• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1267-1272
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• 2019

The main cause of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV), and HPV DNA has been reported in 99.7% of patients with cervical cancer. The worldwide prevalence is highest for the HPV 16 and 18 genotypes, but HPV 52 and 58 have the highest prevalence in Asian countries, including Korea. The purpose of this study was to obtain basic data for the prevention of cervical cancer by analyzing the prevalence of HPV and the genotypes of high risk-human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in women in Busan, Korea. We analyzed 1,995 cases of HPV in women who visited a Busan obstetrics and gynecology hospital from January 2016 to December 2017. The prevalence of HPV among these women was 28.3% (565/1995), and the HR-HPV infection rate was 75.4% (426/565). The HR-HPV genotype with the highest prevalence was HPV-52 (63/565, 11.2%), followed by HPV-58 (56/565, 9.9%), HPV-53 (55/565, 9.7%), and HPV-16 (53/565, 9.4%). The HR-HPV infection rate of young women 18-39 years old was 60.3% (257/426), so this age group should undergo continuous monitoring. The cytological results revealed a high infection rate for HPV-16 in high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, further evaluation of more samples is needed to confirm the HR-HPV genotypes related to the development of cervical epithelial neoplasias.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.309-315
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• 2006

Purpose: Accurate evaluation of cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis of head and neck squamous cell canter (SCC) is important to treatment planning. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for the detection of cervical LN metastasis of head and neck SCC and performed a retrospective comparison with CT/MRI findings. Materials & Methods: Seventeen patients with pathologically proven head and neck SCC underwent F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI within 4 week before surgery. We recorded lymph node metastases according to the neck level system of imaging-based nodal classification. F-18 FDG PET/CT images were analyzed visually for assessment of regional tracer uptake in LN. We analyzed the differences in sensitivity and specificity between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI using the Chi-square test. Results: Among the 17 patients, a total of 123 LN levels were dissected, 29 of which showed metastatic involvement. The sensitivity and specificity of F-18 FDG PET/CT for detecting cervical LN metastasis on a level-by-level basis were 69% (20/29) and 99% (93/94). The sensitivity and specificity of CT/MRI were 62% (18/29) and 96% (90/94). There was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI. Interestingly, F-18 FDG PET/CT detected double primary tumor (hepatocellular carcinoma) and rib metastasis, respectively. Conclusion: There was not statistically significant difference of diagnostic accuracy between F-18 FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI for the detection of cervical LN metastasis of head and neck SCC. The low sensitivity of F-18 FDG PET/CT was due to limited resolution for small metastatic deposits.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.329-338
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• 2017

Background: The clinical value of 3-field lymph node dissection (3FLND) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains controversial. This study aimed to identify the patterns and prognostic significance of cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in ESCC. Methods: A retrospective review of 77 patients with E SCC who underwent esophagectomy and 3FLND between 2002 and 2016 was conducted. For each cervical node level, the efficacy index (EI), overall survival, recurrence rate, and complication rate were compared. Results: CLNM was identified in 34 patients (44.2%) who underwent 3FLND. Patients with CLNM had a significantly lower overall survival rate (22.7% vs. 58.2%) and a higher recurrence rate (45.9% vs. 16.3%) than patients without CLNM. CLNM was an independent predictor of recurrence in ESCC patients. Moreover, in patients with pathologic N3 tumors, the odds ratio of CLNM was 10.8 (95% confidence interval, 2.0 to 57.5; p=0.005). Level IV dissection had the highest EI, and level IV metastasis was significantly correlated with overall survival (p=0.012) and recurrence (p=0.001). Conclusion: CLNM was a significant prognostic factor for ESCC patients and was more common among patients with advanced nodal stages. Level IV exhibited the highest risk of metastasis, and dissection at level IV may be crucial when performing 3FLND, especially in advanced nodal stage disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.4043-4048
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• 2016

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the ninth most common cancer worldwide, and has a poor 5-year survival rate averaging 50%, which has not changed for decades. A high prevalence of HNC has been reported in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia, as compared to other areas of the country. However, data in regards to HNC are scattered and not well documented. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to gather all available and updated important information regarding HNC in Saudi Arabia, and highlight the gaps of knowledge in our country with regard to this disease. In addition, suggestions of solutions to overcome the current status and improve our future standard of care to fight HNC are also highlighted. Materials and Methods: The electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar using English-language literature were used for this systematic review, using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and keywords. The search was performed in April 2016 and updated in June 2016. Results: Our search revealed twenty-one studies that fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria and that were conducted in Saudi Arabia. These studies investigated different aspects of HNC, including prevalence, risk factors, biomarkers, and assessed knowledge and awareness of both public and practitioners with regard to HNC. Conclusions: This review uncovered a big gap in our epidemiological data in cancer information in general, and head and neck cancer in particular. In addition, a lack of knowledge and awareness of both the public and health care practitioners hinders the early diagnosis of disease and negatively impact the prognosis, treatment and outcome. The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia should develop a more systematic way and adapt policies to gather cancer information in general, and head and neck cancer in particular, from all governmental and private sectors from all over the kingdom, and develop educational programs to raise the knowledge and awareness of HNC in the country.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2008

