• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권10호
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• pp.4193-4196
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• 2014

Lingzhi or Ganoderma lucidum is a popular medicinal mushroom used as a health promotion herb in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. There have many previous studies about the anti-cancer effects of lingzhi especially in vitro. The present study reports the clinical data of 5 gynecologic cancer patients who achieved stability in the disease after ingestion of lingzhi in the form of fruit body water extract and spores in a salvage setting. This report has been written to enhance the data describing the effect of lingzhi in cancer patients.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Reports
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.57-60
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• 2019

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with its significant efficacy and safety in esophageal cancer is reserved for patients with unresectable tumor or those who decline surgery. However, the incidence of locoregional failure or recurrence after definitive CRT remains high. Although esophagectomy is the standard treatment for locoregional failure or recurrence, this approach is associated with high mortality and morbidity. A 56-year-old man diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who refused to undergo surgery received definitive CRT. An endoscopy for response assessment performed after 2 months revealed a residual lesion, which was completely resected by salvage endoscopic submucosal dissection. To the best of our knowledge, endoscopic resection in locoregional failure or recurrence after definitive CRT is very rarely reported, and there are no guidelines or consensus to date. Here, we report a case of successful salvage endoscopic resection of residual lesion after definitive CRT.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제60권1호
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• pp.21-29
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study was to analyze outcomes and identify prognostic factors in patients with cerebral metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) particularly, focusing on associations of biomarkers and systemic treatments. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 134 patients who underwent GKS for brain metastases due to NSCLC between January 2002 and December 2012. Representative biomarkers including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, K-ras mutation, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutation status were investigated. Results : The median overall survival after GKS was 22.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.8-35.1 months). During follow-up, 63 patients underwent salvage treatment after GKS. The median salvage treatment-free survival was 7.9 months (95% CI, 5.2-10.6 months). Multivariate analysis revealed that lower recursive partition analysis (RPA) class, small number of brain lesions, EGFR mutation (+), and ALK mutation (+) were independent positive prognostic factors associated with longer overall survival. Patients who received target agents 30 days after GKS experienced significant improvements in overall survival and salvage treatment-free survival than patients who never received target agents and patients who received target agents before GKS or within 30 days (median overall survival: 5.0 months vs. 18.2 months, and 48.0 months with p-value=0.026; median salvage treatment-free survival: 4.3 months vs. 6.1 months and 16.6 months with p-value=0.006, respectively). To assess the influence of target agents on the pattern of progression, cases that showed local recurrence and new lesion formation were analyzed according to target agents, but no significant effects were identified. Conclusion : The prognosis of patients with brain metastases of NSCLC after GKS significantly differed according to specific biomarkers (EGFR and ALK mutations). Our results show that target agents combined with GKS was related to significantly longer overall survival, and salvage treatment-free survival. However, target agents were not specifically associated with improved local control of the lesion treated by GKS either development of new lesions. Therefore, it seems that currently popular target agents do not affect brain lesions themselves, and can prolong survival by controlling systemic disease status.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제40권6호
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• pp.735-741
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• 2013

Background The prosthetic dura is an essential element in the protection of the cranial parenchyma and prevention of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Although prosthetic dura are widely used in neurosurgery, they occasionally provoke infection, which can be a major concern after neurosurgical treatment. However, removal of the prosthetic dura carries a risk of brain parenchyma injury and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. The salvage of infected prosthetic dural material has not been adequately addressed in the literature. In this study, we demonstrate the value of the combination of a meticulous surgical debridement of necrotic tissue and simultaneous muscle free flap for intractable postoperative epidural abscess without removal of the infected prosthetic dura. Methods Between 2010 and 2012, we reviewed the data of 11 patients with persistent infection on the prosthetic dura. The epidural infections each occurred after a neurosurgical procedure, and there was soft tissue necrosis with the disclosure of the underlying prosthetic dura and dead bone around the scalp wound. To salvage the infected prosthetic dura, meticulous debridement and a muscle free flap were performed. Results All 11 patients experienced complete recovery from the complicated wound problem without the need for further surgical intervention. No signs of prosthetic dural infection were observed during the mean follow-up period of 11 months. Conclusions The combination of a meticulous surgical debridement and coverage with a muscle free flap is an effective treatment for salvage of infected prosthetic dura.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제42권6호
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• pp.741-745
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• 2015

