Patient survival is one of the most important measures for the evaluation of progress in cancer patient care across the wide spectrum from diagnosis to treatment. The optimal monitoring method for cancer patient survival is to estimate survival based on representative data from cancer patients in the population, which is only achievable through using population-based cancer registration data. Relative survival is used to compare the survival experience in a study cohort that expected to result from background population mortality rates. This technique is useful when the cause of death is not accurate or not available, since it provides a measure of excess mortality in a group of patients with a certain disease. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the procedures for estimating relative survival using the statistical software Stata. For this survival analysis to show the procedure, the example data set was randomly selected from the National Cancer Incidence Database, which was used in a recent article reporting the overall relative survival of cancer patients diagnosed during 1993-2002 in Korea.
Cause of Death ; Cohort Studies ; Dataset ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mortality ; Patient Care ; Survival Analysis*

Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease of unknown causes developing local and systemic complications. Various ocular abnormalities arise in patients with UC. But there have been few reported cases of retinal vascular disease in conjunction with UC. We experienced a 32-year-old male UC patient who developed nonischemic central retinal vein occlusion. We think that this complication is most likely due to vasculitis involving the disc.
Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Male ; Retinal Vein ; Retinaldehyde* ; Ulcer* ; Vascular Diseases* ; Vasculitis

Small cell carcinoma does originate from APUD cells of any parts of the body. Usually the cases discovered in the lung and have poor prognosis. In esophagus only about 100 cases are reported world widely after McKneown reports in 1952 and only 2 cases were reported in Korea. There was a cese of small cell carcinoma developed multiple lesions in esophagus but no reports said that small cell carcinoma developed syncronously in esophagus and other organs. We are to report a case that showed a multiple lesions in esophagus and cardia. The patient 60 yeata old man, has suffered from the substernal discomfort and significant weight loss for one month.
APUD Cells ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Cardia* ; Esophagus* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Prognosis ; Stomach ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: To estimate the number of cancer cases during 2001, in Korea, through a nationwide hospital based cancer registration by the Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty four hospitals participated in the KCCR program in 2001. Cancer cases were coded and classified according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology 2nd edition (ICD-O-2). The software program "IARC Check" was used to evaluate the quality of the registered cancer cases. Of the 111, 816 malignancies registered, 10, 106 (9.0%) duplicated malignancies were excluded. Among the remaining 95, 542 malignancies, 3, 598 (3.8%) cases with carcinoma in situ (Morphology code/2) were separated. Finally, 91, 944 malignancies were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the total 91, 944 malignancies, 51, 753 (56.3%) cases were males and 40, 191 (43.7%) were females. More than one third of cases were from the elderly (65 years old and more). The six leading primary cancer sites, in the order of their relative frequency, were stomach (24.1%), followed by the lung (16.0%), the liver (16.0%), the colorectum (10.5%), the bladder (3.4%), and the prostate (2.8%) among males. In females, the breast (16.1%) was the common cancer site, followed by the stomach (15.3%), the colorectum (10.5%), the cervix uteri (10.1%), the thyroid gland (8.3%) and the lung (6.6%). CONCLUSION: With the continued increase in cancer cases, the total number of registered cancer cases in Korea continues to rapidly increase.
Aged ; Breast ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; International Classification of Diseases ; Korea* ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Prostate ; Stomach ; Thyroid Gland ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: To estimate the number of cancer cases during 2002 in Korea through a nationwide hospital based cancer registration by the Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty nine hospitals participated in the KCCR program in 2002. Cancer cases were coded and classified according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology 2nd edition (ICD-O-2). The software program `IARC Check' was used to evaluate the quality of registered cancer cases. Of the 122, 770 malignancies registered, 11, 732 (9.6%) duplicated malignancies were excluded. Among the remaining 102, 677 malignancies, 3, 652 (3.6%) cases with carcinoma in situ (Morphology code/2) were separated. Finally, 99, 025 malignancies were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the total of 99, 025 malignancies, 55, 398 (55.9%) cases were males and 43, 627 (44.1%) were females. More than one third of cases were from the elderly (65 years old and more). The six leading primary cancer sites in the order of their relative frequency, were stomach (24.0%), followed by the lung (16.0%), the liver (15.4%), the colorectum (11.6%), the bladder (3.2%), and the prostate (3.0%) among males. In females, the breast (16.8%) was the common cancer site, followed by the stomach (15.3%), the colorectum (10.7%), the thyroid gland (9.5%), the cervix uteri (9.1%), and the lung (6.6%). CONCLUSION: With the continued increase in cancer cases especially prostate cancer among males and thyroid cancer among females, the total number of registered cancer cases in Korea continues to rapidly increase.
Aged ; Breast ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; International Classification of Diseases ; Korea* ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Stomach ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and their relationship with the onset age of wheeze in school-age children and adolescents with asthma. METHODS: Three hundred twenty-six patients, aged 6 to 19 years, diagnosed with asthma at 6 hospitals from Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daegu, and Busan were enrolled. They were categorized into 3 groups by the onset age of wheeze: group A, early onset (age <3 years); group B, preschool onset (age 3-6 years); group C, late onset (age > or =6 years). Clinical characteristics including atopic sensitization, family history, combined allergic diseases, severity of asthma, and influence of asthma on daily life were examined. A history of hospitalization for early lower respiratory infection (LRI) and environmental tobacco smoking were studied and lung function tests were also performed. RESULTS: There was no difference in demographics, prevalence of atopy, combined allergic diseases, and family history of allergy between 3 groups. A history of sever LRI in early life was more common in groups A and B compared with group C. Sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was more prevalent in groups A and B than in group C. Forced expiratory flow between 25% to 75% (FEF(25%-75%)) was lower in groups A and B than in group C, and methacholine PC20 (provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in one second) was lowest in group B. Significantly lower FEF(25%-75%) and methacholine PC20 were observed in the patients who had been hospitalized with LRI in early life. CONCLUSION: Our study shows significant difference in lung function and atopic sensitization in relation to the onset age of wheeze in school-age children and adolescents with asthma, and suggests that early LRI might contribute to the development of asthma in early life.
Adolescent* ; Age of Onset* ; Asthma* ; Busan ; Child* ; Daegu ; Demography ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Lung ; Methacholine Chloride ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Seoul ; Smoking

