• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.265-274
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• 2008

Depression is common in patients with end-stage renal disease(ESRD) and has a negative effect on the quality of life, functional ability, and mortality of the patients, with a prevalence rate as high as 20-25%. Especially, the increasing tendency of mortality in ESRD patients is associated with recent or current depression, and the suicide rate is also increased by depression in patients with ESRD. Therefore, accurate detection and appropriate treatment of depression is very important in ESRD patients. Also, a deferential diagnosis is needed concerning uremic symptoms and depression in ESRD patients. However, there has been little data so far particularly in terms of randomized clinical trials. This review focused on the recent knowledge of depression in ESRD, and could encourage clinical study and trials in this field.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2647-2650
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• 2014

Background: Colorectal cancers(CRC) are the third most common cancer in the western world, with surgery preferred for management of non-metastatic disease and post surgical treatment usually arranged according to the TNM staging system. However, there is still prognostic variation between patients who have the same stage. It is increasingly recognized that variations within disease course and clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients are influenced by not only oncological characteristics of the tumor itself but also host response factors. Recent studies have shown correlation between the inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in various cancers. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been described as a marker for immune response to various stimuli including cancer. Material-Methods: Two hundred eighty-one CRC patients were included in our retrospective analysis, separated into two groups according to a cut-off value for the NLR. Patient data including age, gender, vertical penetration, anatomic location, and differentiation of the tumor, TNM stage, survival rate, and disease-free survival were analyzed for correlations with the NLR. Results: Using ROC curve analysis, we determined a cut-off value of 2.2 for NLR to be best to discriminate between patient survival in the whole group. In univariate analysis, high pretreatment NLR (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.483-4.846), pathologic nodal stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.082-3.289) and advanced pathologic TNM stage (p<0.001, 95%CI 1.462-4.213) were predictive of shorter survival. In multivariate analysis, advanced pathologic TNM stage (p=0.001, 95%CI 1.303-26.542) and high pretreatment NLR (p=0.005, 95%CI 1.713-6.378) remained independently associated with poor survival. Conclusions: High pre-treatment NLR is a significant independent predictor of shorter survival in patients with colorectal cancer. This parameter is a simple, easily accessible laboratory value for identifying patients with poorer prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4567-4570
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• 2013

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the commonest radiocurable cancer in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the treatment outcomes and late effects of radiotherapy for NPC patients treated in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Materials and Methods: All newly diagnosed patients with NPC referred for treatment to the Oncology unit at UMMC from 2004-2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment outcomes were 5 years overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), cause-specific survival (CSS), locoregional control (LRC) and radiotherapy-related late effects. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and differences in survival according to AJCC stage was compared using the log-rank test. Results: A total of 176 patients with newly diagnosed NPC were treated in UMMC during this period. Late presentation was common, with 33.5% presenting with T3-4 disease, 84.7% with N1-3 disease and 75.6% with AJCC stage 3-4 disease. Radical RT was given to 162 patients with 22.7% having RT alone and 69.3% having CCRT. The stipulated OTT was 7 weeks and 72.2% managed to complete their RT within this time period. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given to 14.8% while adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 16.5%. The 5 years OS was 51.6% with a median follow up of 58 months. The 5 years OS according to stage were 81.8% for stage I, 77.9% for stage II, 47.4% for stage III and 25.9% for stage IV. The 5 years overall CSS, DFS and LRC were 54.4%, 48.4% and 70.6%, respectively. RT related late effects were documented in 80.2%. The commonest was xerostomia (66.7%). Other documented late effects were hearing deficit (17.3%), visual deficit (3.1%), neck stiffness (3.1%), dysphagia (3.4%), cranial nerve palsy (2.5%), pneumonitis (0.6%) and hypothyroidism (1.2%). Conclusions: The 5 years OS and LRC in this study are low compared to the latest studies especially those utilizing IMRT. Implementation of IMRT for NPC treatment should be strongly encouraged.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8887-8891
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• 2014

