• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.3915-3920
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• 2014

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a dismal tumor with a high incidence, prevalence and poor prognosis and survival. Management of HCC necessitates multidisciplinary clinics due to the wide heterogeneity in its presentation, different therapeutic options, variable biologic behavior and background presence of chronic liver disease. We studied the different prognostic factors that affected survival of our patients to improve future HCC management and patient survival. Materials and Methods: This study is performed in a specialized multidisciplinary clinic for HCC in Kasr El Eini Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt. We retrospectively analyzed the different patient and tumor characteristics and the primary mode of management applied to our patients. Further analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate statistics. Results: During the period February 2009 till February 2013, 290 HCC patients presented to our multidisciplinary clinic. They were predominantly males and the mean age was $56.5{\pm}7.7years$. All cases developed HCC on top of cirrhosis that was mainly due to HCV (71%). Most of our patients were Child-Pugh A (50%) or B (36.9%) and commonly presented with small single lesions. Transarterial chemoembolization was the most common line of treatment used (32.4%). The overall survival was 79.9% at 6 months, 54.5% at 1 year and 22.4% at 2 years. Serum bilirubin, site of the tumor and type of treatment were the significant independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions: Our main prognostic variables are the bilirubin level, the bilobar hepatic affection and the application of specific treatment (either curative or palliative). Multidisciplinary clinics enhance better HCC management.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7467-7472
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is known to be one of the most prevalent cancers among women in both developing and developed countries. The incidence of breast cancer in Pakistan has increased dramatically within the last few years and is the second country after Israel in Asia to have highest proportional cases of breast cancer. However, there are limited data for breast cancer available in the literature from Pakistan. Objectives: The study was conducted to bring to light the common clinical presentation of breast cancer and to evaluate the frequency of established risk factors in breast carcinoma patients and furthermore to compare the findings between premenopausal and postmenopausal women in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: A 6 months (from July 2012 to Dec 2012) cross sectional survey was conducted in Surgical and Oncology Units of Civil Hospital, Karachi. Data were collected though a well developed questionnaire from 105 female patients diagnosed with carcinoma of breast and analyzed using SPSS version 17. Institutional ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection. Results: Out of 105 patients, 43 were premenopausal and 62 were postmenopausal, 99 being married. Mean age at diagnosis was $47.8{\pm}12.4years$. A painless lump was the most frequent symptom, notived by 77.1%(n=81). Some 55.2% (n=58) patients had a lump in the right breast and 44.8%(n=47) in the left breast. In the majority of cases, the lump was present in upper outer quadrant 41.9% (n=44). Mean period of delay from appearance of symptoms to consulting a doctor was $5.13{\pm}4.8months$, from the shortest 1 month to the longest 36 months. Long delay (> 3 months) was the most frequent figure 41.9%. Considering overall risk factors most frequent were first pregnancy after 20 years of age (41%), physical breast trauma (28.6%), lack of breast feeding(21.9%), and early menarche <11 years (19%), followed by null parity (16.2%), consumption of high fat diet (15.2%), family history of breast cancer or any other cancer in first degree relatives (9.5% and 13.3%, respectively). Some of the less common factors were late menopause >54 years (8.6%), use of oral contraceptive pills (10.5%), use of hormone replacement therapy (4.7%),smoking (4.7%) and radiation (0.96%). Significant differences (p<0.005) were observed between pre and post menopausal women regarding history of physical breast trauma, practice of breast feeding and parity. Conclusions: A painless lump was the most frequent clinical presentation noted. Overall age at first child > 20 years, physical breast trauma, lack of breast feeding, early menarche <11 were the most frequent risk factors. Physical breast trauma, lower parity, a trend for less breast feeding had more significant associations with pre-menopausal than post-menopausal onset. Increase opportunity of disease prevention can be obtained through better understanding of clinical presentation and risk factors important in the etiology of breast cancer.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.123-128
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• 2015

Osteosarcoma is the most frequent primary bone tumor. Advances in combination chemotherapy and surgical technique have greatly improved the survival of patients with osteosarcoma. In Korea, improvements in osteosarcoma treatment have been made over the past two decades. The 5-year event-free survival rate of Korean children and adolescents with localized disease is 64.6%, comparable to that of American or European patients. This article provides an overview of current therapies for osteosarcoma in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.247.1-247
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• 2001

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.627-632
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• 1993

A clinical study was performed on 64 cases of the esophageal diseases experienced at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery of Kyungpook University Hospital from Jan. 1988 through Dec. 1992. The results were as follows: The most common esophageal disease was cancer which occurred in 37.5% of the total. In esophageal cancer patients, 24 cases were operated on and cancer resection was feasible in 19 cases with 2 cases of hospital death. The overall 1 year survival rate was 41.6% and the most favorable follow up result was revealed in stage I group. Esophageal stricture occurred in 22 cases and its causes were alkali and acid. The most common stricture site was mid-esphagus. Colon interposition was performed on 15 cases. Achalasia occured in 8 cases and was treated with modified Heller`s myotomy. Esophageal perforation occurred in 6 cases and its operative mortality rate was 16.6%. Two patients with congenital bronchoesophageal fistula were treated with surgical division. The first case, which occurred in an adult, is of Braimbridge,s typeII classification. The second one which occured in an child with sequestration, is of Braimbridge,s type IV classification. Diverticulectomy was performed in 1 case of esophageal diverticulum. Enucleation of tumor was performed in 1 case of esophageal leiomyoma.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10033-10038
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tobacco use, beliefs and risk awareness and psychosocial correlates of tobacco use among university students in 24 low, middle and emerging economy countries. Using anonymous questionnaires, data were collected from 16953 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.9, SD=2.9) from 25 universities in 24 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas. Results indicate that overall 13.3% of the university students were current tobacco users, 22.4% for men and 6.6% for women, ranging from 3.8% in Singapore to 32.5% in Cameroon. The risk awareness of the smoking lung cancer link was 83.6%, while the risk awareness of the smoking heart disease link was 46.5%. Multivariate logistic regression found that older age, male gender, having a wealthy family background, living in a low income country, residing off campus on their own, poor beliefs in the importance not to smoke, awareness of the smoking heart disease link, hit by a sexual partner, depressive symptoms, and substance use (binge drinking and illicit drug use) were associated with current tobacco use.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5921-5926
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• 2014

