PURPOSE: We conducted a phase II study in previously untreated patients with unresectable stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer to evaluate the response rate and toxicity of the combination chemotherapy regimen of etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 1993 to December 1996, twenty patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage IIIB 5 and IV 15) (squamous cell 8, adeno- carcinoma 12), were enrolled in this study. There were 13 (65%) males and 7 (35%) females, and median age of patients were 56 years (range: 34~66). Eighteen patients had performance status (ECOG) 0~1, two patients had performance status 2. Treatment was consisted of cisplatin (20 mg/m2 i.v., day 1~4), VP-16 (etoposide) (75 mg/m2 i.v., day 1~4), ifosfamide (1000 mg/m2 i.v., day 1~4) with mesna. This treatment was repeated every four weeks. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 25%. Complete response rate was 5% (1/20) and partial response rate was 20% (4/20). The median cycle of response was 4 (2~6) cycles. The median overall survival time was 28 weeks (9~98 weeks). The median time to progression was 10 weeks (3~50 weeks). Toxicities were evaluated by WHO criteria. Toxicity > GradeIII included: leukopenia 1.6%, thrombocytopenia 3.2%, nausea and vomiting 15%, alopecia 30%, stomatitis 10%. These toxicities were tolerable and reversible. CONCLUSION: VIP regimen was not superior to previous regimens for advanced non-small all lung cancer, and the toxicities were tolerable.
Alopecia ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Etoposide ; Female ; Humans ; Ifosfamide* ; Leukopenia ; Lung Neoplasms ; Male ; Mesna ; Nausea ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Stomatitis ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Animals ; Female ; Hysterectomy* ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Spine* ; Tibia*

PURPOSE: Alteration of p53 and telomerase activity may be responsible for gastric carcino- genesis. In this study, we tried to observe modulation of telomerase activity by wild type p53 in gastric cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used five gastric cancer cell lines (KATO-III, AGS, SNU-1, SNU-5, SNU-16). In order to find p53 mutation, we used western blot and PCR-SSCP. The TRAP-eze kit which supplied by Oncor (Gaithersburg, MD) was used to detect telomerase activity of the five gastric carcinoma cell lines. The wild type p53 gene was transfected by electroporation method. RESULTS: The expression of p53 protein was increased in four gastric carcinoma cell lines and one cell line (KATO-III) did not express. We found p53 point mutation in exon 5 and 8, and the p53 gene was deleted in KATO-III. The telomerase activity were observed in all five gastric carcinoma cell lines and there were no difference in telomere repeat length among five cell lines. After transfection with wild type p53, we could not find the change of telomerase activity in KATO-III. CONCLUSION: Although activation of telomerase activity and mutation of p53 gene may be needed in gastric carcinogenesis, the telomerase activity was not affected by restoration of p53 function in gastric carcinoma cell lines.
Blotting, Western ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Line* ; Electroporation ; Exons ; Genes, p53* ; Point Mutation ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Telomerase* ; Telomere ; Transfection

PURPOSE: In gastric cancer, metastasis to the paraaortic lymph nodes had been regarded as an incurable factor, but many cases of long term survival have been reported with dissection of metastatic paraaortic nodes. And several reports suggested survival benefit with paraaortic lymph node dissection (D4) in advanced gastric cancer. In patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent paraaortic lymph node dissection we tried to evaluate the factors predisposing metastasis in these nodes and survival data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors analyzed retrospectively pathological features of 95 patients who underwent paraacntic lymph node dissection for advanced gastric cancer at Kangnam General Hospital Public Corporation Bom May 1991 to Feb. 1998. And we also analysed survival results of 72 cases among them. We excluded 18 cases of distant metastasis (3 liver metastasis, 15 peritoneal seeding), 2 operative mortalities, 1 other disease mortality, and 2 unlmown causes of death in survival analysis. RESULTS: The frequencies of paraaortic lymph node metastasis were 0.0% (0 of 32 cases) in T2, 19.2% (10 of 52 cases) in T3, 18.2% (2 of 11 cases) in T4. And those of paraaortic lymph node metastasis were 5.8% (3 of 52 cases) in antrum, 14.3% (3 fo 21 cases) in body, 20.0% (3 of 15 cases) in cardia, and 42.9% (3 of 7 cases) in whole area. The five-year survival rates (5 YSRs) in relation to the paraaortic lymph node (No16) status was 0.096 in No16+, and 57.8Po in Nol6 with D4 of advanced gastric cancer. The 5 YSRs were 78.1%, 40.8% and 0% in T2, T3 and T4, respectively and 93.8%, 64.2%, 24.2% and 0.0% in n0, nl, n2 and n.3, respectively and 88.9%, 80.5%, 57.9% and 0.0% (47.6%) and 0.0% in stage IB, II, IIIA, IIIB and IV, respectively. CONCLUSION: The depth of gastric wall invasion and the location of primary tumor were significant predisposing factors to para-aortic lymph node metastasis in multivariate analysis (p<0.05). Survival of No16 metastasis was very poor. And three factors of T stage, n stage, and Bonmann type were also prognostically significant in terms of five year survival in cases of D4 of advanced gastric cancer in multivariate analysis (p < 0.05).
Cardia ; Causality ; Cause of Death ; Drug Therapy* ; Granisetron* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nausea* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Platinum* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Vomiting*