The goal of reconstruction following ablative therapy for intraoral cancer is the restoration of form and function to permit a return to activities of daily life. Traditional reconstruction includes split thickness skin grafts, myocutaneous flaps and, more recently, various free flaps. Free flaps provide higher level of functional recovery relative to that seen with other techniques but require the complexity of the technique and microvascular anastomosis and thus, extended surgical time and occasionally a second team for harvesting. The platysma myocutaneous cervical flap is a possible alternative for intraoral reconstruction. It is thin and pliable like the tissue provided by the radial forearm free flap. It can be harvested with enough tissue to close most head and neck ablative defects. There is virtually no donor site morbidity involved. This study evaluated 7 patients affected by intraoral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). All patients underwent the resection of intraoral SCC with neck dissection and subsequent intraoral reconstruction with the superiorly based platysma myocutaneous cervical flap. Flap-related complications occurred in 3 patients. Adjuvant radiation therapy was performed in 3 patients. Average follow-up was 24.1 months after surgery, with a range of 8 to 42 months. All patients presented self assessment of discomfort associated with intraoral recipient sites and cervical donor sites. However, the neck function measured by two-inclinometer technique was within the normal range during relatively long term follow-up period. Our study concluded that superiorly based platysma myocutaneous cervical flap is good alternative to free flaps, especially for relatively smaller defects and for the defects appropriate for the rotation arc of the flap.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6481-6490
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• 2015

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is among the most common malignancies in Eastern Africa, but the occurrence of EC in Sudan has rarely been described in the scientific literature. This paper reports the results of a consecutive case series of all EC patients who visited one of the two public cancer treatment centers in the country in 1999-2012, providing a first description of this disease in a treatment center located in central Sudan. Materials and Methods: Clinical and demographic data for all EC patients who visited the Department of Oncology of the National Cancer Institute at the University of Gezira (NCI-UG) from 1999 to the end of 2012 were abstracted and tabulated by sex, tumor type and other characteristics. Results: A total of 448 EC patients visited NCI-UG in 1999-2012, and the annual number of EC cases increased steadily from 1999. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the predominant EC tumor type (90%), and adenocarcinoma (ADC) was reported in 9.4% of the EC cases. The overall male-to-female ratio for EC was 1:1.8, but the ratio was tumor type-dependent, being 1:2 for SCC and 2:1 for ADC. Only 20% of EC patients reported having ever used tobacco and/or alcohol, and the vast majority of these patients were male. At the time of EC diagnosis, 47.3% of the patients resided in Gezira State. Some EC patients from Gezira State seek out-of-state treatment in the national capital of Khartoum instead of visiting NCI-UG. Conclusions: The annual number of EC patients visiting NCI-UG has increased in recent years, approximately half of these patients being from Gezira State. Although this consecutive series of EC patients who visited NCI-UG was complete, it did not capture all EC patients from the state. A populationbased cancer registry would provide more complete data required to better understand EC patterns and risk factors.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.60-65
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• 2003

Objective: The sensitivity of the AutoPap Primary Screening System with Location-Guided Screening (AutoPap LGS) for Identifying atypical cells in cervicovaginal smears was evaluated. Methods: Two hundred forty one slides with atypical cervical cytology randomly sampled were rescreened both manually and by the AutoPap LGS. The AutoPap LGS localized the atypical cells as 15 fields of view(FOVs), which were reexamined by manual review. The sensitivity was also evaluated in accordance with the cellularity of the smears. Results: The AutoPap LGS successfully processed 232 out of 241 slides. The sensitivity of the AutoPap LGS identifying the atypical cells in successfully processed slides was 97.4%(226/232). The false negative rate was 2.6%(6/232). There was no false negative case on high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) smears in the AutoPap LGS. The FOVs localized the diagnostic-atypical cells in 97.8%(221/226). The number of diagnostic-atypical FOVs was increased in higher-degree of atypical cytology. The AutoPap LGS localized the atypical cells in 100% of adequately cellular smears and in 92.5% even in low cellular smears. Conclusion: The AutoPap LGS showed relatively good sensitivity to detect atypical cells. It can be a valuable system to localize atypical cells, especially in HSIL or cancer slides, even in smears with low cellularity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.480-489
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• 2005

