Population-based survival reflect the average prognosis of unselected patients with a variety of natural histories as well as treatment patterns and are also useful for evaluating effectiveness and efficiency of cancer-directed health services in a given region. Although survival data have been reported based on hospital data, the survival data from population-based registry have been rarely reported in Korea. Based on the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, we report the results from survival analysis for cancer patients diagnosed during 1993-2002 and followed up until 31 December 2005 at primary cancer sites. The five-year relative survival rates (RSR) were calculated using the Ederer II method. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate median survival and the 95% confidence intervals. In males, the five-year RSR for all cancers was 32.5% during 1993-1997 and was 37.8% during 1998-2002. In females, the five-year RSR for all cancers was 53.7% during 1993-1997 and was 57.0% during 1998-2002. The largest improvement in survival was shown in prostate cancer in males and breast and stomach cancer in females. The median survival durations were 16.3 months in males and 81.6 months in females. This result will be useful for evaluation of cancer treatment outcomes in Korea.
Databases, Factual ; Epidemiologic Factors ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Neoplasms/*mortality ; Registries ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical course of esodeviation after exotropia surgery in older patients (older than 15 years) and to compare it with that in younger patients (15 years or younger). METHODS: The medical records of all surgeries for exodeviation from December 2004 to February 2007 were reviewed and 82 patients were found with consecutive esodeviation. The patients were divided into two groups according to their age: Group A (patients older than 15 years) and Group B (patients age 15 or younger). The clinical course of esodeviation in Group A was compared to that in Group B by means of survival analysis. RESULTS: The median survival times of the esodeviation were 2.0+/-0.1 months in Group A and 1.0+/-0.1 months in Group B (p=0.40). The prevalence of consecutive esotropia at six months was 0% in Group A and 6.1% in Group B (p=0.32). The myopic refractive error, worse sensory condition, and a larger preoperative exodeviation in Group A did not affect the clinical course of the two groups differently. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative esodeviation of patients older than 15 years after exotropia surgery tended to persist longer during the early postoperative period than that of patients 15 years or younger, however, the difference did not persist at postoperative six months.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Child ; Esotropia/*etiology/physiopathology ; Exotropia/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Male ; Oculomotor Muscles/*surgery ; *Postoperative Complications ; Vision, Binocular/physiology ; Visual Acuity/physiology

PURPOSE: Short life expectancy influences decision-making when treating very old patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We investigated mortality and survival duration in very old AIS patients (> or =80 years) who received hospital care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Mortality data were obtained from medical records, structured telephone inquiries, death certificates from the Korean National Statistical Office, and social security data 5+/-1.9 years after stroke onset. Age, gender, vascular risk factors, and functional outcomes from modified Rankin scales (MRS) at discharge were analyzed as predictors of mortality. RESULTS: Among 134 patients, 92 (68.7%) died. On Kaplan- Meier analysis, duration of survival of patients aged 80-84 years was longer than those aged 85-89 or 90-94 (24+/-6.4, 8+/-7.3, 7+/-2.0 months, respectively, p=0.002). Duration of survival of patients discharged in a state of MRS 0-1 was longer than the remaining groups at 47+/-4.8 months (p<0.001). In Cox proportional hazard analysis, age and MRS at discharge were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSION: Long-term outcomes of very old patients with AIS are not uniformly grave, therefore predictors of mortality and estimated duration of survival should be considered during decision- making for treatment.
Age Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brain Ischemia/mortality/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Male ; Prognosis ; Stroke/mortality/*pathology ; Survival Rate ; Time Factors

The impact of treatment delays to reperfusion on patient mortality after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is controversial. We analyzed 5,069 patients included in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) between November 2005 and January 2007. We selected 1,416 patients who presented within 12 hr of symptom onset and who were treated with primary PCI. The overall mortality at one month was 4.4%. The medians of door-to-balloon time, symptom onset-to-balloon time, and symptom onset-to-door time were 90 (interquartile range, 65-136), 274 (185-442), and 163 min (90-285), respectively. One-month mortality was not increased significantly with any increasing delay in door-to-balloon time (4.3% for < or =90 min, 4.4% for >90 min; p=0.94), symptom onset-to-balloon time (3.9% for < or =240 min, 4.8% for >240 min; p=0.41), and symptom onset-to-door time (3.3% for < or =120 min, 5.0% for >120 min; p=0.13). These time variables had no impact on one-month mortality in any subgroup. Thus, this first nationwide registry data in Korea showed a good result of primary PCI, and the patient prognosis may not depend on the initial treatment delay using the current protocols.
