• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.54-59
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• 1996

Liposarcoma is second in frequency only to malignant fibous histocytoma among the soft tissue sarcoma. Many different factors which might affect the survival rate of liposarcoma have been reported by many authors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate survival rate of liposarcoma and define the prognostic factors that affected survival rate. The authors analysed retrospectively 17 patients of liposarcoma in extremities from May 1984 to Dec. 1995 who had been treated in department of orthopaedic surgery of Kosin University Medical Center. All cases were resected with marginal or wide margin. There were 9 men and 8 women. The mean age was 48 years. The follow-up period ranged from 15 to 96 months. We compared the prognosis of the patients with several factors; age, sex, surgical staging, size, site, histologic type and treatment modality. At last follow-up, the presence of local recurrence was in 3 cases and the presence of lung metastasis was in 8 cases. The survival rates by Kaplan-Meier product limit method at 2 years and 5 years were 87% and 57% respectively. The statististically significant difference was estimated in histologic type, but was not estimated in age, sex surgical staging, size, site and treatment modality. In conclusion, the histologic type is considered as the most important factor of the prognosis in liposarcoma. Although it was too few patients for the differences to be statistically significant, we consider that surgical staging, site, size, the radio-therapy and chemothrapy in liposarcoma will affect the prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.10
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• pp.4233-4238
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• 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of body mass index with overall and progression-free survival as well as other prognostic factors of breast cancer in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 456 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the Radiation Oncology department of Kayseri Teaching Hospital between 2005 and 2013. We investigated relationship of body mass index with prognosis and other prognostic factors. Results: The study included 456 patients (447 women and 9 men). Mean age at presentation was 55.6 years. Of the cases, 96.9% underwent modified radical mastectomy and 95.0% received chemotherapy, while 82.4% received radiotherapy and 60.0% were given hormone therapy. Body mass index was >25 mg/kg2 in 343 cases. Five- and 10-years overall survival rates were 77% and 58% whereas progression-free survival rates were 65% and 49%, respectively. In univariate analyses, factors including stage (p=0.046), tumor diameter (p=0.001), lymph node metastasis (p=0.006) and body mass index (p=0.030) were found to be significantly associated with overall survival, while perinodal involvement was found to be significantly associated with progression-free survival (p=0.018). In multivariate analysis, stage (p=0.032; OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.1-13), tumor diameter (p<0.000; OR: 0.0; 95% CI: 0.0-0.3), lymph node metastasis (p=0.005; OR: 0.0; 95% CI: 0.0-0.5) and BMI (p=0.027; OR: 0.02; 95% CI: 0.0-0.8) remained as significantly associated with OS. Conclusions: In our study, it was seen that overall survival time was shorter in underweight and obese patients when compared to normal weight patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9233-9239
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• 2014

Background: We aimed to evaluate the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression discordance in matched pairs of primary breast cancer and lymph node metastasis specimens and determine the effect of discordance on prognosis. Materials and Methods: Among all patients diagnosed with lymph node metastases from 2004 to 2007, primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases were resected from 209 patients. The status of ER, PR, and HER2 expression was analyzed immunohistochemically in 200, 194, and 193 patients, respectively. Discordance was correlated with prognosis. Results: Biomarker discordance between primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases was 25.0% (50/200) for ER status, 28.9% (56/194) for PR status, and 14.0% (27/193) for HER2 status. ER positivity was a significant independent predictor of improved survival when analyzed in primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Patients with PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases displayed significantly enhanced survival compared to patients with PR-positive primary tumors and PR-negative lymph node metastases. Patients with ER- and PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases who received endocrine therapy after surgery displayed significantly better survival than those not receiving endocrine therapy. Similalry treated patients with PR-negative primary tumors and PR-positive paired lymph node metastases also displayed better survival than those not receiving endocrine therapy. Conclusions: Biomarker discordance was observed in matched pairs of primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Such cases displayed poor survival. Thus, it is important to reassess receptor biomarkers used for lymph node metastases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3697-3701
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• 2015