PURPOSE: Diallyl disulfide (DADS), an organosulfur compound in garlic, has been reported to be effective in inhibiting the growth of several human tumor cell lines. The aim of this study was to determine whether DADS induced growth inhibition in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and to understand the molecular mechanism by which DADS acts. METHODS: MCF-7 cell lines were incubated with various concentrations of DADS for various time intervals and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. We examined the changes of intracellular proteins related to apoptosis, such as bcl-2, bax and PARP in cells treated with DADS. To study the expression level of bcl-2 and bax, which serve as modulators of apoptosis, we performed RT-PCR and western blot analysis. RESULTS: MCF-7 cells treated with DADS led to the suppression of viability and proliferation in both a time and concentration dependent manner. Microscopic observation revealed typical features of apoptosis in the DADS-treated cells, further verified in nuclear DAPI staining. Flow cyto-metry analysis with FITC-annexinV and propidium iodide (PI) demonstrated that the apoptotic cell population with AnnexinV+/PI- increased dramatically from ~0.8% to ~75% after 24h exposure to 500 microM DADS in MCF-7 cells. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that the number of apoptotic cells increased with the increasing time of the DADS treatment. Additionally, thermore, we investigated the effects of DADS on apoptosis related gene expression in MCF-7 cells. PARP cleavage was markedly increased in the DADS treated cells with time. This result indicated that DADS induced the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. We also found down-regulation of bcl-2, however no significant change of Bax expression was observed after DADS treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicate that DADS induces apoptosis by activating a caspase pathway involving the activation of Bcl-2 but not of Bax. Our findings suggest chemotherapeutic potentials of DADS in human breast cancer.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Garlic* ; Gene Expression ; Humans* ; MCF-7 Cells ; Propidium

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine the reference values of blood lead, manganese, aluminium, and silicon in healthy adults. METHODS: The subjects were 132 (67 male and 65 female), and classified to three age groups (< or =39, 40~49, and 50< or =). Blood lead, manganese and aluminium were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and blood silicon was analyzed by direct current plasma optical emission spectrometer. RESULTS: Blood lead levels(geometric mean, S.D) were (3.49, 1.70) microgram/dL in male and (3.04, 1.65) microgram/dL in female, but the difference is not significant, and there was no significant difference between age groups. Mean blood manganese level was 0.99+/-0.41 microgram/dL, and there was no significant difference between sex or age groups. Mean blood aluminium level was 0.59+/-0.35 microgram/dL, and there was no significant difference between sex or age groups. Mean blood silicon level was 54.41+/-27.64 microgram/dL in male and 43.34+/- 23.51 microgram/dL in female, and the level in male was significantly higher than that in female (p<0.05). There was significant difference between age groups, and the oldest showed the highest level in male (p<0.05), but no significant difference between age groups in female. CONCLUSIONS: Authors hope that this study would provide basic data for determining reference values and evaluating health effects.
Absorption ; Adult* ; Female ; Hope ; Humans ; Male ; Manganese* ; Plasma ; Reference Values ; Silicon*