Background Microvascular complications after free-flap breast reconstructions are potentially devastating problems that can increase patient morbidity and lead to flap loss. To date, no comprehensive study has examined the rates of salvage and the methods of microvascular revision in breast reconstruction. We reviewed the treatment of microvascular complications of free-flap breast reconstruction procedures over a seven-year period. Methods A retrospective review of all patients who underwent microvascular breast reconstruction at our institution between April 2006 and December 2013 was conducted. Based on their surgical records, all patients who required emergency re-exploration were identified, the rate of flap salvage was determined, the factors associated with flap salvage were evaluated, and the causes and methods of revision were reviewed. Results During the review period, 605 breast reconstruction procedures with a free lower abdominal flap were performed. Seventeen of these flaps were compromised by microvascular complications, and three flaps were lost. The overall salvage rate was 82.35%. No significant differences between the salvaged group and the failed group were observed with regard to age, BMI, axillary dissection, number of anastomotic arteries and veins, recipient vessel types, or use of the superficial inferior epigastric vein in the revision operation. Successful salvage of the flap was associated with a shorter time period between recognizing the signs of flap compromise and the take-back operation. Conclusions The salvage rate of compromised lower abdominal flaps was high enough to warrant attempting re-exploration. Immediate intervention after the onset of flap compromise signs is as important as vigilant postoperative monitoring.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.26-31
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• 2005

Backgrounds and Objectives: Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity(SCOC) in TNM stage I & II have relatively high chance to be cured compared to those in the advanced stage, but sometimes result in the treatment failure with poor prognosis. There have been few reports on the patterns of failure and the clinical courses for SCOC in stage I & II after the failure of initial treatment. This study is directed at identifying the clinical outcomes of stage I & II SCOC and the salvage rate after initial treatment and suggesting an optimal level of treatment by analyzing the patterns of failure. Material and Methods: The medical records of 36 patients with SCOC, initially diagnosed between 1995 and 2001 as TNM stage I & II were reviewed retrospectively. The patterns of failure, salvage treatment, clinical courses, and the survival of these subjects were analyzed. The minimum follow-up period of no-evidence of disease(NED) was 12 months with an average of 32.2 months. Results: Overall rate of the treatment failure in SCOC of stage I & II was 41. 7%(15/36 cases). Most of the treatment failure in the subjects with stage I tumors occurred in regional lymph node. Local failure was the most frequent form of failure in the subjects with stage II tumors after wide excision of primary tumor with elective neck dissection and/or radiation therapy. No significant correlation was noted between the safety margin and the local failure. Elective neck dissections in stage I & II SCOC had a tendency to reduce regional failure (p=0.055). The salvage rates at 24 months were 85.7% in stage I, and 37.5% in stage II. The 3-year survival rate after the failure of initial treatment was 55.0%. Conclusion: SCOC of stage I & II after the failure of initial treatment showed poor prognosis despite of the salvage treatments. This study implies that the elective neck dissections for regional lymph node should be required for SCOC of stage I & II to reduce the treatment failure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권17호
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• pp.7627-7632
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• 2015

Background: The present study was conducted to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety and adequacy of surgical margins with salvage transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for recurrent or residual head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients who underwent salvage TORS using the 'DaVinci' robot were enrolled in the study and data related to their surgical time, complications and functional outcome were recorded. Results: The feasibility of salvage TORS in our study was observed to be 100%. Positive margins were encountered in only 6.7% of patients. Mean blood loss was 23.3 ml with no patient requiring blood transfusion. Postoperative complications in the form of primary haemorrhage requiring active surgical intervention occurred in 13.3%. Oral feeding could be started as early as the 3rd postoperative day in a few patients, with nasogastric tubes being removed on the 12th postoperative day. Long term gastrostomy tube dependency was seen in 10% cases. Median survival of patients was 19 months. Conclusions: Salvage TORS is a safe, effective and feasible option in the management of treatment failure cases. It offers an alternative surgical approach with unexpected benefits in terms of tracheostomy tube use, Ryle's tube and gastrostomy dependence.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

