Collagen is the most common structural protein in the connective tissues of vertebrates, playing a crucial role in maintaining the tissue structure and wound healing. Atelocollagen retains the original properties of collagen but does not induce inflammatory cytokines. Atelocollagen is extracted from various animals and humans, with bovine-derived collagen being the most commonly used. The safety and efficacy of atelocollagen have been demonstrated through multiple studies, but further research will be needed in the field of orthopedics regarding its range of use and effects. Foot and ankle diseases have attracted little research attention, highlighting the need for further studies.

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment that involves injecting an irritant solution into ligament and tendon attachments to induce a localized inflammatory response and promote the regeneration of connective tissue. This study reviewed the effects and mechanisms of prolotherapy in the foot and ankle region. Prolotherapy contributes to pain reduction and functional improvement in conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, and osteochondral lesions of the talus. On the other hand, the limited number of studies and lack of standardized protocols remain challenges. Further research and the establishment of standardized protocols will be needed to maximize the efficacy of prolotherapy and expand its indications.

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment that involves injecting an irritant solution into ligament and tendon attachments to induce a localized inflammatory response and promote the regeneration of connective tissue. This study reviewed the effects and mechanisms of prolotherapy in the foot and ankle region. Prolotherapy contributes to pain reduction and functional improvement in conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, and osteochondral lesions of the talus. On the other hand, the limited number of studies and lack of standardized protocols remain challenges. Further research and the establishment of standardized protocols will be needed to maximize the efficacy of prolotherapy and expand its indications.

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment that involves injecting an irritant solution into ligament and tendon attachments to induce a localized inflammatory response and promote the regeneration of connective tissue. This study reviewed the effects and mechanisms of prolotherapy in the foot and ankle region. Prolotherapy contributes to pain reduction and functional improvement in conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, and osteochondral lesions of the talus. On the other hand, the limited number of studies and lack of standardized protocols remain challenges. Further research and the establishment of standardized protocols will be needed to maximize the efficacy of prolotherapy and expand its indications.

Prolotherapy is a non-surgical treatment that involves injecting an irritant solution into ligament and tendon attachments to induce a localized inflammatory response and promote the regeneration of connective tissue. This study reviewed the effects and mechanisms of prolotherapy in the foot and ankle region. Prolotherapy contributes to pain reduction and functional improvement in conditions such as Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, and osteochondral lesions of the talus. On the other hand, the limited number of studies and lack of standardized protocols remain challenges. Further research and the establishment of standardized protocols will be needed to maximize the efficacy of prolotherapy and expand its indications.

PURPOSE: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. However, the introduction of gemcitabine and the recognition of a benefit in patients with advanced disease stimulated the design of trials that compare chemotherapy alone to concurrent chemoradiation. Therefore, we evaluated role of CCRT for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of treatment results for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer between January 2000 and January 2008. The radiation was delivered to the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes with a 1~2 cm margin at a total dose of 36.0~59.4 Gy (median: 54 Gy). The chemotherapeutic agent delivered with the radiation was 5-FU (500 mg/m2). The patients who underwent chemotherapy alone received gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2) alone or gemcitabine with 5-FU. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 38 months. The survival and prognostic factors were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy, whereas 21 patients received chemotherapy alone. The median survival time was 12 months for CCRT patients, compared to 11 months for chemotherapy alone patients (p=0.453). The median progression-free survival was 8 months for CCRT patients, compared to 5 months for chemotherapy alone patients (p=0.242). The overall response included 9 partial responses for CCRT and 1 partial response for chemotherapy alone. In total, 26% of patients from the CCRT group experienced grade 3~4 bowel toxicity. In contract, no grade 3~4 bowel toxicity was observed in the chemotherapy alone group. The significant prognostic factors of overall survival were lymph node status, high CA19-9, and tumor location. CONCLUSION: The response rate and progression-free survival were more favorable in the CCRT group, when compared with the chemotherapy alone group. Therefore, radiation therapy seems to be an effective tool for local tumor control.
Chemoradiotherapy ; Contracts ; Deoxycytidine ; Disease-Free Survival ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies

The aim of this study was to investigate the dose-related effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Between March 2005 and March 2008, 66 patients who had been treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy due to lateral epicondylitis of elbow formed the subjects. The subjects were divided into the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd treatment group and evaluated the clinical outcomes by visual analog scale (VAS) and a simple elbow test (SET) at immediate treatment, posttreatment 6 and 12 months, retrospectively. Changes in VAS score between the 2nd and 3rd treatment group and between the 1st and 3rd treatment group showed significant difference only at posttreatment 1 month group (p=0.001, 0.2, 0.1), (p=0.03, 0.08, 0.3), but Visual Analog Scale score at posttreatment 1 month showed no difference within the groups (p=1.0, 0.2, 0.07). SET within and between the groups showed significant difference at posttreatment 6 and 12 months (p<0.05).
Elbow ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock

PURPOSE: This study was performed to retrospectively analyze patient survival by weighting according to the primary tumor oncotype in 160 patients with brain metastasis and who underwent whole brain radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 160 metastatic brain cancer patients who were treated with whole brain radiotherapy of 30 Gy between 2002 and 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary tumor oncotype of 20 patients was breast cancer, and that of 103 patients was lung cancer. Except for 18 patients with leptomeningeal seeding, a total of 142 patients were analyzed according to the prognostic factors and the Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) class. Weighted Partitioning Analysis (WPA), with the weighting being done according to the primary tumor oncotype, was performed and the results were correlated with survival and then compared with the RPA Class. RESULTS: The median survival of the patients in RPA Class I (8 patients) was 20.0 months, that for Class II (76 patients) was 10.0 months and that for Class III (58 patients) was 3.0 months (p<0.003). The median survival of patients in WPA Class I (3 patients) was 36 months, that for the patients in Class II (9 patients) was 23.7 months, that for the patients in Class III (70 patients) was 10.9 months and that for the patients in Class IV (60 patients) was 8.6 months (p<0.001). The WPA Class might have more accuracy in assessing survival, and it may be superior to the RPA Class for assessing survival. CONCLUSION: A new prognostic index, the WPA Class, has more prognostic value than the RPA Class for the treatment of patients with metastatic brain cancer. This WPA Class may be useful to guide the appropriate treatment of metastatic brain lesions.
Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seeds ; Survival Analysis*

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome*

BACKGROUND: The molecular profile of peritumoral non-neoplastic liver parenchyma (PNLP) has recently been suggested as predictive factor of early and late recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there is no definite cut-off point for tumor-free PNLP in terms of either histological or molecular changes. Therefore, our aim is to determine the numerical cut-off point for separating adjacent PNLP and remote PNLP in histopathologic perspective. METHODS: Peritumoral tissues from 20 resected HCC patients were sampled from 0 to 40 mm distance from the tumor border (divided into 5-mm columns). Histopathologic parameters such as necroinflammatory activity, fibrosis, bile ductular reaction, hepatic venulitis, peliosis, and steatosis were compared between each column. RESULTS: The morphologic changes just adjacent to the tumor were notably severe and faded with distance. The parenchyma within 10 mm of the tumor showed significantly severe inflammation, fibrosis, peliosis and hepatic venulitis compared with those from farther areas. The histopathologic changes of the parenchyma became stable beyond 20 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study revealed that the parenchyma within 10 mm distance from the tumor, or adjacent PNLP, has histopathologic changes that are directly affected by the tumor, and the parenchyma beyond 20 mm as the remote PNLP without tumor effect.
Bile ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Recurrence