Aged ; Angioplasty, Transluminal, Percutaneous Coronary/*mortality ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction/*mortality/*therapy ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Registries/statistics & numerical data ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In patients with heart failure (HF), N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) is a standard prognostic indicator. In addition, uric acid (UA) was recently established as a prognostic marker for poor outcome in chronic HF. The aim of this study was to determine the combined role of UA and NT-ProBNP as prognostic markers for short-term outcomes of acute heart failure (AHF). METHODS: The levels of UA and NT-ProBNP were determined in 193 patients (age, 69 +/- 13 years; 76 males) admitted with AHF. Patients were followed for 3 months and evaluated for cardiovascular events, defined as cardiac death and/or readmission for HF. RESULTS: Of the 193 patients, 23 (11.9%) died and 20 (10.4%) were readmitted for HF during the 3-month follow-up period. Based on univariate analysis, possible predictors of short-term cardiovascular events were high levels of UA and NT-ProBNP, low creatinine clearance, no angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and old age. Multivariate Cox hazard analysis showed that UA levels were independently associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 1.115; 95% confidence interval, 1.006 to 1.235; p = 0.037). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with UA levels > 8.0 mg/dL and NT-ProBNP levels > 4,210 pg/mL were at highest risk for cardiac events (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of UA and NT-ProBNP levels appears to be more useful than either marker alone as an independent predictor for short-term outcomes in patients with AHF.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biological Markers/blood ; Female ; Heart Failure/*blood/therapy ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/*blood ; Peptide Fragments/*blood ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Uric Acid/*blood

We performed a retrospective study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of extensive upper abdominal surgery (EUAS) in elderly (> or =65 yr) patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Records of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer who received surgery at our institution between January 2001 and June 2005 were reviewed. A total of 137 patients including 32 (20.9%) elderly patients were identified. Co-morbidities were present in 37.5% of the elderly patients. Optimal cytoreduction was feasible in 87.5% of the elderly while 95.2% of young patients were optimally debulked (P=0.237). Among 77 patients who received one or more EUAS procedures, 16 (20.8%) were elderly. Within the cohort, the complication profile was not significantly different between the young and the elderly, except for pleural effusion and pneumothorax (P=0.028). Elderly patients who received 2 or more EUAS procedures, when compared to those 1 or less EUAS procedure, had significantly longer operation times (P=0.009), greater blood loss (P=0.002) and more intraoperative transfusions (P=0.030). EUAS procedures are feasible in elderly patients with good general condition. However, cautious peri-operative care should be given to this group because of their vulnerability to pulmonary complications and multiple EUAS procedures.
