• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.234-240
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• 2010

Purpose: Most gastric cancer patients undergo operations at large tertiary hospitals in Korea. However, some patients are treated at low volume hospitals. We investigated patient outcomes after gastric surgery at a secondary hospital and compared with outcomes of large volume centers. Materials and Methods: We included 184 patients who underwent gastric surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital from January 2003 to December 2008. We conducted a retrospective study and evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes and survival rate of patients. Results: Mean age was 61.7 years old. Male to female ratio was 2.2 : 1. Proportion of early gastric cancer was 38.6% and that of advanced gastric cancer was 61.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate of 184 patients was 66.3%. The overall survival rate was significantly lower for people over 62 years old. The morbidity rate and mortality at our hospital were 10.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Conclusions: The overall survival rate, morbidity and mortality were similar to those of the previous reports from Korea. Treatment of gastric cancer at a secondary hospital is feasible and safe. Standardization of operations and management of gastric cancer patients of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association is the most important factor to achieve these outcomes.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.686-695
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• 1993

A total of eighty one patients with resected stage II and IIIA non-small cell lung cancer treated with postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy between Jan. 1971 and Dec. 1990 were retrospectively analysed to evaluate whether postoperative radiation therapy improves survival. Patterns of failure and prognostic factors were also analysed. The 5 year overall and disease free survival rate were 40.5%, 43.4% and median survival 30 months. The 5 year actuarial survival rates by stage II and IIIA were 53.9% and 36.2%. Loco-regional failure rate was 14.7% and distant metastasis rate was 33.3% and both 4%. Statistically significant prognostic factor affecting survival was presence of mediastinal lymph node metastasis[N2]. This retrospective study suggests that postoperative radiation therapy in resected stage II and IIIA non-small cell lung cancer can reduce loco-regional recurrence and may improve survival rate as compared with other studies which were treated by surgery alone.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7401-7407
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• 2013

Aim: To compare survival outcomes after whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and WBRT plus SRS combination therapy in Korea, by performing a quantitative systematic review. Materials and Methods: We searched 10 electronic databases for reports on Korean patients treated with WBRT or SRS for brain metastases published prior to July 2010. Independent reviewers screened all articles and extracted the data. When a Kaplan-Meier survival curve was available, median survival time and standard errors were calculated. Summary estimates for the outcomes in each study were calculated using the inverse variance random-effects method. Results: Among a total of 2,761 studies, 20 studies with Korean patients (n=1,053) were identified. A combination of 12 studies (n=566) with WBRT outcomes showed a median survival time of 6.0 months (95%CI: 5.9-6.2), an overall survival rate of 5.6% (95%CI: 1-24), and a 6-month survival rate of 46.5% (95%CI: 37.2-56.1). For nine studies (n=412) on SRS, the median survival was 7.9 months (95%CI: 5.1-10.8), and the 6-month survival rate was 63.1% (95%CI: 49.8-74.8). In six studies (n=75) using WBRT plus SRS, the median survival was 10.7 months (95%CI: 4.7-16.6), and the overall and 6-month survival rates were 16.8% (95%CI: 6.2-38.2) and 85.7% (95%CI: 28.3-96.9), respectively. Conclusions: WBRT plus SRS showed better 1-year survival outcome than of WBRT alone for Korean patients with metastatic brain tumors. However, the results of this analysis have to be interpreted cautiously, because the risk factors of patients were not adjusted in the included studies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.297-304
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• 2016

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (RT), in patients with extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer by comparing the survival rate between patients undergoing surgery alone or surgery plus postoperative RT, and to identify the prognostic factors affecting survival. Materials and Methods: Between 2000 and 2013, 52 patients with EHBD cancer underwent surgical resection. Of these, 33 patients did not receive postoperative RT (group I), and 19 patients did (group II). R1 resection was significantly more frequent in group II. The median radiation dose was 5,040 cGy. Results: The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate for group I and group II was 38% and 56%, respectively (p = 0.274). The 3-year disease free survival (DFS) rate for group I and group II was 20% and 31%, respectively (p = 0.049), and the 3-year loco-regional recurrence free survival (LRFS) rates were 19% and 58%, respectively (p = 0.002). Multivariate analyses showed that postoperative RT and lymphovascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for DFS and LRFS. Overall, 42 patients (80%) experienced treatment failure. Distant metastasis was the predominant pattern of failure in group II. Conclusion: Postoperative RT after surgical resection appeared to improve the loco-regional control and DFS rate. More effort is needed to reduce distant metastasis, the major pattern of failure, in patients who receive postoperative RT.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.4085-4089
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• 2014