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CHCA) is serious public health problem in Thailand, especially in the northeastern and northern regions. CHCA is known as one of the most aggressive malignant tumors associated with local invasion and a high rate of metastasis. A crucial step in the invasion process is the proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and basal membranes, for which several studies have shown a critical role played by matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP-11). Objective: This study aim to detect MMP-11 expression in CHCA specimens and any correlation with survival time. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 30 patients with CHCA in Rajvithi hospital, who had undergone immunohistochemical staining of MMP-11. Relationships between clinicopathological data and MMP-11 expression in CHCA specimens were analyzed by the ${\chi}^2$ test or Fisher's exact test. The estimated survival and the survival differences were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test, respectively. Results: MMP-11 expression was found in 15 specimens (50%). The overall mean survival time is 237.0 days (95% CI 135.4-338.5, SD 271.9). Specimens with a positive MMP-11 had an average survival time of 136.7 days (95%CI 50.3-223.1, SD 156.0). Survival differences was signficant for the positive and negative MMP-11(p=0.022), but not well differentiated tumor and moderate to poor differentiated tumor (p=0.755), CA19-9 level of >1,000 and <1,000 (p=0.488), and between advanced and non-advanced staging (p=0.388). Conclusions: The positive MMP-11 expression indicates poor prognosis in CHCA specimens.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.807-812
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• 2014

Background: The clinical course of the neoplasm may vary due to both patient and tumor cell characteristics. Aim: The aim of this study was to research the influence of certain clinical and pathological features on the prognosis of early stage breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This study included 117 women that were treated and followed-up in between the years 2001-2011. The demographic, clinical and histopathological features of the cases were reviewed retrospectively. Statistical analysis: In categorical comparisons between groups, cross-tab statistics were provided and significance levels were estimated using chi-square test. Cox regression analysis, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests, and the Kaplan-Meier test were also used. Results: With an average of 35-months follow-up, the mean disease-free survival of patients was 91 months and the mean overall survival time was 132 months. In the whole study group, the disease-free survival rates were 88, 84, 83 and 52%, while the overall survival rates 95, 94, 83, and 83% within the first, third, fifth and tenth years, respectively. The disease-free and overall survival rates were decreased with increasing tumor grades, though this was not statistically significant. The presence of lymphovascular invasion, positive staining with Ki67 and postmenopausal status were associated with shorter disease-free and overall survival times. In multivariate analysis, only age and Her2/neu receptor status influenced the prognosis significantly. Conclusions: In parallel to clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical prognostic features in breast cancer, in this study positive Her2/neu receptor status, a previously accepted poor prognostic factor, was found to have positive influence after trastuzumab treatment.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1628-1633
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• 2000

Objective : The incidence of primary CNS lymphoma(PCNSL) has been increasing recently. The purpose of this study is to establish of prognostic factors and treatment options for PCNSL. Methods : Thirty-one PCNSL patients were treated in our institute between 1985 and 1997. All patients were histologically confirmed via stereotactic biopsy or open biopsy. The authors retrospectively analyzed clinical characteristics of PCNSL and prognostic factors, including histological cell types, immunohistological cell types and treatment options of PCNSL. Our data were statistically analyzed using Kaplan Meier survival curve and multivariated ANOVA test. Results : The clinical and radiological characteristics of PCNSL were resembled to those of other reports. The most common histological subtype was diffuse large cell type(55.5%). In immunohistolgical study, the incidence of T-cell lymphoma(35.7%) was very higher than that of others. The radiotherapy could prolonged patients' survival(p=0.021). One-year and 3-year survival rate of PCNSL were 66.9% and 45.9%, respectively. One-year survival rate of B cell and T cell lymphoma were 72.7% and 50.0%, respectively. The patients with B-cell lymphoma showed better prognosis than patients with T-cell lymphoma(p=0.049). Conclusion : On the basis of our data, active radiotherapy could prolong patients' survival. the T-cell lymphoma revealed higher incidence than those of other reports and had poor prognosis than that of B cell lymphoma.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2020