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is predominantly a disease of middle-aged men with long-term exposure to tobacco and alcohol. An increasing trend has been reported at a younger age worldwide. Clinical records of 100 patients under the age of 45 years treated specifically for oral cavity SCC in our hospital during a 10-year period were retrospectively analyzed to calculate the survival rates. An obvious male predominance coincided with smoking trend among Chinese young individuals and female patients were more likely to have no traditional risk factors such as smoking or drinking. The 5-year overall survival rate and disease-free survival rate were 61.0% and 75.5%, respectively, consistent with other published series over the decade showing a relatively better survival among the young. No significant differences clearly correlated with outcome when comparing non-smokers non-drinkers to ever-smokers and ever drinkers (P>0.05). Overall survival rate and disease free survival rate was found to be significantly higher in patients with early-stage disease than with advanced stage disease (P=0.001, P=0.009 respectively). The strong influence of clinical stage on prognosis emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of oral malignancies for this unique clinical subgroup.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.217-222
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the result of combined Weil and dorsal closing wedge osteotomy for Freiberg's disease. Materials and Methods: We performed combined Weil and dorsal closing wedge osteotomy of the second metatarsal under the diagnosis of Freiberg's disease in 7 patients, 7 feet (2 male and 5 female). The mean age at the time of operation was 29 years and the mean follow-up period was 31 months. Patients had no trauma history and no combined deformity of the foot. The surgical results were evaluated by VAS and weight bearing radiographs in antero-posterior and oblique projection. Results: According to Smillie staging system, there were 1 of stage II, 2 of stage III and 4 of stage IV patients. The osteotomy site was united at 8 weeks and the second metatarsal was shortened in length of average 2.8 mm. Remodeling of the metatarsal head was observed at 24 months. The mean VAS was decreased from 8.2 points preoperatively to 2.7 points at follow-up. And average range of motion of second metatarso-phalangeal joint was increased from 30o preoperatively to 45o at follow-up. There was no transfer metatarsalgia or arthritis of the metatarsal head during follow-up. Conclusion: Combined Weil and dorsal closing wedge osteotomy of the metatarsal appears to be an effective procedure for the treatment of Freiberg's disease with a view to shortening of metatarsal length and elevation of metatarsal head.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.34.1-34.9
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• 2023

Dogs exhibit patterns of health issues that vary by life stage. An understanding of disease incidence with respect to breed and age/life stage could be an important component of canine health management and welfare. This study aimed to describe the age-specific disease incidence of 3 small dog breeds that attended veterinary clinics in the Republic of Korea, based on data from electronic veterinary medical records (EVMRs). A total of 40,785 EVMRs from Maltese (n = 21,355), Miniature Poodle (n = 11,658) and Shih Tzu dogs (n = 7,772) were analyzed. Common health problems in 3 small dog breeds were 'diseases of the skin' and 'diseases of the ear,' respectively. Among dogs aged ≤ 3 years, 'preventive medicine' was the most common cause cited for veterinary clinic visits. Among dogs aged 4 to 8 years, the most frequent health problems were 'diseases of the skin.' Among dogs aged 9 to 13 years, 'heart diseases,' 'kidney diseases,' 'mammary gland tumor,' and 'neoplasia (unspecified)' were considerably more frequent, compared to the rates in dogs ≤3 years. Among dogs aged ≥ 14 years, 'heart diseases' and 'sneezing/cough' were the main health problems. In all breeds, the frequencies of 'diseases of circulatory system,' 'diseases of respiratory system,' 'diseases of the nervous system,' 'endocrine' and 'neoplasia' increased rapidly with aging. This surveillance could inform strategies for disease screening tests and management based on life stage in these dog breeds and enable more effective health management.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2001