Abdomen/*surgery ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; *Gynecologic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms/mortality/*pathology/*surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Combined coronary artery bypass (CAB) and valve surgery is one of the most challenging surgical procedures, but the operative results have improved over the years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1989 through 2004, combined CAB and valve operations were performed in 125 patients. Mean age was 63 years, and 86 patients were male. Forty-six patients were diagnosed with coronary artery disease during preoperative evaluation for valvular heart disease (VHD). All patients underwent CAB, and one or more underwent valve replacement or repair (mitral: 54, aortic: 61, tricuspid: 3, DVR: 7) simultaneously. RESULTS: Mean number of distal graft was 1.98 +/- 1.07, and LIMA was used in 68% of patients. Early mortality occurred in 6 patients (4.8%), and the causes were heart failure (4) and sepsis (2). Mean follow-up duration was 91.4 +/- 40.9 months (range: 47-245), and late mortality occurred in 4 patients. Kaplan Meier estimated survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 94.4%, 92.3%, and 89.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Combined coronary and valve operations can be performed safely with optimal surgical results. Although the surgical mortality of coexisting coronary and VHD is higher than either isolated coronary or valvular operations, it may not affect the long-term survival.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass/*methods ; Coronary Artery Disease/mortality/*surgery ; Coronary Vessels/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases/mortality/*surgery ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: Combined coronary artery bypass (CAB) and valve surgery is one of the most challenging surgical procedures, but the operative results have improved over the years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1989 through 2004, combined CAB and valve operations were performed in 125 patients. Mean age was 63 years, and 86 patients were male. Forty-six patients were diagnosed with coronary artery disease during preoperative evaluation for valvular heart disease (VHD). All patients underwent CAB, and one or more underwent valve replacement or repair (mitral: 54, aortic: 61, tricuspid: 3, DVR: 7) simultaneously. RESULTS: Mean number of distal graft was 1.98 +/- 1.07, and LIMA was used in 68% of patients. Early mortality occurred in 6 patients (4.8%), and the causes were heart failure (4) and sepsis (2). Mean follow-up duration was 91.4 +/- 40.9 months (range: 47-245), and late mortality occurred in 4 patients. Kaplan Meier estimated survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 94.4%, 92.3%, and 89.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Combined coronary and valve operations can be performed safely with optimal surgical results. Although the surgical mortality of coexisting coronary and VHD is higher than either isolated coronary or valvular operations, it may not affect the long-term survival.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass/*methods ; Coronary Artery Disease/mortality/*surgery ; Coronary Vessels/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases/mortality/*surgery ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinicopathologic differences between Type II and Type III groups that were classified by Siewert in cardia cancer. METHODS: A hundred forty-one patients who were diagnosed as gastric cardia cancer and underwent surgery between January 1990 and December 2006 by single surgeon at Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine were included in this study. The Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test were used for survival analysis. RESULTS: Barrett's adenocarcinoma was recognized in two patients so called type I. There were significant differences between type II and III in aspect of depth of invasion, Lauren's classification, and the number of retrieved lymph nodes in which cancer infiltrated. In type III, prognostic factors affecting survival were depth of invasion and nodal status in contrast to the no demonstrable prognostic factors existing in type II. However, there were no differences in recurrence and survival between two groups. CONCULSIONS: Several clinicopathologic differences exist between type II and III cardia cancer. In the future, further evaluation is needed regarding the classification and entities of the cardia cancer.
Adenocarcinoma/classification/mortality/*pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Barrett Esophagus/pathology/surgery ; *Cardia ; Esophageal Neoplasms/classification/mortality/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms/classification/mortality/*pathology ; Survival Analysis

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP) has shown to be up-regulated in several cancers and to play a role in angiogenesis and invasion. Most studies regarding TP have focused on cancer cells. Recently, evidences suggest that TP in cancer-infiltrating inflammatory cells (CIICs) also affect the cancer cell behavior. To evaluate the significance of TP expression of CIICs in gastric cancer, we assessed TP expression of cancer cells and CIICs separately using immunohistochemical assay on 116 paraffin-embedded tissue samples from stomach cancer patients and investigated their clinical significance. When subjects were divided into 4 groups according to the TP expression: cancer/matrix (+/+), C/M (+/-), C/M (-/+), and C/M (-/-), intratumoral microvessel density scores were higher in the C/M (+/-) group than in the C/M (-/-) group (p=0.02). For lymph node metastasis and survival, there were no significant differences among the 4 groups. However, there were significant differences in survival (p=0.035) and LN metastasis (p=0.023) between the two groups divided by TP expression of CIICs alone irrespective of TP expression of cancer cells. Taken together, this study suggested the TP expression in CIICs could affect lymph node metastasis and patients' survival in gastric cancer.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation/*enzymology/pathology ; Kaplan-Meiers Estimate ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/*enzymology/pathology ; Male ; Microcirculation/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms/blood supply/*enzymology/mortality/pathology ; Thymidine Phosphorylase/*metabolism