Background : Dysregulation of apoptosis plays an important role in carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and resistance to chemotherapy. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is considered to be the most potent caspase inhibitor of all known IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis) family members. This study was designed to assess the pattern of expression and the prognostic value of XIAP in radically resected non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. Method : The expression of XIAP and its relationship with clinicopathologic parameters (patient age, TNM stage, TNM-pT, TNM-pN, histologic type, VEGF expression, microvessel density, PCNA index) and overall survival were analysed with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from eighty cases of NSCLC. In addition, the apoptotic index (AI) was also assessed. Results : In a regard to histologic type, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showed XIAP expression in 91.3%(42/46) and adenocarcinoma (AC) in 61.8%(21/34). The difference was significant(p=0.001). There was no correlation between XIAP expression and other parameters. In the group of AC, XIAP expression showed the signifcant correlation with older age group ${\geq}58years$ and VEGF expression(p=0.028, p=0.014, respectively). The AI in the group with or without XIAP expression were $2.5{\pm}4.9%$ and $18.5{\pm}28.9%$, respectively(p=0.001). Both groups just aforementioned showed no significant difference in median survival time (42.5 months, 29.8 months, respectively). Conclusion : This study suggests that the XIAP expression in NSCLCs could have relation to inhibition of apoptosis, and show differential expression according to histologic type. However, its prognostic role during the progression of NSCLC needs to be further defined.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.288-297
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• 2004

Puporse: The aims of this study were to evaluate the change of $[^18F]fluoromisonidazole$($[^18F]FMISO$) uptake in C3H mouse squamous cell carcinoma-VII (SCC-VII) treated with mild hyperthermia ($42^{circ}C$) and nicotinamide and to assess the biodistribution of the markers in normal tissues under similar conditions. Methods and Materials: $[^18F]FMISO$ was producedby our hospital. Female C3H mice with a C3H SCC-VII tumor grown on their extremities were used. Tumors were size matched. Non-anaesthetized, tumor-bearing mice underwent control or mild hyperthermia at $42^{circ}C$ for 60 min with nicotinamide (50 mg/kg i.p. injected) and were examined by gamma counter, autoradiography and animal PET scan 3 hours after tracer i.v. injected with breathing room air, The biodistribution of these agents were obtained at 3 h after $[^18F]FMISO$ injection. Blood, tumor, muscle, heart, lung, liver, kidney, brain, bone, spleen, and intestine were removed, counted for radioactivity and weighed. The tumor and liver were frozen and cut with a cryomicrotome into 10- um sections. The spatial distribution of radioactivity from the tissue sections was determined with digital autoradiography. Results: The mild hyperthermia with nicotinamide treatment had only slight effects on the biodistribution of either marker in normal tissues. We observed that the whole tumor radioactivity uptake ratios were higher in the control mice than in the mild hyperthermia with nicotinamide treated mice for $[^18F]FMISO$ ($1.56{\pm}1.03$ vs. $0.67{\pm}0.30$; p=0.063). In addition, autoradiography and animal PET scan demonstrated that the area and intensity of $[^18F]FMISO$ uptake was significantly decreased. Conclusion: Mild hyperthermla and nicotinamide significantly improved tumor hypoxia using $[^18F]FMISO$ and this uptake reflected tumor hypoxic status.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2011

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have demonstrated their potential as biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis. In recent years, miRNAs have been found in body fluids such as serum, plasma, urine and saliva. Circulating miRNAs are highly stable and resistant to RNase activity along with, extreme pH and temperatures in serum and plasma. In this study, we investigated serum miRNA profiles that can be used as a diagnostic biomarker of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We compared the expression profile of miRNAs in the plasma of patients diagnosed with lung cancer using an miRNA microarray. The data from this assay were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Six miRNAs were overexpressed and three miRNAs were underexpressed in both tissue and serum from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Sixteen miRNAs were overexpressed and twenty two miRNAs were underexpressed in both tissue and serum from adenocarcinoma (AC) patients. Of the four miRNAs chosen for qRT-PCR analysis, the expression of miR-23a was consistent with microarray results from AC patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were done and revealed that the level of serum miR-23a was a potential marker for discriminating AC patients from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Conclusion: Although a small number of patients were examined, the results from our study suggest that serum miR-23a can be used in the diagnosis of AC.