• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1845-1849
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• 2012

Objective: Tissue factor (TF) is expressed abnormally in certain types of tumor cells, closely related to invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to construct a human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901 stably-transfected with human TF, and observe effects on oxaliplatin-dependent inhibition of invasion and the apoptosis induction. Methods: The target gene TF was obtained from human placenta by nested PCR and introduced into the human gastric cell line SGC7901 through transfection mediated by lipofectamine. Stably-transfected cells were screened using G418. Examples successfully transfected with TF-pcDNA3 recombinant (experimental group), and empty vector pcDNA3 (control group) were incubated with oxaliplatin. Transwell chambers were used to show change in invasive ability. Caspase-3 activity was detected using a colorimetric method and annexin-V/PI double-staining was applied to detect apoptosis. Results: We generated the human gastric cancer cell line SGC7901/TF successfully, expressing TF stably and efficiently. Compared with the control group, invasion increased, whereas caspase-3 activity and apoptosis rate were decreased in the experimental group. Conclusion: TF can enhance the invasive capacity of gastric cancer cells in vitro. Its increased expression may reduce invasion inhibition and apoptosis-inducing effects of oxaliplatin and therefore may warrant targeting for improved chemotherapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.632-643
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• 1994

Background: The objective responses of cisplatin and etoposide (PVP) combination chemotherapy as second-line therapy following CAV was high (40~50%) and, in several reports, PVP yields survival results that are at least as good as those obtained with cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin-based regimens and with less host-related toxicity in chemotherapy-naive patients. We conducted a phase II study to evaluate the effect of a combination of cisplatin and etoposide as a fitst-line therapy in patients with small cell lung cancer. Methods: Sixty-one previously untreated small cell lung cancer patients with measurable lesion (s) received cisplatin(30 $mg/m^2$ IV, day 1~3) and etoposide(100 $mg/m^2$ IV, day 1~3). In patients with limited disease, after completion of 6 cycles of PVP chemotherapy, chest and prophylatic brain irradiation was performed in case of complete responder, chest irradiation on1y in partial responder. Results: 1) Of 55 evaluable patients, 13(24%) had a complete response and 29(53%) had a partial response. 2) The median survival time was 55.8 weeks for all patients(N=55), 61.1 weeks for limited disease(N=31), 51.3 weeks for extensive disease(N=24). 3) The response duration was 29.1 weeks for responders(N=42). 4) There was no significant prognostic factors influencing response rates. 5) The toxicity was tolerable and there was no treatment-related deaths. Conclusion: The PVP combination chemotherapy as a first-line therapy was effective and well-tolerated in patients with small cell lung cancer.

• Brain Tumor Research and Treatment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 2018

A 59-year-old patient with a history of hepatocellular carcinoma presented with decreased consciousness and left hemiparesis. A rim-enhanced mass lesion without diffusion restriction was observed in contrast-enhanced MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging. Based on these findings, metastatic brain tumor was suspected. However, brain abscess (BA) was diagnosed after multiple bacterial colonies were observed in aspiration biopsy. Initial conventional antibiotic treatment including vancomycin had failed, so linezolid was used as second-line therapy. As a result, infection signs and clinical symptoms were resolved. We report a case with atypical imaging features and antibiotic susceptibility of a BA in an immunocompromised patient undergoing chemotherapy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.344-351
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• 2005

Background : Both gemcitabine and vinorelbine are effective anticancer drugs with mild toxicity on non-small cell lung cancer, and monotherapy of these drugs are effective as a second-line chemotherapy. The aim of this trial was to assess the response and toxicity of a combination of gemcitabine and vinorelbine in patients of previously treated for non-small cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods : 24 patients, initial stage III A/B,IV and previously treated with platinium and taxane based regimens, were enrolled from June 2000 to March 2004. The regimens consisted of vinorelbine $25mg/m^2$ followed by an infusion of gemcitabine $1000mg/m^2$ on day 1 and day 8 every three weeks. This course was repeated more than twice. Results : Twenty-four patients were analyzed for the response, survival rate, and toxicities. The overall response was 17% with a complete remission rate of 4%. The median time-to progression (TTP) was 3.1 months (95%, CI 1-10months), and the survival time was 8.2 months (95%, CI 1-23 months). The grade 3/4 toxicities encountered were neutropenia (12.5%), anemia (0%), thrombocytopenia (0%). Non-hematological 3/4 toxicities were not observed. Conclusion : A combination of gemcitabine and vinorelbine in patients previously treated for non-small cell lung cancer provides a relatively good response rate, and a low toxicity profile. However, further study will be needed to confirm its effectiveness.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3517-3522
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• 2015

