• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.504-510
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• 1992

Overall 25,095 cases of general thoracic surgery were analysed, which were performed by 48 institutes in Korea during recent 6 years[242 hospital-years]. The proportions of tumorous disease and infectious disease to be operated were 6,864 cases[27.4%] and 6,775 cases [27.0%], The most common organ involved for operation was lung-bronchus 16,542 cases [69.5%], and remainders were pleura 2,500 [10.0%], esophagus 2,433[9.7%], mediastinum 1,902[7.6%], chest wall 1,297 [5.2%], and diaphragm 421 [1.7%] in order. Among 6,864 cases of tumorous diseases, the most common causes for operation were lung-bronchus tumor 3132 cases [45.6%] and most of them were lung cancer 2,731 cases [88.7%]. In the 2,019 cases of primary lung cancer with known cell type, squamous cell carcinoma 1,296 cases [64.2%] and adenocarcinoma 460 cases [22.8%] were the most. The common types in the 1,207 cases of mediastinal tumor with known cell type were neurogenic tumor 348 cases [28.8%], thymoma 311 [25.8%], and teratoma 252[20.9%]. The annual cases of operation for tumorous disease including malignant tumor were increased steadily. Operation for infectious lung diseases [including bronchiectasis and tuberculosis] were about twice common than infectious pleural disease [i.e. empyema], and operations for tuberculous disease occupied about half cases of infectious lung disease. In 11,456 cases of other disease entities, excluding tumorous and infectious disease, there were bullous lung disease 9,074 cases[79.2%], benign esophageal disease 484[4.2%], myasthenia gravis 356[3.1%], chest wall deformity 483[4.2%], and diaphragmatic lesion 421[3. 7%] in order. We propose that above results for inquiry can be used as the basic data of general thoracic surgery in Korea.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.119-123
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• 2019

Spontaneous regression of lung cancer is a very rare and poorly understood phenomenon. A 64-year-old man presented to Dong-A University Hospital with a shrunken nodule in the right lower lobe. Although the nodule showed a high likelihood of malignancy on needle aspiration biopsy, the patient refused surgery. The nodule spontaneously regressed completely in the next 17 months. However, the subcarinal lymph node was found to be enlarged 16 months after complete regression was observed. We pathologically confirmed metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma and performed neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant chemoradiation. Regardless of tumor size reduction, it is preferable to perform surgery aggressively in cases of operable lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1617-1620
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• 2014

Background: Evidence shows direct link of HER2 to increased glycolysis and over production of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HER2 overexpression, high LDH and low glucose pleural levels are associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer. Here, their relationships were investigated. Materials and Methods: HER2 positivity was studied using immunohistochemistry in non-small cell lung cancer. Glucose and LDH levels were measured using commercial colorimetric kits. Results: Of 42 patients (29 adenocarcinoma and 13 squamous cell carcinoma), 28 (66.7%) were HER2-negative, 14 (33.3%) were HER2- positive, including 9 (21.4%) weakly stained (1+) and 5 (11.9%) moderately stained (2+) samples. The relationship between HER2 and glucose and LDH levels were tested in 20 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients who had simultaneous pleural and serum samples. Pleural and serum LDH levels were increased, and pleural glucose levels were decreased with the scale of HER2 positivity, and that the difference in glucose levels between HER2-negative group and HER2-positive patients scored at 2+ reached statistical significance (p=0.02). This latter group all had pleural glucose levels below 40 mg/dl. Conclusions: For the first time, we showed a significant association between low pleural glucose level and overexpression of HER2 in lung cancer. Further investigations are warranted to disclose the association of HER2 with low pleural glucose levels in other populations, with a larger sample size, in malignant pleural effusions caused by other types of cancer, and finally to assess employment as a screening tool for finding HER2-positive cases of lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3057-3060
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• 2015

Background: Cytological examination of pleural effusions is very important in the diagnosis of malignant lesions. Thoracentesis is the first investigation to be performed in a patient with pleural effusion. In this study, we aimed to compare traditional with cell block methods for diagnosis of lung disease accompanied by pleural effusion. Materials and Methods: A total of 194 patients with exudative pleural effusions were included. Ten mililiters of fresh pleural fluid were obtained by thoracentesis from all patients in the initial evaluation. The samples gathered were divided to two equal parts, one for conventional cytological analysis and the other for analysis with the cell block technique. In cytology, using conventional diagnostic criteria cases were divided into 3 categories, benign, malignant and undetermined. The cell block sections were evaluated for the presence of single tumor cells, papillary or acinar patterns and staining with mucicarmine. In the cell block examination, in cases with sufficient cell counts histopathological diagnosis was performed. Results: Of the total undergoing conventional cytological analyses, 154 (79.4%)were reported as benign, 33 (17%) as malignant and 7 (3.6%) as suspicious of malignancy. With the cell block method the results were 147 (75.8%) benign, 12 (6.2%) metastatic, 4 (2.1%) squamous cell carcinoma, 18 (9.3%) adenocarcinoma, 5 (2.6%) large cell carcinoma, 2 (1%) mesothelioma, 3 (1.5%) small cell carcinoma, and 3 (1.5%) lymphoma. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that the cell block method increases the diagnostic yield with exudative pleural effusions accompanying lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.669-676
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• 1993