Background: Atelectasis is an important prognostic factor that can cause pleuritic chest pain, coughing or dyspnea, and even may be a cause of death. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential impact of atelectasis and PET parameters on survival and the relation between atelectasis and PET parameters. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of patients with lung cancer with or without atelectasis who underwent $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT examination before receiving any treatment. $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT derived parameters including tumor size, SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, total lesion glycosis (TLG), SUV mean of atelectasis area, atelectasis volume, and histological and TNM stage were considered as potential prognostic factors for overall survival. Results: Fifty consecutive lung cancer patients (22 patients with atelectasis and 28 patients without atelectasis, median age of 65 years) were evaluated in the present study. There was no relationship between tumor size and presence or absence of atelectasis, nor between presence/absence of atelectasis and TLG of primary tumors. The overall one-year survival rate was 83% and median survival was 20 months (n=22) in the presence of atelectasis; the overall one-year survival rate was 65.7% (n=28) and median survival was 16 months (p=0.138) in the absence of atelectasis. With respect to PFS; the one-year survival rate of AT+ patients was 81.8% and median survival was 19 months; the one-year survival rate of AT-patients was 64.3% and median survival was 16 months (p=0.159). According to univariate analysis, MTV, TLG and tumor size were significant risk factors for PFS and OS (p<0.05). However, SUVmax was not a significant factor for PFS and OS (p>0.05). Conclusions: The present study suggested that total lesion glycolysis and metabolic tumor volume were important predictors of survival in lung cancer patients, in contrast to SUVmax. In addition, having a segmental lung atelectasis seems not to be a significant factor on survival.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.3-6
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• 2004

Background and Objectives: Nodal metastasis is one of the prognostic factors in salivary gland cancer. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors of nodal metastasis considered as a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with salivary gland cancer. Material and Methods: The authors retrospectively studied 82 patients with salivary gland cancer who underwent surgery from 1992 to 2002. We analyzed age, sex, tumor size, histologic type and 5-year survival rate to compare patients with and without nodal metastasis. Results: Mean age was 55.4 years, with a male-female ratio of 1 : 1.28. The overall 5-year survival rate was 85.5%. Among the 82 patients, 14 patients had nodal metastasis. There was no nodal metastasis in low grade malignancy. In patients without nodal metastasis, mean age was 52.5 years and the overall 5-year survival rate was 94.2%. In patients with nodal metastasis, mean age was 69.4 years and the overall 5-year survival rate was 42.9%. In patients with less advanced cancer (T1-T2 stage), the nodal metastasis was 7.5% and with advanced cancer (T3-T4 stage), 33.3%. Conclusion: Nodal metastasis significantly decreases survival in patients with salivary gland malignancy. High grade malignancy, large tumor size and old age are important risk factors of nodal metastasis. Nodal metastasis is more common in submandibular gland cancer compared with parotid gland cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.235-246
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• 1988

A total of 93 patients with rectal cancer treated with radiotherapy at department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center between January 1974 and December 1983 are retrospectively analysed. The patients are divided into three groups as follows: I. Postoperative radiotherapy, II. Postoperative recurrent, III. Unresectable or Inoperable group. In postoperative radiotherapy group, overall 5 year survival rate is $34.8\%$ and prognostic factors are presence of obstruction and degree of differentiation. In postoperative recurrent group, overall 2 year survival rate is $7.4\%$ with median survival of 13 months and prognostic factors are RT responsiveness and sex, and the local failure rate is $22.7\%$. In unresectable or inoperable group, overall 2 year survival rate is $19.8\%$ with median survival of 12.6 months and prognostic factors are RT responsiveness and RT dose. The complications for RT are not significant and are acceptable in all patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.317-325
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• 2017

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become an important treatment modality in pediatric patients with cardiopulmonary failure, but few studies have been conducted in Korea. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of pediatric patients younger than 18 years who were placed on ECMO between January 2004 and December 2014 at Samsung Medical Center. Results: We identified 116 children on ECMO support. The overall rate of successful weaning was 51.7%, and the survival to discharge rate was 37.1%. There were 39, 61, and 16 patients on ECMO for respiratory, cardiac, and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, respectively. The weaning rate in each group was 48.7%, 55.7%, and 43.8%, respectively. The survival rate was 43.6%, 36.1%, and 25.0%, respectively. Sixteen patients on ECMO had functional single ventricle physiology; in this group, the weaning rate was 43.8% and the survival rate was 31.3%. Ten patients were on ECMO as a bridge to transplantation (8 for heart and 2 for lung). In patients with heart transplantation, the rate of survival to transplantation was 50.0%, and the overall rate of survival to discharge was 37.5%. Conclusion: An increasing trend in pediatric ECMO utilization was observed. The outcomes were favorable considering the early experiences that were included in this study and the limited supply of specialized equipment for pediatric patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.228-234
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• 2013

Objective : We have limited understanding on the presentation and survival of primary spinal sarcomas. The survival, recurrence rate, and related prognostic factors were investigated after treatment for primary sarcomas of the spine. Methods : Retrospective analysis of medical records and radiological data was done for 29 patients in whom treatment was performed due to primary sarcoma of the spine from 2000 to 2010. As for treatment method, non-radical operation, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy were simultaneously or sequentially combined. Overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), ambulatory function, and pain status were analyzed. In addition, factors affecting survival and recurrence were analyzed : age (${\leq}42$ or ${\geq}43$), gender, tumor histologic type, lesion location (mobile spine or rigid spine), weakness at diagnosis, pain at diagnosis, ambulation at diagnosis, initial treatment, radiation therapy, kind of irradiation, surgery, chemotherapy and distant metastasis. Results : Median OS was 60 months, the recurrence rate was 79.3% and median PFS was 26 months. Patients with distant metastasis showed significantly shorter survival than those without metastasis. No factors were found to be significant relating to recurrence. Prognostic factor associated with walking ability was the presence of weakness at diagnosis. Conclusion : Primary spinal sarcomas are difficult to cure and show high recurrence rate. However, the development of new treatment methods is improving survival.