Purpose: To explore the role of salvage radiotherapy (RT) for recurrent thymoma as an alternative to surgery. Materials and Methods: Between 2007 and 2015, 47 patients who received salvage RT for recurrent thymoma at Yonsei Cancer Center were included in this study. Recurrent sites included initial tumor bed (n = 4), pleura (n = 19), lung parenchyma (n = 10), distant (n = 9), and multiple regions (n = 5). Three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated RT were used in 29 and 18 patients, respectively. Median prescribed dose to gross tumor was 52 Gy (range, 30 to 70 Gy), with equivalent doses in 2-Gy fractions (EQD₂). We investigated overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and patterns of failure. Local failure after salvage RT was defined as recurrence at the target volume receiving >50% of the prescription dose. Results: Median follow-up time was 83 months (range, 8 to 299 months). Five-year OS and PFS were 70% and 22%, respectively. The overall response rate was 97.9%; complete response, 34%; partial response, 44.7%; and stable disease, 19.1%. In multivariate analysis, histologic type and salvage RT dose (≥52 Gy, EQD₂) were significantly associated with OS. The high dose group (≥52 Gy, EQD₂) had significantly better outcomes than the low dose group (5-year OS: 80% vs. 59%, p = 0.046; 5-year PFS: 30% vs. 14%, p=0.002). Treatment failure occurred in 34 patients; out-of-field failure was dominant (intra-thoracic recurrence 35.3%; extrathoracic recurrence 11.8%), while local failure rate was 5.8%. Conclusion: Salvage RT for recurrent thymoma using high doses and advanced precision techniques produced favorable outcomes, providing evidence that recurrent thymoma is radiosensitive.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.103-109
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• 2006

목적: 국소적으로 재발한 직장암에 대한 구제 치료방법에 따른 결과 및 치료성적을 알아보고, 생존율에 영향을 주는 예후인자를 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1994년 10월부터 2003년 12월까지 국소적으로 재발한 직장암으로 삼성서울병원에서 구제 치료로 방사선 치료 단독 혹은 수술이나 항암화학요법이 병행된 45명의 환자를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 환자 연령은 29-72세(중앙값 59세)였고, 남녀 각각 28명(52%), 17명(38%)이었다. 최초 치료 후 무병생존기간은 3-73개월(중앙값 16 개월)이었고, 재발부위는 천골 전방 및 직장 주위 25명(56%), 문합 부위 15명(33%), 회음부 3명(7%), 골반벽 2명(4%)이었다. 구제치료로 수술이 시행된 18명(40%)의 환자 중, 14명은 수술 후 방사선치료와 항암화학요법 병행 치료를 받았으며, 나머지 4명은 방사선 치료만을 받았다. 수술을 받지 않은 27명(60%)의 환자 중, 16명은 방사선치료와 항암화학요법을 병행하였고, 11명은 방사선치료만 시행하였다. 방사선치료는 37.5-64.8 Gy (중앙값 51 Gy)를 시행하였으며, 1회 조사선량은 1.8-3Gy였다. 이전에 방사선치료를 받은 적이 있는 13명의 환자는 37.5-60Gy (중앙값 50 Gy), 방사선치료를 받은 적이 없는 32명의 환자는 44-64.8Gy (중앙값 51 Gy)를 시행하였다. 결과: 추적관찰기간은 구제 치료의 시작시점으로부터 2-104개월(중앙값 31개월)이었다. 5년 국소제어율과 전체생존율은 각각 49.5%와 34.3%였다. 수술을 받은 환자의 5년 국소제어율이 77.0%로 나타났으며, 항암화학요법 및 방사선 병행 치료 환자에서는 35.0%, 방사선 단독 치료 환자에서는 0%였다(p=0.0009). 5년 전체생존율은 수술 받은 환자에서 52.1%, 항암화학요법 및 방사선 병행 치료 환자에서 37.9%, 방사선 단독 치료 환자에서 0%로 나타났다 (p=0.0016). 최초 치료 후 재발까지 기간이 24개월 미만과 이후임에 따라 5년 국소제어율이 각각 57.5% 및 39.5%였으며(p=0.0482), 5년 전체생존율은 59.1% 및 24.9%였다(p=0.0584). 수술을 받지 않은 환자 중 이전에 방사선치료를 시행 받은 적이 있는 12명과 나머지 15명의 국소제어율과 전체생존율에 유의한 차이는 없었다(p=0.5214, 0.7505). 결론: 국소적으로 재발한 직장암의 구제 치료시 가능한 한 구제수술을 시행하는 것이 좋겠고, 방사선치료 단독보다는 항암화학요법을 병행하는 것이 국소제어율 및 생존율을 높일 수 있었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.3159-3162
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• 2015

Purpose: This systematic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nedaplatin based salvage chemotherapy for treatment of patients with advanced cervical cancer. Methods: Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of nedaplatin based regimens on response and safety for patients with cervical cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rates (RRs) were calculated. Results: For nedaplatin based regimens, 5 clinical studies including 264 patients with advanced cervical cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. The analysis showed that, in all patients, pooled RR was 74.6% (197/264). Major adverse effects were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and nausea/vomiting. No treatment related death occurred with nedaplatin based treatment. Conclusion: This systematic analysis suggests that nedaplatin based regimens are associated with good activity with acceptable tolerability in treating patients with advanced cervical cancer.