• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.137-140
• /
• 1987

In brachytherapy of uterine conical cancer using a high dose rate remote afterloading system, it is of prime importance to deliver a accurate dose in each fractionated treatment by minimizing the difference between the pre-treatment planned and post-treatment calculated doses. The post-treatment calculated point A dose was not much different from the pretreatment planned dose (500 cGy). The $average{\pm}standard$ deviation was $500\pm18cGy$ and 84 percent of 82 intracavitary radiotherapy was within the range of $500\pm25cGy$.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.303-310
• /
• 1991

Nineteen patients with previously untreated invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated by irradiation alone at the Keimyung University Hospital from January, 1990 to July, 1991. The serial samplings of the tissue taken before and during radiation of the uterine cervix were studied by light and electron microscopic examination. Radiation-induced cellular changes, particularly nuclear degeneration was pronounced. The tumor invasion pattern remained unchanged but the number of mitosis and tumor cells decreased, The number of infiltrating inflammatory cells, multinucleated giant cells and karyolytic cells were increased with radiation. Fibrosis was also increased. Electron microscopically, the amount of tonofilament in the tissue samplings was increased in the postirradiated state, but the desmosomes were decreased in numbers. Fibroblasts began to appear after an irradiation dose of 2700 cGy. After an irradiation dose of 3000 cGy or more, tumor cells were nearly completely degenerated and displaced with mature fibrotic tissue. There was an increase of activated fibroblasts and collagen fibers but a decrease of inflammatory cells in the interstitial tissue. Swelling of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, loss of intercellular bridges and an increased number of secondary lysosomes were also found with radiation.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.124-129
• /
• 2004

Purpose : To evaluate the clinical findings, prognosis and treatment strategy of patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix were included in this study, as confirmed histologically and immunohistochemically at the Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University, between May 1944 and October 2001. The mean age of patients was 56 years with a range of 32 to 78 years of age. According to the FIGO staging system, there were 5 patients with stage IB carcinoma, 5 patients with IIA, and 3 patients with stage IIB. Four patients underwent radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy, 3 of these patients also received postoperative radiotherapy, and one patient underwent extrafascial hysterectomy after radiotherapy. Primary radiotherapy was done in 9 patients, and 3 were irradiated postoperatively. Nine patients received chemotherapy, 7 received neoadjuvant and 2 received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The radical purpose of radiotherapy consisted of external irradiation to the whole pelvis (4,500 $\~$5,400 cGy) and intracavitary irradiation (3,000 $\~$ 3,500 cGy). Results : The mean follow up duration was 36 months with a range of 3 to 104 months. The overall 5-year survival rate was 61.5$\%$ and the 5-year survival rates for stage IB, IIA, IIB were 60.0$\%$, 60.0$\%$, and 66.7$\%$ respectively (p=0.99). Eight patients are still alive without disease, and all of the 5 patients with recurrence are dead due to distant metastasis. Conclusion : Neuroendocrine carcinoma of cervix is highly aggressive, with early lymphatic dissemination and a high rate of distant recurrence. Therefore, an aggressive therapeutic strategy Is required to obtain pelvic and distant disease control. Multimodal therapy should be considered at the time of Initial diagnosis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.136-141
• /
• 2001

Purpose : To evaluate the significance of serum SCC for the monitoring of treatment response and the early detection of distant metastasis during radiotherapy (RT). Materials and Methods : In 13 patients with histologically proven primary squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix, serum SCC values were checked in pre-RT point, weekly during RT, and in post-RT point. Results : In 4 of 13 cases, metastasis appeared at the end of external RT, so that intracavitary radiation couldn't be peformed.01 these 4 cases,3 with elevated pre-RT SCC level, who resulted in lung metastasis on chest PA at the end of external RT showed decreased post-RT SCC value despite of metastasis. Of all 10 cases with elevated pre-RT SCC value (including 3 with metastasis at the end of external RT), SCC value was higher than pre-RT value in 7 at 9 Gy and the difference was statistically significant. At 18 Gy, SCC was higher in 4 and lower in 6 than pre-RT value. After 18 Gy, SCC value decreased continuously to the end of RT in all 10 cases. Conclusion : During RT, SCC value increased initially at 9 Gy. To 18 Gy, SCC value decreased to the nearly same with pre-RT value. After 18 Gy, to the end of RT, SCC value decreased continuously and normalized in completely responded cases. In cases with appearance of lung metastasis, SCC value also decreased with the disappearance of main mass of uterine cervix despite metastasis.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 1992

