• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.59-78
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• 2001

Data on reported cancer mortality in the Gyeongsangbuk- do province from 1991 to 1998 were collected and analyzed using the existing mortality reporting system as well as the public health network to furnish accurate data on reported cancer death and to collect data to establish a high quality district health plan. The overall crude death rate in Gyeongsangbuk province in 1991 was 74.56 deaths per 100,000-person but this rate increased to 79.22 in 1998. Among the deaths, the overall death rate of cancer was 16.7% in 1991, which increased to 19.3% in 1998; specifically the death rate of men increased from 19.4% in 1991 to 22.3% in 1998 while that of women increased from 12.4% in 1991 to 15.5% in 1998, showing a more increase among women. The types of cancer and associated death rates in 1991 were gastric cancer(41.5%), followed by liver cancer (28.8%), and lung and bronchogenic carcinoma(8.7%) and in 1998, gastric cancer (24.7%), followed by liver cancer(22.7%), lung and bronchogenic carcinoma(19.3%), showing the same order. For men and women, gastric cancer(40.2% and 44.7%, respectively) was the most common cancer death, followed by liver cancer(33.7% and 16.7%, respectively), and lung and bronchogenic carcinoma(10.2% and 5.0%, respectively) in 1991. However, in 1998, gastric cancer(27.8%) was still the most common type among both men and women, followed by liver cancer (18.5%) and lung and bronchogenic carcinoma(12.7%), showing the most decrease in gastric cancer but most increase in lung and bronchogenic carcinoma. The age- adjusted mortality rates by gastric cancer, hepatoma, laryngeal carcinoma were decreased in both male and female, and also uterine cancer was decreased in female. The age- adjusted mortality rates by lung and bronchogenic carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, rectal cancer were increased in both male and female, and also breast cancer was increased in female. The calculated overall age-adjusted death rate based on the 1995 population was 84.25 in 1991, which decreased to 77.67 in 1998. Male death rate decreased significantly from 119.81 in 1991 to 101.82 in 1998 while the female death rate increased from 48.64 in 1991 to 53.80 in 1998. A census of cancer death rate using accurate death records is important for the establishment of proper and high-quality district health and medical plan and policy. The effort to improve the accuracy of death reports using the health facility network, as had been attempted by this study, can be continued. Furthermore, there must be a way for the Health and Welfare Department to use the death reports to improve the present reporting system. Lastly, additional studies need to be conducted to investigate how much the accuracy was improved by the supplemented death reports in this study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7633-7640
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• 2015

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and it is responsible for most cases of cervical uterine cancer. Although HPV infections of the cervix do not always progress to cancer, 90% of cervical cancer cases have been found to be associated with high risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection. HPV DNA testing is widely used, along with Papanicolaou (Pap) testing, to screen for cervical abnormalities. However, there are no data on the prevalence of genotype-specific HPV infections assessed by measuring HPV E6/E7 mRNA in women representative of the Chinese population across a broad age range. Materials and Methods: In the present study, we compared the results with the CervicGen HPV RT-qDx assay, which detects 16 HR-HPV genotypes (Alpha-9: HPV 16, 31, 33, 35, 52, and 58; Alpha-7: HPV 18, 39, 45, 51, 59, and 68; and Alpha-5, 6: HPV 53, 56, 66, and 69), and the REBA HPV-ID assay, which detects 32 HPV genotypes based on the reverse blot hybridization assay (REBA) for the detection of oncogenic HPV infection according to cytological diagnosis. We also investigated the prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV infection with a total of 324 liquid-based cytology samples collected in western Shandong province, East China. Results: The overall HPV prevalences determined by HPV DNA and HPV E6/E7 mRNA assays in this study were 79.9% (259/324) and 55.6% (180/324), respectively. Although the positivity of HPV E6/E7 mRNA expression was significantly lower than HPV DNA positivity, the HPV E6/E7 mRNA assay showed greater specificity than the HPV DNA assay (88.6% vs. 48.1%) in normal cytology samples. The prevalence of Alpha-9 (HPV 16, 31, 33, 35, 52, and 58) HPV infection among these women accounted for up to 80.3% and 76.1% of the high-grade lesions detected in the HPV mRNA and DNA tests, respectively. The HR-HPV genotype distribution, based on HPV DNA and E6/E7 mRNA expression by age group in patients with cytologically confirmed lesions, was highest in women aged 40 to 49 years (35.9% for cytologically confirmed cases, Pearson correlation r value=0.993, p<0.001) for high-grade lesions. Among the oncogenic HR-HPV genotypes for all age groups, there was little difference in the distribution of HPV genotypes between the HPV DNA (HPV -16, 53, 18, 58, and 33) and HPV E6/E7 mRNA (HPV -16, 53, 33, 58, and 18) assays. HPV 16 was the most common HPV genotype among women with high-grade lesions. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the HPV E6/E7 mRNA assay can be a sensitive and specific tool for the screening and investigation of cervical cancer. Furthermore, it may provide useful information regarding the necessity for early cervical cancer screenings and the development of additional effective HPV vaccines, such as one for HPV 53 and 58. Additionally, gaining knowledge of HPV distribution may also inform us about ecological changes in HPV after the vaccination.

• Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.100.1-100.13
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• 2018

Objective: To investigate survival outcomes in endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) patients with single vs. multiple positive pelvic lymph nodes. Methods: We performed a retrospective evaluation of all consecutive patients with histologically proven International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIC1 EEC who underwent primary surgical treatment between 2004 and 2014 at seven Italian gynecologic oncology referral centers. Patients with pre- or intra-operative evidence of extra-uterine disease (including the presence of bulky nodes) and patients with stage IIIC2 disease were excluded, in order to obtain a homogeneous population. Results: Overall 140 patients met the inclusion criteria. The presence of >1 metastatic pelvic node was significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence and mortality, compared to only 1 metastatic node, at both univariate (recurrence: hazard ratio [HR]=2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.2-3.99; p=0.01; mortality: HR=2.8; 95% CI=1.24-6.29; p=0.01) and multivariable analysis (recurrence: HR=1.91; 95% CI=1.02-3.56; p=0.04; mortality: HR=2.62; 95% CI=1.13-6.05; p=0.02) and it was the only independent predictor of prognosis in this subset of patients. Disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were significantly longer in patients with only 1 metastatic node compared to those with more than 1 metastatic node (p=0.008 and 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: The presence of multiple metastatic nodes in stage IIIC1 EEC represents an independent predictor of worse survival, compared to only one positive node. Our data suggest that EEC patients may be categorized according to the number of positive nodes.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.75-94
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• 2016

Objectives : The uterus plays an important role in the woman's body. In Korean Medical literature, the uterus is mentioned in various contexts according to different perspectives on its meaning and function. An examination of these various contexts is crucial in understanding the meaning of the uterus and to better understand and approach woman's body. Methods : Aside from the most widely used term Jagung(子宮), there were various terms used to refer to the uterus. Based on a list of these terms, the Siku Qianshu collection of medical literatures was investigated. Contents related to the definition, shape, location, function were extracted and examined. Results : Among the findings, first, there were various terms referring to the uterus similar to contemporary understanding. Some of them referred to the uterus as a whole, while others referred to specific parts, one of which is the placenta. Some reflected a broader perspective on the meaning of the uterus. Second, the functions of the uterus could be summarized as gate keeping, and the maintenance of uterine environment that is related to menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth. Third, based on the examination of the meaning of the uterus and its functions, perspectives on the uterus in Korean Medicine could be summarized into two. Conclusions : One viewed uterus as an organ dedicated to reproduction, similar to today's common understanding. According to this view, uterus is a special organ specific to women, which functions as an incubator for the fetus. The other viewed the uterus as an intangible source of life in the woman's body. As a general source of life to all human beings, it is not a passive organ but functions as an active source in woman's life phenomena. The two perspectives are not in conflict, but rather reflect the broad range of thought on the concept of the uterus in Korean Medicine. In today's biomedical society, the diversity and flexibility of these perspectives could shed light on medical practices that have resulted from extreme views on the woman's body.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2006