Intraoral soft tissue can easily be injured by weak mechanical irritation. Each symptom by irritation is various, but most of patients show chronic inflammatory lesion. The fibroma is the most frequent disease found in intraoral area followed by pyogenic granuloma, epulis fissuratum, palatal papillomatosis, and epulis granulomatosum. The inflammatory hyperplasia by mechnical irritation is easily different from other disease, but this shows similar to several benign and malignant tumors required differential diagnosis. By microscopic feature, the lesions is divided by granulatory stage, mixed stage, and fibrotic tissue stage. The inflammatory hyperplasia is differently treated by each clinical features.: only removal of cause or, and excisional biopsy is/are required. This is the cases report of reactive hyperplasia of intraoral soft tissue by mechanical irritation that suggests various treatments of each cases.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2002

Central Cancer Registry of Korean National Cancer Center in 1999 reported that mortality from lung cancer is higher than mortality from stomach cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma in Korean male. Lung cancer is classified into small cell cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and NSCLC patients account for $70\%$ of the whole lung cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel and cisplatin combination in Korean patients with NSCLC. All patients who had received the combination therapy of docetaxel and cisplatin for histologically confirmed NSCLC in Ajou University Hospital between 2000. $2\~2001$. 4 were retrospectively evaluated for the responses and toxicities of that combination therapy. Nineteen patients were treated with docetaxel 75 $mg/m^2$ on Day 1 and cisplatin 25 $mg/m^2$ on Day 1-3 every 4 weeks. The response for combination regimen was evaluated by CT scans after 2 or 3 cycles of treatments. Seventeen patients were evaluated for the responses and the 19 patients far the toxicities. Among the 19 patients (14 men and 5 women), there were one patient $(5.3\%)$ with stage I disease, 4 patients $(21.1\%)$ with stage III disease, and 14 patients $(73.1\%)$ with stage IV disease. Of the 17 patients who were evaluable for response, complete response (CR) was not observed in any patient while partial response (PR) was observed in 5 patients $(29.4\%)$. The overall response rate (CR+PR) was $29.4\%$. Stable disease (SD) was observed in 11 patients $(64.7\%)$ and progressive disease (PD) in 1 patient $(5.9\%)$. The toxicities were graded by NCI (National Cancer Institute) Common Toxicity Criteria for the evaluable 70 cycles. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 53 cycles $(76\%)$. Four patients were hospitalized due to febrile neutropenia. The combination chemotherapy of docetaxel and cisplatin was effective as NSCLC treatments, however, the regimen must be administered carefully due to its hematological side effects.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.396-405
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• 2022

Purpose: This study evaluated the predictive role of fecal calprotectin (FC) measured at an early stage of treatment for monitoring clinical remission (CR) after six months and endoscopic remission (ER) after one year of treatment in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: This retrospective study included 45 patients who simultaneously underwent ileocolonoscopy and FC testing during follow-up. FC levels were measured before and after six weeks of treatment. CR was assessed after six months of treatment using Pediatric Crohn' s Disease Activity Index and acute-phase reactants. ER was assessed after one year using the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease. Results: Twenty-nine (64.4%) patients used oral prednisolone for remission induction and 16 (35.6%) patients used anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Thirty (66.7%) patients achieved CR, while 24 (53.3%) achieved ER. The FC level measured after six weeks of treatment could predict CR (χ²=9.15, p=0.0025) and ER (χ²=12.31, p=0.0004). The δFC could predict CR (χ²=7.91, p=0.0049), but not ER (χ²=1.85, p=0.1738). With a threshold of ≤950.4 ㎍/g, FC at week six could predict CR with 76.7% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.769 (standard error 0.0773, p=0.0005). The same threshold predicted ER with 87.5% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity. The AUC was 0.774 (standard error 0.074, p=0.0002). Conclusion: FC assay at an early stage of treatment can be used as a surrogate marker to predict CR and mucosal healing in pediatric CD.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.185-188
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• 2017

Primary liver tumor, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a common cause of cancer death worldwide. The incidence is generally higher in Asian countries than in western countries. Carcinogenesis of HCC is often associated with hepatitis viral infections. Current standard treatment of HCC is surgical resection or transplantation in patients with early stage disease. However, the patient with advanced stage disease, surgical resection is often limited. Sorafenib or other treatment modalities are not so effective as well. We report a case of unusual radiation super-sensitivity in advanced stage HCC, and review the literature.