• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.845-855
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• 2004

Background: No general consensus has been available regarding the necessity of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) and its optimal techniques in the patients with chest wall invasion (pT3cw) and node negative (N0) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We did retrospective analyses on the pT3cwN0 NSCLC patients who received PORT because of presumed inadequate resection margin on surgical findings. And we compared them with the pT3cwN0 NSCLC patients who did not received PORT during the same period. Material and Method: From Aug. of 1994 till June of 2002, 22 pT3cwN0 NSCLC patients received PORT-PORT (＋) group- and 16 pT3cwN0 NSCLC patients had no PORT-PORT (-) group. The radiation target volume for PORT (＋) group was confined to the tumor bed plus the immediate adjacent tissue only, and no regional lymphatics were included. The prognostic factors for all patients were analyzed and survival rates, failure patterns were compared with two groups. Result: Age, tumor size, depth of chest wall invasion, postoperative mobidities were greater in PORT (-) group than PORT (＋) group. In PORT (-) group, four patients who were consulted for PORT did not receive the PORT because of self refusal (3 patients) and delay in the wound repair (1 patient). For all patients, overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), loco-regional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) rates at 5 years were 35.3%, 30.3%, 80.9%, 36.3%. In univariate and multivariate analysis, only PORT significantly affect the survival. The 5 year as rates were 43.3% in the PORT (＋) group and 25.0% in PORT (-) group (p=0.03). DFS, LRFS, DMFS rates were 36.9%, 84.9%, 43.1 % in PORT (＋) group and 18.8%, 79.4%, 21.9% in PORT(-) group respectively. Three patients in PORT (-) group died of intercurrent disease without the evidence of recurrence. Few suffered from acute and late radiation side effects, all of which were RTOG grade 2 or lower. Conclusion: The strategy of adding PORT to surgery to improve the probability not only of local control but also of survival could be justified, considering that local control was the most important component in the successful treatment of pT3cw NSCLC patients, especially when the resection margin was not adequate. Authors were successful in the marked reduction of the incidence as well as the severity of the acute and late side effects of PORT, without taking too high risk of the regional failures by eliminating the regional lymphatics from the radiation target volume.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3625-3628
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate the incidence, diagnosis and management of GTN among 28 centers in Turkey. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was designed to include GTN patients attending 28 centers in the 10-year period between January 2003 and May 2013. Demographical characteristics of the patients, histopathological diagnosis, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) anatomical and prognostic scores, use of single-agent and multi-agent chemotherapy, surgical interventions and prognosis were evaluated. Results: From 2003-2013, there were 1,173,235 deliveries and 456 GTN cases at the 28 centers. The incidence was calculated to be 0.38 per 1,000 deliveries. According to the evaluated data of 364 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 31 years (range, 15-59 years). A histopathological diagnosis was present for 45.1% of the patients, and invasive mole, choriocarcinoma and PSTTs were diagnosed in 22.3% (n=81), 18.1% (n=66) and 4.7% (n=17) of the patients, respectively. Regarding final prognosis, 352 (96.7%) of the patients had remission, and 7 (1.9%) had persistence, whereas the disease was mortal for 5 (1.4%) of the patients. Conclusions: Because of the differences between countries, it is important to provide national registration systems and special clinics for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of GTN.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 1996