Purpose: D-dimer levels are known to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with various cancers, but their significance at the end of life remains unclear. This study investigated D-dimer levels as a prognostic indicator for terminal cancer patients in the last hours of life. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at a palliative care unit of a tertiary cancer center, using a database to analyze the records of patients treated from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018. In total, 67 terminal cancer patients with available data on D-dimer levels were included. Patients' demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory values, including D-dimer levels, were collected. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors of poor survival. Results: The most common site of cancer was the lung (32.8%) and the median survival time was 5 days. Most laboratory results, particularly D-dimer levels, deviated from the normal range. Patients with high D-dimer levels had a significantly shorter survival time than those with low D-dimer levels (4 days vs. 7 days; P=0.012). In the Cox regression analysis, only a high D-dimer level was identified as a predictor of a poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.09~3.07). Conclusion: Our results suggest that at the very end of life, D-dimer levels may serve as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2507-2513
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• 2015

Background: Serum vitamin D status can affect the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Our aim was to determine the association between alterations in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status during follow-up and the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Additionally, we evaluated the association between the 25(OH)D status at the time of diagnosis and the prognosis using a detailed age and stage categorization. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and sixty-nine Korean breast cancer patients were included. We collected patient clinicopathological data, including their serum 25(OH)D concentration at diagnosis and at the annual follow-up until 4 years after diagnosis. The patients were divided according to their 25(OH)D status at diagnosis into a deficient (<20 ng/ml) and a non-deficient (${\geq}20ng/ml$) group. At follow-up, patients were categorized into the four following groups according to 25(OH)D status alterations: persistently deficient, improved, deteriorated and persistently non-deficient. Results: At diagnosis, 118 patients were classified into the deficient group and 351 into the non-deficient group. After a median follow-up period of $85.8{\pm}31.0$ months, the patients with advanced-stage disease or an older age in the non-deficient group showed a significantly better survival compared with the deficient group. Furthermore, at the 1-year follow-up of 25(OH)D status, the persistently non-deficient group and the improved group had better survival compared with the other two groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that maintaining an optimal 25(OH)D status at diagnosis and during the 1-year follow-up period is important for improving breast cancer patient survival.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1985-1988
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• 2013

Aim: To study any correlation of LKB1 expression with prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Methods: A total of 70 HCC patients and 20 primary intrahepatic stone patients in the first affiliated hospital of Wenzhou Medical College were enrolled in this study. LKB1 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Patients were followed-up and prognostic factors were evaluated. Result: LKB1 expression was decreased in the HCC samples. Loss of LKB1 expression in HCC was significantly related to histologic grade (P=0.010), vascular invasion (P=0.025) and TMN stage (P=0.011). Patients showing negative LKB1 expression had a significantly shorter disease-free and overall survival than those with positive expression (P = 0.001, P=0.000, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that LKB1 expression level was an independent factor of survival (P = 0.033). Conclusion: HCC patients with decreased expression LKB1 have a poor prognosis. The loss of LKB1 expression is correlated with a lower survival rate.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.168-173
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• 2001

Purpose: A positive esophageal margin is encountered in a total gastrectomy not infrequently. The aim of this retrospective review was to evaluate whether a positive esophageal margin predisposes a patient to loco-regional recurrence and whether it has an independent impact on long-term survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 224 total gastrectomies for adenocarcinomas was undertaken. The Chisquare test was used to determine the statistical significance of differences, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates. Significant differences in the survival rates were assessed using the log-rank test, and independent prognostic significance was evaluated using the Cox regression method. Results: The prevalence of esophageal margin involvement was $3.6\%$ (8/224). Univariate analysis showed that advanced stage (stage III/IV), tumor size ($\geq$5 cm), tumor site (whole or upper one-third of the stomach), macroscopic type (Borrmann type 4), esophageal invasion, esophageal margin involvement, lymphatic invasion, and venous invasion affected survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that TNM stage, venous invasion, and esophageal margin involvement were the only significant factors influencing the prognosis. All patients with a positive esophageal margin died with metastasis before local recurrence became a problem. A macroscopic proximal distance of more than 6 cm of esophagus was needed to be free of tumors, excluding one exceptional case which involved 15 cm of esophagus. Conclusion: All of the patients with a positive proximal resection margin after a total gastrectomy had advanced disease with a poor prognosis, but they were not predisposed to anastomotic recurrence. Early detection and extended, but reasonable, surgical resection of curable lesions are mandatory to improve the prognosis.