Background: Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a type of molecular chaperone. It is a possible candidate protein that contributes to development of drug resistance. We first examined the involvement of GRP78 in chemotherapy-resistance in human ovarian cancer cell. Materials and Methods: The expression of GRP78 mRNA and protein were examined by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively, in human ovarian cancer cells line (HO-8910). Sensitivity of HO-8910 to paclitaxel was determined with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). Suppression of GRP78 expression was performed using specific small-interfering RNA (siRNA) in HO-8910 cells, and cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 15.0 statistical package. Results: HO-8910 cells, with high basal levels of GRP78, exhibited low sensitivity to paclitaxel. The mRNA and protein levels of GRP78 were dramatically decreased at 24h, 48h and 72h after transfection and the sensitivity to paclitaxel was increased when the GRP78 gene was disturbed by specific siRNA transfection. Conclusions: The results suggested that high GRP78 expression might be one of the molecular mechanisms causing resistance to paclitaxel, and therefore siRNA of GRP78 may be useful in tumor-specific gene therapy for ovarian cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.509-518
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• 1998

Background: Short-course chemotherapy for 6 months is well established for pulmonary tuberculosis. However, little is known about the efficacy of the short-course chemotherapy for tuberculous pleural effusion. Tuberculous pleural effusion itself may be self-limiting without any treatment, but about two thirds of the patients with tuberculous pleural effusion may subsequently develop pulmonary tuberculosis within 5 years. After completing treatment for tuberculous pleural effusion. prolonged follow-up is necessary for evaluating the efficacy of the treatment There is still no report on the efficacy of 6-month regimens for tuberculous pleural effusion in Korea, where the incidence of tuberculous disease and drug resistance is high. We studied the efficacy of 6 month short-course chemotherapy comparing with 9 month chemotherapy. Method : Retrospective study was done through medical record review in 238 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion who admitted to Asan Medical Center during May 1989-May 1993. The diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion was made by bacteriologic or histopathologic study. Results: Among 238 patients, 38 patients were dropped out during follow-up period. In 2 patients, second line drugs were prescribed according to known drug resistance results. And, in 23 patients, treatment longer than 9 months was done due to accompanying extrapulmonary tuberculosis or durg resistance. In 8 patients, treatment regimen was changed due to hepatotoxicity. Remaining 167 cases (70.2%) completed the treatment as scheduled ; 6 month chemotherapy in 88 cases and 9 month chemotherapy in 79 cases. In 60 patients (35.9%) with pleural effusion only in chest X-ray finding, sputum smear or culture for M.tuberculosis was positive in 6 cases (10.0%), and in 63 patients (37.7%) with radiologically inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum smear or culture was positive in 18 cases (28.6%). In 44 patients (26.3%) with radiologically active pulmonary tuberculosis, the sputum smear or culture was positive in 24 cases (54.5%). In 6-month chemotherapy group (n=88), during mean 23 months (range; 1~61months) follow-up period, pulmonary tuberculosis developed in 1 case (1.4%). In 9-month chemotherapy group(n=79), during mean 23 months (range; 3~70months) follow-up period, pulmonary tuberculosis developed in 2 cases (2.5%). All the cases who developed pulmonary tuberculosis also showed active pulmonary tuberculosis on initial chest X-ray before treatment Conclusion: In patients with tuberculous pleural effusion, the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis after 6 month chemotherapy showed no difference from that after 9 month chemotherapy. Thus, 6 month short-course chemotherapy seems to be an effective treatment for tuberculous pleural effusion.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.230-236
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• 2006