Background: DNA content analysis of human solid tumor is now widely performed by flow cytometric study. One of the most interesting and potentially important observation in this field is that proliferative activity(S-Phase fraction of cell cycle) may profoundly affect prognosis. Method: S-Phase fraction(SPF) have been measured by flow cytometric method using tumor cells isolated from paraffin embedded tissue. To evaluate the prognostic significance, SPF of squamous lung cancer cell was assessed in 21 patients who died without any specific treatment. Results: 1) Mean survival time of squamous lung cancer patients was 225(${\pm}162$) days. Survival time were shortened, when TNM stage and PS scale were advanced. 2) Mean value of SPF of squamous lung cancer patients was 23.4(${\pm}11.3$)%. SPF had nothing to do with advance of TNM stage and PS scale. 3) Mean survival time of high SPF group(more than 20% of cell proliferation cycle) and low SPF group were 153(${\pm}99$) days and 342(${\pm}180$) days(p<0.01). In each identical TNM stage and PS scale, there were also statistic significant differences in mean survival time between high and low SPF group. Conclusion: On multivariate analysis including TNM stage and performance status, SPF was the significant and independent prognostic factor in the primary squamous lung cancer patients group.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1013-1024
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• 1989

One hundred and seventy two patients of primary lung cancer, confirmed by tissue diagnosis at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Korea University Hospital between June 1973 and August 1988, were evaluated and restaged with New International TNM classification, and the actuarial survival rate was obtained using Kaplan-Meier equation. The results of analysis were as follows. 1. Male to female ratio was 3.8:1, and prevalent age groups were sixth and seventh decades [76.4 %]. 2. The most common subjective symptom was cough [55.2 %], and 67.4 % of all patients were visited to hospital less than 6 months of symptoms. 3. Positive rates for tissue diagnosis were 100% in open chest or metastatic lymph node biopsy, 80 % in mediastinoscopic biopsy, 60 % in pleural biopsy, 59 % in pleural fluid cytology, 36% in bronchoscopic biopsy, and 22 % in sputum cytology. 4. The order of frequency of cell type was squamous cell carcinoma [53.0%], adenocarcinoma [22.0 %], small cell carcinoma [14.5 %], and so on. 5. Operability and resectability were 44% and 62% respectively, but they were improved recently. 6. Open and closure was done in 44 % of operated patients, uni or bilobectomy in 38 % and pneumonectomy in 24 %. 7. Overall operative mortality rate was 2.6 %. 8. The order of frequency of stage level was S3b [42.0 %], S3a [25.1 %], S1 [15.6%], and so on. 9. Distant metastasis, i.e. stage 4, was noted in 9.5 % of cases, and the sites of frequency were bone, brain, skin, and so on. 10. Actuarial survival rate was 1 year 48.2%, 2 year 36.9%, 3 year 31.2%, and 5 year 20.8%. According to above listed factors, 5 year survival rate was highest in squamous cell carcinoma, lobectomized cases, stage 1, NO in TNM system, and resectable cases. But T factor in TNM system and radiation therapy in nonresectable cases did not show statistical significance in life expectancy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.8 s.253
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• pp.579-582
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• 2005

Combined large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is an uncommon lung cancer that include large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with components of adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, giant cell carcinoma and/or spindle cell carcinoma histologically. We report a case that pathologically diagnosed as combined large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with component of adenocarcinoma after right pneumonectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection. A 44-year-old man with intermittent chest pain was referred to our hospital for lung mass on the right mid lung field.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 1991

Supraclavicular lymph nodes are unique in that they can attract metastases from almost anywhere in the body and most common sites of metastasis from an unknown primary source. 125 cases which had been diagnosed as metastatic supraclavicular lymph node during the period between May 1983 and August 1991, were analysed pathologically, and the following distinctive characteristics could be outlined : 1) The most frequent sites of metastasis from primary lesions are lunge(43%), stomach(23%), lymphoreticular(6%), biliary(5%), esophagus(2%), and pancreas(2%). 2) Histologic examination of metastatic supraclavicular lymph node revealed adenocarcinoma(57%), squamous cell carcinoma(12%), undifferentiated carcinoma(9%), small cell carcinoma(7%), malignant lymphoma(6%), malignant melanoma(1%) and undetermined carcinoma(8%). 3) In cases that histologic type was adenocarcinoma, the most frequent primary sites were stomach(38%), lung(27%) and biliary(8%). 4) In cases that histologic types were squamous cell caricinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, small cell carcinoma and undetermined carcinoma, the most frequent primary site was lung.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2005-2008
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• 2013

Background: Pemetrexed (PEM) is effective in first-line treatment for patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However there are currently no definitive determinants to certify which patients could benefit from PEM. To improve the efficacy of PEM combined with platinum as first-line therapy for advanced non-squamous NSCLC, we conducted this retrospective study to detect potential determinants of this regimen. Methods: We recruited 109 patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC who received PEM with a platinum as first-line therapy from June 2006 to February 2013 in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital. Multiple variables (age, sex, smoking, degree of cell differentiation, hemoglobin, platinum drugs combined, positions of metastasis) were selected. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse relationships between these variables and tumor response. Result: In univariate analysis, we found that age and platinum significantly influenced the results of PEM therapy (P<0.05). In multivariable analysis, no factors were independently significant. Conclusion: Our analysis did not suggest that the age, sex, metastasis of liver or other organs, hemoglobin, smoking history and pathological differentiation are associated with the response of PEM. We should conduct further analyses with larger sample size to reconfirm this issue.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.458-460
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• 1996

Percutaneous transthoracic fine needle biopsy is a popular technique in the diagnosis ot'pulmonary and pleural diseases and its complication rate is very low. One of the rarest but potential complications is that of implantation of malignant cells along the needle tract and subsequent development of a chest wall mass . We experienced a case of chest wall implantation of lung cancer after percutaneous transthoracic fine needle biopsy. The patient was a 59 year old female who had undergone right upper lobectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (T,N,Mo). 6 months after operation, a loculated mass was palpated at the right posterior .chest wall where the percutaneous transthoracic fine needle biopsy had been performed before operation. We carried out wide excision of this mass and confirmed squamous cell carcinoma histopathologically.