Endobronchial leiomyoma is a rare tumor that accounts for less than 2% of pulmonary benign tumors. A 32 year-old woman was admitted with fever, cough and sputum for a month. She had suffered from intermittent cough over three years. The chest X-ray and chest CT(computed tomography) showed a nodular lesion obstructing the proximal portion of the left lower lobar bronchus and atelectasis of the left lower lobe. Flexible Bronchoscopy detected a mass obstructing the distal portion of the left main bronchus and endobronchial biopsy showed benign smooth muscle cells. There was no abnormal finding in the uterine examination. Therefore this case was diagnosed as primary endobronchial leiomyoma. The lobectomy was performed due to intractable pneumonia and secondary parenchymal destruction. Postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged in good health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9599-9602
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• 2014

Background: Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) in the management of early stage endometrial cancer (EC) is still controversial. Here we report our institutional experience with patients who received postoperative RT for stage I-II EC over a period of 35 years and assess potential predictors of local recurrence (LR), distant metastasis (DM), and overall survival (OS). Materials and Methods: A total of 188 patients undergoing postoperative RT for stage IA-II EC between 1977 and 2012 were evaluated. Some 96 received median 46 Gy whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) (range: 40-60 Gy), 37 were given WPRT with vaginal cuff therapy (VCT), and 55 received only VCT either with brachytherapy (BT) or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Chemotherapy was given to 5 patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of clinicopathological factors on LR, DM, and OS. Results: Median follow-up time was 11 years (range: 1-35 years). At the time of analysis, 34 patients were not alive. Of the 15 patients with LR, 7 (46.7%) recurred in the vaginal stump, 5 (33.3%) in the pelvic region, and 3 (20%) in the paraaortic nodal region, while 12 had distant metastasis. UPSC histology (p=0.027), sole VCT (p=0.041), high histologic grade (p=0.034), and age ${\geq}71$ (p=0.04) were poor prognostic factors on univariate analysis. Conclusions: In our patients receiving radiotherapy for early-stage EC, grade III disease and age ${\geq}71$ were associated with shorter OS whereas UPSC histology was an independent predictor for both LR and DM.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2006

The effects of cheonggukjang(traditional fermented soybean food, CK) and cheonggukjang added Agaricus blazei (CKA) on lipid metabolism were investigated in female Sprague-Dawley rats (20 weeks old). The rats were fed a purified hyperlipidemic diet (control diet: 0.1% cholesterol, 10% fat, 18% casein) for 4 weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to each treatment group: control, two kinds of CK or CKA (powders of CK or CKA as dietary protein sources). After 8 weeks of experimental diets consumption, the body weights, and the uterine fat pad weights of CK and CKA diets groups were more significantly decreased than those of the control diet group. The liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in both the CK and CKA diets groups than those in the control group. The concentrations in serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and atherogenic index ratios were significantly decreased in the CK and CKA diets group s compared with those in the control group. The HDL-cholesterol/total-cholesterol ratios were significantly increased in the CK and CKA diets groups compared with those in the control group. The fecal cholesterol and triglyceride excretion in the CK and CKA diets groups were more increased than those in the control group. These results showed that both the feeding the rats with cheonggukjang and cheonggukjang added Agaricus blazei decreased the triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in serum as well as the triglyceride and cholesterol in liver, and increased the HDL-cholesterol/total-cholesterol ratio in serum.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.111-118
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• 2009