A large proportion of patients with thyroid nodules in China undergo thyroidectomy in order to get confirmatory histology diagnosis. The financial impact of this modality remains to be investigated. To evaluate rationality of performing thyroidectomy without a routine FNA preoperatively from the economic perspective, we conducted a retrospective, observational study of all archival thyroidectomies with records of cost per stay (CPS), cost per day (CPD) and length of stay (LOS) from 2008 to 2013 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. We compared all the parameters between cancer and non-cancer thyroidectomies. We recruited 6, 140 thyroidectomies with valid records of CPS, CPD and LOS in this period. The CPS of cancer thyroidectomy was significantly higher than non-cancer thyroidectomy. The percentage of cancer thyroidectomy increased from 26.5% to 41.6%. The percentage of annual cost of cancer thyroidectomies rose from 30.2% to 45.2%. The LOS for cancer and non-cancer thyroidectomy decreased while the CPD increased in the past six years. The estimated national cost in 2012 for all thyroidectomies would be USD 1.86 billion with USD 1.09 billion for non-cancer thyroidectomies. We have witnessed great improvement in the healthcare for patients with thyroid nodules in China. However, given limited healthcare resources, currently thyroid FNA for more precise preoperative diagnosis may help to curb the rapidly increasing demand in healthcare costs in the future for nodular thyroid disease in China.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.671-677
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• 2020

The number one female cancer in Korea is breast cancer, and the incidence rate continues to increase. There are many opinions that this is due to the impact of increased sedentary life along with economic growth. In this study, the international standard exercise status questionnaire was administered to patients and normal group who visited to the specialized cancer hospital in Korea, and to standardized scores of the exercise status (MET score) obtained from questionnaire were used to compare the impaction on breast cancer risk and difference of the MET score between the patients and control group. The ages of the study subjects were selected as subjects without statistical differences between the patients group and the normal group. also done with survey the family history, BMI, the menarche, age at birth of first child, the degree of education to exclude impaction on breast cancer risk depending on physical activity. In general, the breast cancer patients showed lower MET scores than the normal group, and the effect of activity on breast cancer was greater in post-menopausal women than in pre-menopausal women. Also BMI was similar to breast cancer risk. Maintaining proper weight through exercise can reduce the accumulation of carcinogens in breast cancer in the body, thereby reducing the incidence of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2539-2543
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• 2016

Background: In the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system, only sorafenib is suggested for HCC patients having performance status (PS) 1 or 2 even if they have treatable lesions. In the current study, we aimed to explore the outcome of using aggressive treatment for HCC patients with PS 1 and 2. Materials and Methods: Five hundred and twenty four patients with HCC were enrolled in this study and divided into 2 groups: 404 PS 1 and 120 PS 2. Of the included 524 patients, 136 recceived non-aggressive supportive treatment and sorafenib, while 388 patients were offered aggressive treatment in the form of surgical resection, transplantation, percutaneous ablation, trans-arterial chemoembolization and/or chemoperfusion. All the patients were followed up for a period of 2 years to determine their survival. Results: Most HCC patients were CHILD A and B grades (89.4% versus 85.0%, for PS1 and PS2, respectively). Patients with PS1 were significantly younger. Out of the enrolled 524 patients, 388 were offered aggressive treatment, 253 (65.2%) having their lesions fully ablated, 94 (24.2%) undergoing partial ablation and 41 patients with no ablation (10.6%). The median survival of the patients with PS 1 who were offered aggressive treatment was 20 months versus 9 months only for those who were offered supportive treatment and sorafenib (p<0.001). Regarding HCC patients with PS 2, the median survivals were similarly 19.7 months versus 8.7 months only (p<0.001). Conclusions: Aggressive treatment of HCC patients with PS 1 and 2 significantly improves their survival. Revising the BCLC guidelines regarding such patients is recommended.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2139-2144
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• 2012

Objective: Gastric cancer remains a major health problem in China. We hypothesized that XRCC1 Arg194Trp and ADPRT Val762Ala may be associated with risk. Methods: We designed a multicenter 1:1 matched case-control study of 307 pairs of gastric cancers and controls between October 2010 and August 2011. XRCC1 Arg194Trp and ADPRT Val762Ala were sequenced, and demographic data as well as lifestyle factors were collected using a self-designed questionnaire. Results: Individuals carrying XRCC1 Trp/Trp or Arg/Trp variant genotype had a significantly increased risk of gastric cancer (OR, 1.718; 95% CI, 1.190-2.479), while the OR for ADPRT Val762Ala variant genotype (Ala/Ala or Val/Ala) was 1.175 (95% CI, 0.796-1.737). No gene-gene or gene-environment interactions were found. In addition, family history of cancer and drinkers proportion were higher among cases than among controls (P<0.05). Conclusions: XRCC1 194 Arg/Trp or Trp/Trp genotype, family history of cancer, and drinking are suspected risk factors of gastric cancer from our study. Our findings may offer insight into further similar large gene-environment and gene-gene studies in this region.