Purpose : To evaluate the role of combination therapy of external radio-therapy and chemotherapy in the management of advanced esophageal cancer as a primary treatment compared with radiation therapy alone. Materials and Methods : A retrospective review of evaluable 55 esophageal cancer patients referred to the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Paik Hospital for the external radiotherapy between Jul, 1983 and Dec. 1994 was undertaken. Combined therapy patients (A group) were 30 and radiation alone patients (B group) were 25. Median age was 60 years old in A group (ranges : 42-81) and 65 years old in B group (ranges : 50-81). The male patients were 53. The fifty patients had squamous cell carcinomas. Radiation doses of 2520-6480c0y were delivered over a period of 4-7weeks, using 4MV LINAC. Chemotherapy was administered in bolus injection before, after, or during the course of external radiotherapy. The local control rate and patterns of failure according to both treatment modalities and 1, 2 year survival rates according to prognostic factors (stage, tumor length, radiation dose etc.) were analysed. Resuts : Median follow up Period was 7 months (range : 2-73 months). Median survival was 7.5 months (20 days-29 months) in A group and 5 months (20 days-73 months) in B group. The 1, 2 YSRs were $26.7\%$, $8.9\%$ in A group, $12.7\%$, $4.3\%$ in B group (p>0.05), respectively. The 1, 2 YSRs according to stage(II/III), tumor length (5cm more or less). radiation dose (5000cGymore or less) of A and B group were analyzed and the differences of survival rates of both treatments were not statistically significant. But among group B, patients who received 5000cGy or more showed significant survival benefits (p<0.05). The treatment response rates of A and B group were $43.8\%$. $25.0\%$, respectively. Complete response rate of $25.0\%$ in A and $8.3\%$ in B were achieved. The local failure and distant metastsis were $52.4\%$. $23.8\%$ in A group, $64.3\%$, $14.3\%$ in 8 group, respectively. The combination therapy revealed more frequent leukopenia and nausea/vomiting than radiation alone group, but degree of side effects was only mild to moderate. Conclusion : The combined external radiotherapy and chemotherapy for advanced esophageal cancer appears to improve the response rate, local control rate and survival rate, but the improvement was not statistically significant. The side effects of combined modalities were mild to moderate without significant morbidity. Therefore it may be worthwhile to continue the present combined external radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the management of advanced esophageal cancer to confirm our result.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.149-158
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• 1993

This is a retrospective analysis of 135 patients with invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with curative radiotherapy from March 1983 through October 1989 at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Kang-Nam 51. Mary's Hospital. Among them, 78 patients received radiotherapy alone and 42 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and 15 patients were lost to follow up. All patients had follow up from 2 to 106 months (median; 62 months). Age of the patients ranged from 32 to 79 years at presentation (median; 59 years). According to FIGO classification, there were 20 ($16.7{\%}$) in stage IB, 19 ($15.8{\%}$) in stage IIA,49 ($40.8{\%}$) in stage IIB, 5 ($4.2{\%}$) in stage IIIA, 13 ($10.8{\%}$,) in stage IIIB,14 ($11.7{\%}$) in stage IVA. The pathological classification showed 96 ($80.0{\%}$) squamous cell carcinomas, 5 ($4.2{\%}$) adenocarcinomas and 19 ($15.8{\%}$) proven by cytology. The overall 5-year survival rates was $50.8{\%}$, and the 5-year survival rates by stage IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA was $47.7{\%},\;70.2{\%},\;64.1{\%},\;40.0{\%},\;23.1{\%},\;14.3{\%}$, respectively. The 5-year survival rates was noted $51.2{\%}$ of radiotherapy alone and $50.4{\%}$of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. The overall failure rate was $18.3{\%}$(22/120) including $11.7{\%}$ (14/120) locoregional failure, $5.8{\%}$ (7/120) distant metastasis and $0.8{\%}$(1/120) locoregional failure with distant metastasis. Treatment failure rates by the stages were $15{\%}$ (3/20) in stage IB. $10.5{\%}$ (2/19) in stage IIA, $10.2{\%}$, (5/49) in stage IIB, $20{\%}$ (1/5) in stage IIIA, $61.5{\%}$(8/13) in stage IIB, and $28.6{\%}$ (4/14) in stage IVA. The overall complication rate was $34.2{\%}$(41/120) including wet desquamation $7.5{\%}$, (9/120), diarrhea $6.7{\%}(8/120), radiation proctitis $5.8{\%}$(7/120) in decreasing order. A multivariate analysis of factors influencing the survival showed patient age (p < 0.0291), FIGO stage (p<0.0001), Karnofsky performance status (p<0.0043), initial hemoglobin level (p<0.0001), and intracavitary radiation (p<0.0004), but, no significancy in histology (p<0.29) and treatment method (p < 0.87).