The Korean Central Cancer Registry Program analyses data on the incidence and characteristics of cancer gathered from training hospitals across the nation in order to prepare coherent and accurate summary. The program has had these data computer processed through CANCER (version 1.5), a computer program for registry, since 1996. In 2002, we conducted a survey of the registered hospitals on the status of utilization for this cancer registry related-computer program and on the additional requirements to the existing variables. The results showed that the number of hospitals using the CANCER program has slightly outnumbered the hospitals using their own computer system for hospital information. That is because the number of cancer registry cases of the large-scale hospitals such as general hospitals, which comprises the majority of registered hospitals, is so many that they are able to sort out cancer registry data from their own system. They also reported a middle level of satisfaction with the program utilization. Among the least satisfactory items were the program's lack of portability to different situations and the necessity for double input of the same registry field. The field most requested by the surveyed hospitals for addition to the program was one on metastatic site. This study should lead to follow-up measures such as the development of a variety of algorithms to enhance the accuracy of the data by further reducing the errors in processing the data, and the recommendation of standards which are likely to enhance data adaptability. The result will be utilized as a basic reference for building a systematic and effective database on the national cancer registry.
Computer Systems ; Hospitals, General ; Incidence ; Korea*

PURPOSE: Even though the causes and appearance of upper gastrointestinal tract lesions vary with age, attention has seldomly been focused on the infancy and early childhood. This study aimed to provide, as basic material, the experience of esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) in infants and early children. METHODS: The objects were 66 patients(male 40, female 26) who underwent EGD examination in case of endoscopic indication at department of pediatrics of Taegu Hyosung Catholic University Hospital from March 1993 to February 1996. The scope of study included age distribution, chief complaints, endoscopic findings, final diagnosis. RESULTS: 1) The frequency of age distribution was 31.8% under 12 months, 16.6% in 13-24 months, 7.5% in 25-36 months, 7.5% in 37-48 months, 19.6% in 49-60 months and 16.6% in 61-72 months. The 48.4% of total application was done in children under 24 months. 2) The indications were vomiting(29.4%), epigastric pain(20.0%), melena or hematemesis(20.0%), chronic diarrhea(12.9%), recurrent abdominal pain(8.2%), foreign body ingestion(3.5%), drug intoxication(2.3%), chronic cough(1.1%), generalized edema(1.1%) and diagnosis of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(1.1%). 3) Endoscopic findings were chronic gastritis or duodenitis(21.2%), gastric or duodenal ulcer(13.6%), acute gastritis or duodenitis(7.5%), acute hemorrhagic gastritis or duodenitis(6.0%), reflux esophagitis(4.5%), pyloric stenosis(4.5%), pseudomembranous esophagitis(1.5%), esophageal varix(1.5%), gastric polyp(1.5%), dilatation of distal esophagus (1.5%), whitish discharge through the duodenum(1.5%) and nonspecific findings(34.8%). 4) Final diagnosis were gastroduodenal mucosal lesions with unidentified underlying diseases(37.8%), protracted diarrhea(16.6%), gastroesophageal reflux disease(4.5%), cyclic vomiting syndrome(4.5%), cow's milk allergy(4.5%), idiopathic hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(4.5%), foreign body removal(4.5%), recurrent abdominal pain syndrome(3.0%), drug intoxication(3.0%), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura(1.5%), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (1.5%), portal vein thrombosis(1.5%), esophageal web(1.5%), intestinal lymphangiectasia (1.5%), small intestinal hemangioma(1.5%), fungal esophagitis(1.5%) and unidentified underlying disease(6.0%). 5) The practices of EGD in infants and early children were done without serious adverse effects. The occurrence of bradycardia was developed in a newborn case during the procedure and was improved shortly after removal of scopy. CONCLUSIONS: The EGD studies were useful means of identifying the upper gastrointestinal anatomy and pathology in infants and early children with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. The practice of pediatric EGD in infants and early children was done without serious side effects. Pediatric EGD is now an integral part of the practice of pediatric gastroenterology.
Abdominal Pain ; Age Distribution ; Bradycardia ; Child* ; Daegu ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Endoscopy, Digestive System* ; Esophagus ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; Gastritis ; Gastroenterology ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Melena ; Milk ; Pathology ; Pediatrics ; Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome ; Portal Vein ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract ; Vomiting