polypoid lesions from the mid-body to the antrum. The blood hemoglobin level was 9.0g/dl. Total gastrectomy was performed under the diagnosis of gastric carcinoid tumor with bleeding. All of the gastric polyps were diagnosed as carcinoid tumors, and any metastasis to the regional lymph nodes was not found. Eighteen months after operation, the blood hemoglobin was increased to 12.8g/dl with no evidence of recurrence. Surgical resection should be considered for treating gastric carcinoid tumor with continuous bleeding.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2011

서 론 : 미세갑상선유두상암종 환자에서 불필요한 예방적 중앙 림프절절제술을 피하기 위해서 림프절 전이를 수술 전에 예측하는 수단이 필요하다. 림프관 생성 및 성장의 조절에 VEGF-C/D, VEGFR-3 pathway, podoplain이 관여된다는 사실이 밝혀져 있다. 림프관 생성 및 성장과 관련된 인자인 VEGF-C/D, podoplanin에 대한 면역조직화학염색과 반정량적 분석을 통해 미세갑상선유두상암종에서 림프절전이와의 관련성을 확인하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 2006년 9월부터 2008년 6월까지 본원에서 미세갑상선유두상암종으로 진단받고 1인 술자에 의해 갑상선 전 절제술 및 예방적 중앙 림프절절제술을 받은 104명의 환자 중 중앙 림프절 전이가 있었던 환자와 없었던 환자를 각각 25명씩 무작위로 선별하여 종양부위에 면역화학염색을 실시하여 림프관생성인자의 발현 정도를 비교하였다. 결 과 : 대상군 50예 중 VEGF-C/D는 50예(100%) 모두 발현이 되었고 podoplanin은 33예(66%)에서 발현이 되었다. 그 중 VEGF-C는 10예(20%)에서 약한 양성, 37예(74%)에서 중등도 양성, 3예(6%)에서 강한 양성소견을 보였고 VEGF-D는 9예(18%)에서 약한 양성, 37예(74%)에서 중등도 양성, 4예(8%)에서 강한 양성소견을 보였다. 중앙 림프절 전이 음성 환자 군과 양성 환자 군으로 분류하였을 때 VEGF-C/D의 발현율의 차이는 p-value가 각각 0.48, 1.00으로 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 50예 전체를 대상으로 하여 종양의 개수, 최대크기, 검출된 전체 림프절의 수, 양성 림프절의 수, 주변조직 침범여부에 따른 VEGF-C/D의 발현도 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. Podoplanin의 경우 염색 여부에 따라 양성군과 음성군으로 나누어 분석하였을 때 종양의 개수, 최대크기, 검출된 림프절의 수, 양성 림프절의 수, 주변조직 침범여부도 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 결 론 : VEGF-C/D는 대상군 전체(100%)에서 발현이 되었고 podoplanin은 66%에서 발현이 되었다. 림프관 생성인자로 알려진 VEGF-C/D및 podoplanin이 미세갑상선유두상암종에서 많이 발현이 되는 것으로 보아 위 인자들이 림프절 전이를 일으키는 인자 중 하나로 생각된다. 하지만 미세갑상선유두상암종에서 중앙 림프절 전이를 예측할 수 있는 인자로 부적합 한 것으로 생각되며 향후 더 많은 증례를 통해 관련성 여부에 대한 연구가 필요하고 또 다른 인자의 관련성에 대해서 연구가 필요하겠다.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.33-40
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• 1978

Clinical features of 147 patients with biopsy-proven thyroid carcinomas were investigated from January, 1972 to April, 1978 at the Seoul National University Hospital with the following results. 1) The incidence of thyroid carcinomas according to their histopathological classification revealed 76.2% of papillary carcinoma, 19.0% of follicular carcinoma, and 3 cases of occult sclerozing carcinoma, 1 case of giant cell carcinoma and 1 case of metastatic melanoma. 2) The ratio of male to femle patients was 1:8.3 and showed no difference between papillary and follicular carcinomas. 3) The age distribution showed the peak incidence in the fourth decade (29.3%) followed by the fifth and sixth decades. 4) The average duration of illness from the onset of symptoms was about 5 years while it was 4.4 years and 7.6 years in the papillary and follicular carcinomas respectively. 5) The diameter of the thyroid masses was smaller than 5 cm in 53.6% of the patients, from 5 cm to 10 cm in 40.0% and larger than 10 cm in 6.4%. 6) In 36.4% of the patients with thyroid carcinomas the thyroid masses were fixed to adjacent tissues. 7) Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes was noted in 40.0% of the total cases, and in 45.2% and 17.6% of the papillary and follicular carcinomas respectively, while the lung and bone metastases were found in 10.0% and 4.4% in each type respectively. 8) 88.9% of the patients showed cold areas in the thyroid scans using $^{131}I$. 9) Typical psammoma bodies were observed in 21.3% of the cases in the microscopic examination of the pathological specimens. 10) The initial diagnosis of thyroid malignancy could be made before histological confirmation in 64.5% of the patients. 11) The clinical staging slightly modified from Schulz method revealed 43.6% of the patients in stage I, 26.4% in stage II, 20.9% in stags III and 9.1 % in stage IV. 12) The association with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was noted in 4 cases, with nodular goiter in 3 cases, and with follicular adenoma in 1 case.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.924-929
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• 2001

Backgroun : The long-term survival after operation of patients with lung cancer invading the chest wall is known to be related to regional nodal involvement, completeness of resection and depth of chest wall involvement. In this study results of complete resection are reviewed to determine survival charateristics. Material and Method: Of 680 consecutive patients who were operated on for primary non-small cell carcinoma between 1988 and 1998, we retrospectively reviewed 55 patients(8.0%) who had complete resection for lung cancer invading the chest wall or parietal pleura. Result: Resection of the chest wall was on bloc in 29 patients(47.3％), and extrapleural in 26(52.7％). In the patients undergoing extrapleural resection, the depth of chest wall invasion was confined to the parietal pleura in all patients(100%). In the patients underging en bloc resection, the pathologic depth of invasion was into the parietal pleura alone in 9(31.0%) and into the chest wall in 20(69.0%). The follow-up rate of these patients was 100%. Hospital mortality was 5.4%(n=3). The actuarial 5-year survival rate was 26% for all hospital survivors(n=52). The actuarial 5-year survival rate of patients with T3N0M0 disease(29%) was better than that of T3N2M0 disease(18%), however, there was no significant(p=0.30) difference. The depth of chest wall invasion had no statistically significant effect on survival in our series, neither for patients with involved lymphatic metastasis nor for those without(p=0.99). Conclusion: These observations indicate that the good five year survival in patients with T3 NSCLC invading the chest wall resulted from complete resection. Survival of patients with lung cancer invading the chest wall after complete resection is dependent on the extent of nodal involvement and much less so on the depth of chest wall invasion.