We evaluated the renal function could be estimated by the visual analysis of the perfusion images of Tc-99m DTPA renal scan. Renal scan, creatinine clearance(CCr) and serum creatinine(s-Cr) were obtained in 105 patients. Intensity of renal activity(RA) at 6 sec perfusion image after the first visualization of abdominal aortic activity(A or A) was considered as the parameter for estimating renal function. Intensity of RA was scored from grade(Gr.) 1 to 3(Gr. 1: RAsplenic activity(SA), Gr. 2: RA A or A, Gr. 3: RA60 mL/min. The P.P.V. of Gr. 2 RA was 92% for s-Cr from 1.5 to less than 3.5mg/dL and 83% for CCr value from 20 to less than 60mL/min. The P.P.V. of Gr. 3 RA was 95% for s-Cr3.5mg/dL and 95% for CCr<20mL/min. As the intensity of RA of perfusion images decreased, renal function more decreased. We could detect renal dysfunction by visual analysis of perfusion images of renal scan.
Creatinine ; Humans ; Pentetic Acid* ; Perfusion*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Prospective Studies*

No abstract available.
Fluconazole* ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene is involved in various neuroendocrine reproductive activities and its principal areas of expression are hypothalamus and pituitary gland. However, as it is known as low copy gene, detection of its expression by in situ hybridization is challenging. This study was to examine the degree of basal expression of POMC mRNA and anatomic localization of its expression in rat hypothalamus and pituitary gland as a preliminary study for related reproductive endocrine researches. METHODS: Hypothalamus and pituitary gland of ovariectomized female Spraque-Dawley rat (weight: 250-300 g) was obtained by decapitation with preservation of POMC mRNA by cardiac perfusion of 4% paraformaldehyde. Then, coronal sections of hypothalamus and horizontal sections of pituitary gland were made after paraffin embedding. For in situ hybridization, 35S-labeled antisense RNA probe was used and after in situ hybridization reaction and serial washing procedure, detection of its signal was made by emulsion autoradiography of slide and dark field microscopic examination was done for photographic documentation. Anatomic localization of various nucleus of hypothalamus was done by method proposed by Paxinos and Watson1. RESULTS: Strong expression signal of POMC mRNA was detected in the intermediate lobe of pituitary gland. Less strong, but evenly distributed signals were also detected in the anterior lobe of pituitary gland. In hypothalamic sections, entire area of arcuate nucleus from rostral to caudal direction (between bregma -2.80 mm to bregma -4.30 mm area) showed clear and strong signal of POMC mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Though POMC gene is known as low copy gene, its basal mRNA expression in pituitary gland and hypothalamus in ovariectomized rat were detectable by in situ hybridization technique. As subpopulation of arcuate nucleus are under complex differential regulation, this in situ hybridization model would be helpful for understanding the effects of various regulatory factors on expression of POMC gene in the specific anatomic area of hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Animals ; Arcuate Nucleus ; Autoradiography ; Decapitation ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothalamus* ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Paraffin Embedding ; Perfusion ; Pituitary Gland* ; Pituitary Gland, Anterior ; Pituitary Gland, Intermediate ; Pro-Opiomelanocortin* ; Rats* ; RNA, Antisense ; RNA, Messenger