To identify pretreatment prognostic factors in locally advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix, retrospective analysis was undertaken of 154 patients treated with curative radiation therapy at Seoul National University Hospital, from March 1979 through December 1986. According to FIGO classification, eight patients were stage IIIA, 134 were stage IIIB, and 12 were stage IVA. Five year locoregional control rate was $58\%$, $51\%$, and $27\%$ in stage IIIA, IIIB, and IVA, respectively. Five year disease free survival was $57\%$, $40\%$, and $25\%$ for each stage respectively. Five year overall survival was $67\%$, $51\%$, and $33\%$ in stage IIIA, IIIB, and IVA, respectively. In univariate analysis, fewer than or equal to four of pregnancies, initial hemoglobin of lower than $10\;g\%$, and pelvic sidewall invasion on CT were associated with poor locoregional control. Number of pregnancies, initial hemoglobin level, obstructive uropathy on intavenous pyelography (IVP), pelvic lymph node (LN) status on CT, and pelvic sidewall invasion on CT were significant factors in disease free survival. In terms of overall survival, pelvic sidewall invasion on CT and bladder invasion on CT were prognostically significant. In multivariate analysis, no factor was found to affect locoregional control and pelvic LN status was a sole significant factor affecting disease free survival. in terms of overall survival, the size.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.121-128
• /
• 1988

Clinical and histopathological studies were made on 202 cases of malignancy of cervix, that were visited to the Department of Obstertrics and Gynecology, Yeungnam University Hospital, during 5 years from 1983 to 1987. The results were summarised as follows. 1. Malignancies of the uterine cervix were 10% of total female malignancies. 2. Among 202 cases, 195 cases(96.5%) were squamous cell carcinoma, in which 60 cases(30.0%) of carcinoma in situ, 9 cases(4%) of microinvasive, and 126 cases(62.5%) of invasive carcinoma were included. 3. The average age of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma was 49.4 years old. ; In cases of carcinoma in situ, it was 43.8, microinvasive, 40.0, invasive 52.1 years old. 4. Clinical symptoms of the patient with squamous cell carcinoma in order of frequency were as follows. ; vaginal bleeding(47.5%), abnormal cytology(15.4%), and abnormal vaginal discharge(9.4%). 5. Duration of the chief complaints was most commanly less than 6 months(73.2%), and the average duration was 3.8 months. 6. The most common age of marriage was between 19 to 22 years 0Id(46.5%). The average was 21.5 years old. 7. The gravity was 51.5% in 5~8 times, and average 6.2 times. The parity was 61.9% in 1~4 times, and average 3.9 times. 8. The subdivision of 126 cases of invasive carcinoma was made according to FIGO stage classification, stage I, 40 cases(31.8%), stage II, 54 cases(42.9%), stage III, 11 cases(8.7%), and stage IV, 8 cases(6.3%). 9. The histologic subtypes of invasive squamous cell carcinoma were distributed as follows. ; large cell keratinizing type, 25 cases(19.8%), large cell nonkeratinizing type, 101 cases(80.2%). 10. In the cytologic diagnosis, class I was 2 cases(l.9%), class II was 16 cases(15.1%), class III was 33 cases(31.1%), class IV was 31 cases(29.3%), class V was 24 cases(24.6%). 11. The frequency of lymph node metastasis was 7.5% in stage I, and 11.1% in stage II.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.269-273
• /
• 2004

Squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) associated antigen is a subfraction of TA-4, a tumor-associated antigen first described by Kato and Torigoe in 1977. TA-4, obtained from squamous cell carcinoma cancer tissue of the uterine cervix, has been characterized as a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 45,000 daltons. SCC antigen has been studied in other squamous cell malignancies including lung, esophagus, head and neck, anal canal, and skin. SCC antigen is shed naturally through sweat, saliva and other body fluids. Contamination of specimens, tray, bead dispenser or other accessories with sweat, saliva or aerosols can cause falsely elevated values. To reduce the possibility of contamination, gloves should be worn in all phases of assay preparation, and when handling specimens, accessories or reagents that will be used in SCC and Thyroid function test(TFT).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.211-219
• /
• 1996