Puopose : Exposure to dietary phytoestrogens such as genistein during early childhood is a growing public health concern. We examined the effect of early exposure to genistein on sexual maturation in immature rats. Methods : Weaning (3wk-old) Sprague-Dawley female rats were assigned to three groups (n=6 for each): fed by high dose of genistein (100 mg/kg/d), low dose of genistein (10 mg/kg/d) and control group. First vaginal opening (VO) day was observed. Structural alterations in the ovary and uterus were assessed by histologically. Expression of genes of $ER{\alpha}$, $ER{\beta}$, and progesterone receptor (PR) in the ovary and uterus were investigated by RT-PCR. Results : High genistein group had earlier VO than control and low genistein group. Graafian follicles and corpora lutea were observed from the ovary of genistein-treated groups, while primary, secondary follicles and small atretic follicles were observed in the control group. Hypertrophy of luminal and glandular uterine epithelia were found in the genistein-treated groups while poor development of gland and fewer myometrial cell layers were evident in control group. In ovary, the transcriptional activities of $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$ were higher in high genistein group than in controls. In uterus, the transcriptional activities of $ER{\alpha}$, $ER{\beta}$ and PR were higher in low genistein group than in controls. Conclusion : Acute exposure to genistein during the prepubertal period could activate the reproductive endocrine system resulting in the early onset of puberty in female rats. Further clinical investigation on the effect of genistein on the sexual maturation in children is warranted.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.2 s.38
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• pp.115-126
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• 1992

To estimate the cancer mortality rates among Koreans, a mortality survey was carried out in the province of $Ky{\breve{o}}ngsangnam-do$. The study population are the beneficiaries of Korea Medical Insurance Corporation(KMIC), $Ky{\breve{o}}ngsangnam-do$ area, among which the 3,867 deaths occurred from January, 1989 to December, 1990, were reviewed to confirm the cancer deaths. These were based upon the death certificates and medical utilization records before dying which were available through the computerized databases on medical care utility of KMIC. The survey was conducted along three steps. At first, the death certificates were examined, as a second step medical utilization records were reviewed, and finally direct contacts to the family members of the deceased were done. As a result, 990 deaths were found due to cancer. Using them, age and sex specific cancer(all sites and several sites) mortality rates were estimated. Overall cancer mortality rate in the area was estimated 138.7 per 100,000 person-years in males, and 65.7 in females, respectively. And the orders of site-specific cancer mortality rates were the cancers of stomach, liver, lung, esophagus, and cancers of the hematopoietic system among males, In females, followed by gastric cancer, cancers of lung and liver are the 2nd and 3rd in rank, respectively and cancers of breast and uterine cervix are the 4th and the 5th in rank.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3281-3285
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• 2012

Objectives: To evaluate the clinicopathologic correlation and prognostic value of HPV18 DNA viral load in patients with early-stage cervical neuroendocrine carcinoma (NECA). Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of cervical NECA patients with known HPV18 infection and clinicopathologic data including follow-up results were collected. The HPV18 DNA load was assessed with quantitative PCR targeting the HPV18 E6E7 region. Results: Twenty-one patients with early-stage (IB-IIA) cervical NECA were identified. HPV18 DNA viral load ranged from 0.83 to 55,174 copies/cell (median 5.90). Disease progression, observed in 10 cases (48%), was not significantly associated with any clinicopathologic variables. However, the group of patients with progressive disease tended to have a higher rate of pelvic lymph node metastasis (50% versus 9%, p=0.063) and a lower median value of HPV18 DNA viral load (4.37 versus 8.17 copies/cell, p=0.198) compared to the non-recurrent group. When stratified by a cut-off viral load value of 5.00 copies/cell, the group of patients with viral load ${\leq}5.00$ copies/cell had a significantly shorter disease-free survival than the group with viral load >5.00 copies/cell (p=0.028). The group with a lower viral load also tended to have a higher rate of disease progression (75% versus 31%, p=0.080). No significant difference in the other clinicopathologic variables between the lower and higher viral load groups was identified. Conclusion: HPV18 DNA viral load may have a prognostic value in patients with early-stage NECA of the cervix. A low viral load may be predictive of shortened disease-free survival in these patients.