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 1996

Purpose : This paper reports a dosimetric study of 88 patients treated with a combination of external radiotherapy and high dose rate ICR for FIGO stage IIB carcinoma of the cervix. The purpose is to investigate the correlation between the radiation doses to the rectum, external radiation dose to the whole pelvis, ICR reference volume, TDF BED and the incidence of late rectal complications, retrospectively. Materials and Methods : From November 1989 through December 1992, 88 patients with stage IIB cervical carcinoma received radical radiotherapy at Department of Radiation Oncology in Yonsei University Hospital. Radiotherapy consisted of 44-54 Gy(median 49 Gy) external beam irradiation plus high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy with 5 Gy per fraction twice a week to a total dose of 30 Gy on point A. The maximum dose to the rectum by contrast(r, R) and reference rectal dose by ICRU 38(dr, DR) were calculated. The ICR reference volume was calculated by Gamma Dot 3.11 HDR planning system, retrospectively The time-dose factor(TDF) and the biologically effective dose (BED) were calculated. Results : Twenty seven($30.7\%$) of the 88 patients developed late rectal complications:12 patients($13.6\%$) for grade 1, 12 patients($13.6\%$) for grade 2 and 3 patients($3.4\%$) for grade 3. We found a significant correlation between the external whole pelvis irradiation dose and grade 2, 3 rectal complication. The mean dose to the whole pelvis for the group of patients with grade 2, 3 complication was Higher, $4093.3\pm453.1$ cGy, than that for the patients without complication, $3873.8\pm415.6$ (0.05$7163.0\pm838.5$ cGy, than that for the Patients without rectal complication, $0772.7\pm884.0$ (p<0.05). There was no correlation of the rate of grade 2, 3 rectal complication with the iCR rectal doses(r, dr), ICR reference volume, TDF and BED. Conclusion : This investigation has revealed a significant correlation between the dose calculated at the rectal dose by ICRU 38(DR) or the most anterior rectal dose by contrast(R) dose to the whole pelvis and the incidence of grade 2, 3 late rectal complications in patients with stage IIB cervical cancer undergoing external beam radiotherapy and HOR ICR. Thus these rectal reference points doses and whole pelvis dose appear to be useful Prognostic indicators of late rectal complication in high dose rate ICR treatment in cervical carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2000

Purpose :The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix is low. Traditionally, Low Dose Rate (LDR) brachytherapy has been used as a standard modality in the treatment for patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the effects of the High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy in the patients with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix compared with the LDR. : From January 1971 to December 1992, 106 patients of adenocarcinoma of uterine cervix were treated with radiation therapy in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University with curative intent. LDR brachytherapy was carried out on 35 patients and 71 patients were treated with HDR brachytherapy. In LDR Group, 8 patients were in stage I, 18 in stage II and 9 in stage III. External radiation therapy was delivered with 10 MV X-ray, daily 2 Gy fractionation, total dose 40$\~$46Gy (median 48 Gy). And LDR Radium intracavitary irradiation was peformed with Henschke applicator, 22$\~$59 Gy to point A (median 43 Gy). In HDR Group, there were 16 patients in stage 1, 38 in stage II and 17 in stage III. The total dose of external radiation was 40$\~$61 Gy(median 45 Gy), daily 1.8$\~$2.0 Gy. HDR Co-60 intracavitary irradiation was peformed with RALS (Remote Afterloading System), 30 $\~$ 57 Gy(median 39 Gy) to point A, 3 times a week, 3 Gy per fraction. Conclusion : The 5-year overall survival rate in LDR Group was 72.9$\%$, 61.9$\%$, 45.0$\%$ in stage I, II, III, respectively and corresponding figures for HDR were 87.1$\%$, 58.3$\%$, 41.2$\%$, respectively (p>0.05). There was no statistical difference in terms of the 5-year overall survival rate between HDR Group and LDR Group in adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. There was 11$\%$ of late complication rates in LDR Group and 27$\%$ in HDR Group. There were no prognostic factors compared HDR with LDR group. The incidence of the late complication rate in HDR Group stage II, III was higher than that in LDR Group(16.7$\%$ vs. 31.6$\%$ in stage II, 11.1$\%$ vs. 35.3$\%$ In stage III, p>0.05). Although the incidence of radiation induced late complication rate was higher in HDR Group stage II and III patients than that in the LDR Group, statistical significance was not detected and within acceptable level. Conclusion : There was no difference in terms of 5-year survival rate and failure pattern in the patients with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix treated with HDR and LDR brachytherapy. Even late complication rates were higher in the HDR group It was an acceptable range. This retrospective study suggests that HDR brachytherapy seems to replace the LDR brachytherapy in the adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. However, further studies will be required to refine the dose rate effects.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.181-188
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of postoperative radiotherapy in a case of perihilar cholagiocarcinoma by analyzing overall survival rate, patterns of failure, prognostic factors for overall survival, and toxicity. Materials and Methods: Between January 1998 and March 2008, 38 patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent a surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy. The median patient age was 59 years (range, 28 to 72 years), which included 23 men and 15 women. The extent of surgery was complete resection in 9 patients, microscopically positive margins in 25 patients, and a subtotal resection in 4 patients. The tumor bed and regional lymphatics initially received 45 Gy or 50 Gy, but was subsequently boosted to a total dose of 59.4 Gy or 60 Gy in incompletely resected patients. The median radiotherapy dose was 59.4 Gy. Concurrent chemotherapy was administered in 30 patients. The median follow-up period was 14 months (range, 6 to 45 months). Results: The 3-year overall survival and 3-year progression free survival rates were 30% and 8%, respectively. The median survival time was 28 months. A multivariate analysis showed that differentiation was the only significant factor for overall survival. The 3-year overall survival was 34% in R0 patients and 20% in R1 patients. No statistically significant differences in survival were found between the 2 groups (p=0.3067). The first site of failure was local in 18 patients (47%). No patient experienced grade 3 or higher acute toxicity and duodenal bleeding developed in 2 patients. Conclusion: Our results suggest that adjuvant RT might be a significant factor in patients with a positive margin following a radical resection. However, there was still a high locoregional recurrence rate following surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Further study is necessary to enhance the effect of the adjuvant radiotherapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 1997