Purpose : Hysterectomy without lymph node dissection was considered an inadequate treatment method for invasive uterine cervix cancer. Usually the procedure was performed inadvertently on patients who were thought to have benign or premalignant conditions preoperatively. We analysed radiotherapy results of such patients to evaluate survival rates, failure patterns and prognostic factors according to various conditions. Materials and Methods : Sixty one patients undergoing hysterectomy in the presence of invasive cervical carcinoma were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative diagnosis were carcinoma in situ (38 cases), severe dysplasia (2), myoma (6), uterine bleeding (4), uterine prolapse (2). and early invasive cervix cancer (10) (One patient had myoma and carcinoma in situ coincidently). Patients received postoperative megavoltage radiotherapy from August 1985 to December 1993, and minimum follow-up period was 24 months. Eight patients received ICR only, 6 patients ICR and external radiation, and 47 patients received external radiation therapy only. Results : Overall 5-year survival rate and relapse-free survival rate werer $83.8\%$, $86.9\%$ respectively. For patients with retrospective stage IA, IB, IIB (gross residual after surgery), and vaginal cuff recurrence were $90.9\%$, $88.8\%$, $38.4\%$, and $100\%$ respectively There were 8 cases of treatment failure, most of them (5/8) were in patients with gross residual disease, other patients were full thickness involvement of cervix wall (2/8) except one. Patients with early vaginal cuff recurrence and microinvasive cervical cancer (stage IA) had no treatment related failure Prognostic factors affecting survival by univariate analysis were status of residual disease, tumor histology and retrospective stage. Conclusion : Adjuvant radiotherapy appeared to be effective treatment method for patients with presumed stage IA, IB and early local recurrent disease after inadvertent hysterectomy Survivals for patients with gross disease remained after inappropriate hysterectomy was poor, So, early cancer detection and Proper management with precise pretreatment s1aging is necessary to avoid inadherent hysterectomy especially in the cases of gross residual disease.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.113-119
• /
• 1998

Purpose : Because adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix have lower 5-year survival rate than squamous cell carcinomas due to early lymph node metastasis and local extension, scrutiny of lymph node metastasis and local extension by radiologic examination is necessary in case of clinically diagnosed or suspected adenocarcinomas. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether there are specific findings of these tumors, compared with squamous cell carcinomas, through the analysis of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings. Materials and Methods : Of 21 pathologically proven cervical adenocarcinomas, MR imaging findings of 18 tumors (histologic staging : two Ib, four IIa, two IIb, one IIIa, and one IIIb) were retrospectively analyzed and compared with those of 40 wquamous cell carcinoma in consecutive patients as a control group. T1-wetighted and fast spin echo T2-weighted images were obtained on the axial and sagittal planes, using a 1.5-T MR scanner. The largest diameter, location, signal intensity and degree of contrast enhancement contour, shape and longitudinal extent of the tumor and associated findings on MR image were analyzed. Results : The largest diameters of cervical adenocarcinomas ranged from 0.8 to 4.1 cm(mean, 2.2 cm). Of 18 adenocarcinomas, nine were of endocervical type. All adenocarcinomas were isointense to surrounding cervical stroma on T1-weighted images and hyperintense(homogeneous in ten, inhomogeneous in eight) on fast spin echo T2-weighted images. Adenocarcinomas enhanced on contrast study in all patients (homogeneous in six, inhomogeneous in 12 with hyperintese enhnacing rim in two). Eight adenocarcinomas had smooth contours and ten had irregular ones. The shape of adenocarcinoma was irregular in eight patients, barrel shape in six, papillary/polypod in three, and nodular in one. All adenocarcinomas involved lower half of the uterine cervix and six tumors extended up to the upper half. Pelvic lymph nodes of more than 1.5cm in diameter in two adenocarcinomas pateints and no detectable small pelvic lymph nodes on MR imaging in one patient were pathologically positive. Hydrometra was associated in two adenocarcinomas patients, and hematometra in one patient. Compared with squamous cell carcinomas, more frequent MR findings of endocervical type and barrel shape in cervical adenocarcinomas were statistically significant. Conclusion : Cervical adenocarcinomas had more frequent MR findings of endocervical type and barrel shape, compared with wquamous cell carcinomas. Adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix may be suspected on MR imaging, when a cervical carcinoma is of barrel shape along the endocervical canal and tends to involve lymth nodes in earlier stages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.5049-5053
• /
• 2014

Background: To investigate the expression of CD44v3 and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and their relationship with lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the uterine cervix. Materials and Methods: Expression of CD44v3 and VEGF-C was analyzed in 109 cases of cervical SCC by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship was analyzed between expression and the patient age, histological differentiation, formation of tumor emboli in lymphoid vessels, lymph node metastasis, FIGO staging, and TNM classification. Results: Expression rates for both CD44v3 and VEGF-C were 43.1% in cervical SCC. The cells with positive immunohistochemical staining of CD44v3 were distributed mainly around the keratin pearls in well differentiated carcinomas, but distributed diffusely in the moderately and poorly differentiated lesions. VEGF-C was found stained positively in most of the tumor cells. There were differences in expression between normal epithelium and atypical hyperplasia as well as carcinoma. Both CD44v3 and VEGF-C were found to be associated positively with lymph node metastasis and TNM classification (both p=0.000). Neither CD44v3 nor VEGF-C was found to be associated with patient age, histological differentiation, formation of tumor emboli in lymphoid vessels and FIGO staging. CD44v3 was found to be associated with VEGF-C positively (p=0.000). Conclusions: Abnormal expression of CD44v3 and VEGF-C is associated closely with the lymph node metastasis in cervical SCC, and these agents may cooperate in carcinogenesis and development of metastatic lesions.