$\underline{Purpose}$: To analyze the response, toxicity, patterns of failure and survival rate of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly paclitaxel. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Twenty-three patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients who received radical chemoradiotherapy from October 1999 to September 2004 were included in this retrospective study. Patients received total $55.4{\sim}64.8$ (median 64.8) Gy (daily 1.8 Gy per fraction, 5 days per weeks) over $7{\sim}8$ weeks. 50 or $60\;mg/m^2$ of paclitaxel was administered on day 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36 of radiotherapy. Four weeks after the concurrent chemoradiotherapy, three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy consisted of paclitaxel $135\;mg/m^2$ and cisplatin $75\;mg/m^2$ was administered every 3 weeks. $\underline{Results}$: Of the 23 patients, 3 patients refused to receive the treatment during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy. One patient died of bacterial pneumonia during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Grade 2 radiation esophagitis was observed in 4 patients (17%). Sixteen patients received consolidation chemotherapy. During the consolidation chemotherapy, 8 patients (50%) experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and one of those patients died of neutropenic sepsis. Overall response rate for 20 evaluable patients was 90% including 4 complete responses (20%) and 14 partial responses (70%). Among 18 responders, 9 had local failure, 3 had local and distant failure and 2 had distant failure only. Median progression-free survival time was 9.5 months and 2-year progression-free survival rate was 19%. Eleven patients received second-line or third-line chemotherapy after the treatment failure. The median overall survival time was 21 months. 2-year and 5-year survival rate were 43% and 33%, respectively. Age, performance status, tumor size were significant prognostic factors for progression-free survival. $\underline{Conclusion}$: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly paclitaxel revealed high response rate and low toxicity rate. But local failure occurred frequently after the remission and large tumor size was a poor prognostic factor. Further investigations are needed to improve the local control.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.387-390
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• 2012

A combination of 5-fluorouracil plus actinomycin D (5FU plus Act D) is the regimen that has been commonly administered to Chinese and Japanese gestational trophoblastic neoplasia patients as the first or second line of treatment with an excellent outcome. However, the efficacy of this regimen in a salvage setting was unclear. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 5 FU plus Act D regimen utilized in this condition, all GTN patients resistant to at least three previous chemotherapy regimens who received the 5 FU plus Act D regimen between August 2009 and January 2011 at Chiang Mai University Hospital were reviewed. There were five cases who met the criteria. Four of those patients were in FIGO stage III to IV with a WHO scoring of more than 12. The median number of cycles for each patient was two and only one case achieved remission while four of the cases were unresponsive. The toxicity was evaluated in 12 cycles. Common complications were uncomplicated myelosuppression and mucositis. In conclusion, this regimen revealed modest efficacy in a salvage setting with manageable toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3797-3803
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• 2016

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide and thus one of the leading causes of mortality in women. Lovastatin, a non polar, anticholesterol drug has previously been reported to exert antitumour activity in vitro. In the present study, lovastatin from Aspergillus terreus (KM017963) was purified by adsoprtion chromatography and evaluated for its anticancer and anti-oxidant properties with a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). Growth inhibitory and proapoptotic effects of purified lovastatin on HeLa cells were investigated by determining its influence on cell numbers, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), DNA fragmentation and antioxidant properties in terms of hydroxy radical scavenging effects as well as levels of total reduced glutathione. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry (propidium iodide staining) confirmed induction of apoptotic cell death and revealed cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Results of the study give leads for the anticancer effects of lovastatin and its potential usefulness in the chemotherapy of cervical cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.117-122
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the developed countries. Despite advances in screening, improved local therapies and adjuvant systemic treatments, median survival of metastatic breast cancer patients (MBC) is in the range of 2-3 years at most. We aimed to investigate whether the prognostic factors and therapeutic responses of our Turkish patients are similar to those in the literature. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of MBC patients who had been treated in our institution between 1999-2009 and analyzed their clinicopathological features and survival outcomes retrospectively Results: A hundred and sixty patients were included. Median age was 47 (23-82), median follow up was 24 (2-186) months. At the time of diagnosis 59% of patients were under the age of 50 and 46% were postmenopausal. The majority (37%) had multiple sites of metastases. Forty percent received endocrine therapy and 40% chemotherapy as first line metastatic treatment. Thirty (20%) patients were treated with molecular targeting agents like trastuzumab, lapatinib and sunitinib, frequently combined with a chemotherapy agent. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 32% and median OS was 38 months for the whole group. Five year progression free survival (PFS) was 10% and median PFS was 10 months. Menopausal status, hormone receptor expression and disease free status had a significant impact on overall survival in the multivariate analysis (p 0.018, p 0.018 and p:0.003, respectively). Conclusions: All our patients were treated with the modern oncologic therapies recommended by the international guidelines. From our data, MBC patients live up to 3-4 years, indicating that further improvement beyond that requires development of new treatment modalities. The survival outcomes of our patients were consistent with the data reported in the literature.