Purpose : To evaluate the efficacy of hyperfractionated radiation therapy in carcinoma of the cervix, especially on huge exophytic and endophytic stage Ib, IIa and IIb Materials and Materials : Fourty one patients with carcinoma of the cervix treated with hyperfractionated radiation therapy at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University. School of Medicine from Jul, 1991 to Apr, 1994. According to FIGO s1aging system, therewere stage Ib (3 patients) IIa (6 patients) with exophytic ($\geq$5cm in dinmeter) and huge endophytic mass. and IIb (32 patients) with median age of 55 yeavs old. Radiation therapy consisted of hyperfractionated external irradition to the whole pelvis (120cGy/fraction, 2 fraction/day (minimum interval of 6 hours), 3600-5520cGy) and boost parametrial doses (for a total of 4480-6480cGy) with midline shield $(4\times10cm)$, and combined with intracavitary irradiation (up to 7480-8520cGy in Ib, IIa and 8480-9980cGy in IIb to point A). The maximum and mean follow up durations were 70 and 47 months respectively . Results : Five year local control rate was $78\%$ and the actuarial overall five year survival rate was $66.1\%$ for all patients, $44.4\%$ for stage Ib, IIa and $71.4\%$ for stage IIb. In bulky IIb (above 5cm in tumor size, 11 patients) five year local control rate and five rear survival rate was $88.9\%,\;73\%$ respectively Pelvic lymph node status (negative : $74\%,\;positive:25\%$, p=0.0015) was significant Prognostic factor affecting to five rear survival rate. There was marginally significant survival difference by total dose to A point ($>84Gy\;:\;70\%,\;>84Gy\;:\;42.8\%$, p=0.1). We consider that the difference of total dose to A point by stage (mean Ib,IIa : 79Gy. IIb 89Gy P=0.001) is one of the causes in worse local control and survival of Ib,IIa than IIb The overall recurrence rate was $39\%$ (16/41). The rates of local failure alone. distant failure alone. and combined local and distant failure were $9.7\%,\;19.5\%,\;and\;9.7\%$, respectively. Two Patients developed leukopenia ($\geq$ grade 3) and Three patients develoued grade 3 gastrointestinal complication. Above grade 3 complication was not noted. There was no treatment related death noted. Conclusion : We thought that it may be necessary to increase A point dose to more than 85Gy in hyperfractionated radiotherapy of huge exophytic and endophvtic stage Ib,IIa. We considered that hyperfractionated radiation therapy may be tolerable in huge exophytic and endophytic stage IIb cervical carcinoma with acceptable morbidity and possible survival gain but this was results in small patient group and will be confirmed by long term follow up in many patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.70-78
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• 2007

[ $\underline{Purpose}$ ]: This study analyzed the tumor response, overall survival, progression free survival and related prognostic factors in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer subjected to bladder preserving treatment. $\underline{Materials\;and\;Methods}$: Between August 1995 and June 2004, 37 patients with muscle invasive (transitional cell carcinoma, clinically stage T2-4) bladder cancer were enrolled for the treatment protocol of bladder preservation. There were 33 males and 4 females, and the median age was 67 years (range $38{\sim}86\;years$). Transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) was performed in 17 patients who underwent complete resection. The median radiation dose administered was 64.8 Gy (range $55.8{\sim}67\;Gy$). The survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. $\underline{Results}$: An evaluation of the response rate was determined by abdomen-pelvic CT and cystoscopy at three months after radiotherapy. A complete response was seen in 17 patients (46%). The survival rate at three years was 54.7%, with 54 months of median survival (range $3{\sim}91$ months). During the study, 17 patients died and 13 patients had died from bladder cancer. The progression free survival rate at three years was 37.2%. There were 24 patients (64.9%) who had disease recurrence: 16 patients (43.2%) had local recurrence, 6 patients (16.2%) had a distant recurrence, and 2 patients (5.4%) had both a local and distant recurrence. The survival rate (p=0.0009) and progression free survival rates (p=0.001) were statistically significant when compared to the response rate after radiotherapy. $\underline{Conclusion}$: The availability of complete TURB and appropriate chemoradiotherapy were important predictors for bladder preservation and survival.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.437-449
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• 2001

Background : In the severe community-acquired pneumonia, it has been known that the immune status is occasionally suppressed. This study was performed to identify the immunologic markers related with the prognostic factors in severe community-acquired pneumonia. Methods : 23 patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia were involved in this study, and divided into survivor (16) and nonsurvivor (7) groups. In this study, the medical history, laboratory tests(complete blood counts, routine chemistry profile, immunoglobulins, complements, lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, sputum and blood culture, urine analysis), and chest radiographs were scrutinized. Results : 1) Both groups had lymphopenia(total lymphocyte count $995.6{\pm}505.7/mm^3$ in the survivor and $624.0{\pm}287.6/mm^3$ in the nonsurvivor group). 2) The T-lymphocyte count of the nonsurvivor group($295.9{\pm}203.0/mm^3$) was lower than the survivor group($723.6{\pm}406.5/mm^3$) (p<0.05). 3) The total serum protein(albumin) was $6.0{\pm}1.0(2.7{\pm}0.7)\;g/d{\ell}$ in the survivor and $5.2{\pm}1.5(2.3{\pm}0.8)g/d{\ell}$ in the nonsurvivor group. The BUN of the nonsurvivor group($41.7{\pm}30.0mg/d{\ell}$) was higher than that of the survivor group($18.9{\pm}9.8mg/d{\ell}$)(p<0.05). The creatinine concentration was higher in the nonsurvivor group($1.8{\pm}1.0mg/d{\ell}$) than that in the survivor group($1.0{\pm}0.3mg/d{\ell}$)(p<0.05). 4) The immunoglobulin G level was higher in the survivor group($1433.0{\pm}729.5mg/d{\ell}$) than in the nonsurvivor group($849.1{\pm}373.1mg/d{\ell}$) (p<0.05). 5) The complement $C_3$ level was $108.0{\pm}37.9mg/d{\ell}$ in the survivor group and $88.0{\pm}32.1mg/d{\ell}$ in the nonsurvivor group. 6) A cytokine study showed an insignificant difference in both groups. 7) Chronic liver disease, DM, and COPD were major underlying diseases in both groups. Conclusion : These results suggest that decreased a T-lymphocyte count and immunoglobulin G level, and an increased BUN and creatinine level may be associated with the poor prognosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia.