PURPOSE: This study was aimed to develop a new vaginal applicator(Shin's Applicator) for 2-channel high-dose rate vaginal brachytherapy to evaluate uniformity of surface dose, and to present 3-dimensional dose distribution of the applicator. METHODS: Shin's Applicator was inexpensively constructed using human soft tissue equivalent acrylic bar. We evaluated dose uniformity along the applicator surface using film densitometer and performed vaginal intracavitary brachytherapy after insertion of the applicator using HDR brachytherapy planning software and brachytherapy unit(Ralstron-20B). RESULTS: Shin's Applicator allows improved dose distribution than the existing 1-channel cylinder and achieves diminished urinary bladder and rectal dose by 20%. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results, it can be concluded that Shin's Applicator may be an improved form of a vaginal applicator. Furthermore, it can be suggested that this applicator has an advantage, for it prevents vaginal stenosis after radiation therapy and can be used as a disposable vaginal dilator. Further follow up examination with radiological study may be helpful to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of this applicator.
Brachytherapy* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Urinary Bladder

Recently there has been attempts to develop hospital information system including order communicating system, patient tracing system, tumor registry system, office automation system and picture archiving and communication system(PACS). The authors devloped a practical system that was operated via order communication system of Yeungnam University Hospital. The system provided us the 'speed, accuracy, reliability, retention, economy and wide applicability through practical test. So we believed that this system would be one of standard computerized programs in radiation oncology practice and providing widely usable data for clinical statistics, medical record, tumor registry system and clinical researches.
Hospital Information Systems ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Office Automation ; Radiation Oncology*

Clinical estimation of bladder and rectal doses from high dose rate intracavitary irradiation in carcinoma of the cervix uteri has been initiated on a routine basis in an effort to obtain the optimum radiotherapeutic dose. Simulation films with contrast media are used to image the bladder and rectum, and dose rates are estimated at various interesting points with the aid of treatment planning computer, NEC Therac-2300. Fifty-three patients have been reviewed in order to ascertain the correlation between radiation dose at interesting points in the bladder and rectum and the dose at Point A and B. The dose ratio between doses at Point A and interesting points in an important clinical factor in evaluating the treatment planning. This also serves as documentation of the dose to normal structures within the treatment volume. Authors conclude that obtained data are within acceptable ranges and routine simulation films of the bladder and rectum after administration of contrast media with dose calculations at interesting points provide important information for optimizing radiotherapy planning in the treatment of cervical carcinoma without increased time and effort or patient's discomfort.
Cervix Uteri ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Radiotherapy ; Rectum ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effects of x-irradiation on the expression of the novel glutathione S-transferase K1 gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human glutathione S-transferase K1 (hGSTK1) DNA was purified and ligated to a pcDNA3.1/Myc-His(+) vector for the overexpression of hGSTK1 gene. MCF-7 cells were transfected with or without the recombinant hGSTK1 gene, and irradiated with 6 MV x-ray. After incubation of 14 days, cell survival was measured and compared. The expression of hGSTK1 and the effect of x- irradiation on hGSTK1 expression were also estimated in MCF-7 cells transfected with or without the hGSTK1 gene by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Following 2 to 12 Gy of x-irradiation, the cell survivals were higher in the MCF-7 cells transfected with the hGSTK1 gene than in those without transfection. Despite the higher cell survival in the hGSTK1-transfected cells, RT-PCR for hGSTK1 mRNA revealed no significant differences according to radiation dose, fractionation, and time after irradiation. CONCLUSION: The MCF-7 cells transfected with the hGSTK1 gene showed higher cell survival than those without transfection of the gene. The hGSTK1 gene might be associated with the radiosensitivity of MCF-7 cell line and further analysis should be needed.
Cell Survival ; DNA ; Glutathione Transferase* ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells* ; Radiation Tolerance ; RNA, Messenger ; Transfection

Uterine cervical cancer is the most common malignancy in Korean women. In spite of recent development of early diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, about 40% of treated patient will develop relapse. So more aggressive local treatment such as more extensive surgery and higher radiation dose and administration of systemic chemotherapy will promote the curability but treatment related complications cannot be avoidable. We used 22 cases of early cervical cancer, treated with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy, clinical data of these patients were analyzed to determine relationship between clinical parameters and final outcome. Three out of 22 cases revealed relapse and one patient showed rectovaginal fistula and another patient showed small bowel obstruction and the other patient showed rectal obstruction. Two out of three recurrence were stage IIa and the other one case was stage Ib adenocarcinoma with lymphovascular involvement. Nineteen out of 22 cases were followed without remarkable side effect or treatment related complication or sequelae. We concluded that out treatment policy was safe and effective to eradicate high risk postoperative cervical cancer with acceptable side effects or complication.
Adenocarcinoma ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Radiotherapy* ; Rectovaginal Fistula ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Since discovery of X-rays, radiotherapy has evolved into one of the most scientific branches of medicine and has established its role as the primary line or the secondary line of attack, after surgery,. in the treatment of malignant cancers. Nowadays its importance is illustrated by the fact that as many as 70 per cent of all pastients with cancer will receive radiation therapy at sometime during their disease process. Biologic effects-of X-rays began to be apparant soon after the discovery by Roentgen in 1895. In clinical radiotherapy, the biologic endpoint of most importance is loss of cellular reproductive ability or clonogenicity. One of the commonest ;nays to assess cell survival is to use an in vitro plating assay. We analyzed radiation effect on colony formation of HaLa. S3(SC) cell line and obtained results are as follows The plating efficiency is 0.464. The shape of cell survival curve is similar to multi-target plus single hit component model. Estimated values of Do, Dq, and extrapolation number are 150 cGy, 80 cGy and 1.7 respectively. We reported these experimental data with review of literature.
Cell Line* ; Cell Survival ; Radiation Effects ; Radiotherapy

Using same TDE factors, the authors studied the effects of whole abdominal irradiation on body weight and peripheral blood picture in 30±3 day old mice. Fractions of 100 and 200 cGy were given five times a week to the final TDF factors 17, 33, and 49. Total 80 mice were irradiated with orthovoltage x-ray machine. Our results can be summarized as follows: There were no significant differences by sex. Body weight was progressively decreased by the duration for irradiation, but no remarkable difference by fractional dose. Hemoglobin level showed no remarkable change by fractional dose or TDF factors. Leukopenic changes showed that severity of decrease seems to be more related to TDF factors. There were no significant changes of differential count by TDF factors of total doses.
Animals ; Body Weight* ; Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane ; Mice*

Total 55 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer treated with radiation therapy at Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yeungnam University Hospital, between May-1 1986 and April-30 1993 were retrospectively analyzed by clinical characteristics, failure patterns follow up duration and survival ratio according to prognostic factors. Obtained results were as follows : 1. Male to female ratio was 17.3 2. Sixth and seventh decades were predominant age group. 3. The patients were 8 in stage I-II, 34 in stage IIIA, 13 in stage IIIb, respectively. 4. Forty five patients out of 55 were squamous cell carcinoma. 5. Primary tumor were originated from upper lobe bronchi predominantly. 6. The size of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement and the degree of differentiation were important in evaluation of prognosis. 7. In conclusion, for patients with poor prognostic factors systemic chemotherapy and multidisciplinary approach were recommended for better treatment outcome and improvement of survival.
Bronchi ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Prognosis ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Bone metastases represent an important and frequent clinical problem in patients with advanced cancers. Especially, painful bone metastases are common features in these patients. Radiotherapy is an effective tool for palliative aim of painful metastatic osseous lesions. Various treatment results have been previously reported. The present retrospective study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of palliative irradiation on pain relief, with the goal of selecting appropriate irradiation dose schedule. Radiotherapy consisted of 5 times a week with a various fractional dose between 180 and 400cGy. The response of pain relief and the survival time after completion of radiotherapy are related to total dose and most of the patients have shown a similar response by the end of radiotherapy. The higher dose and the more aggressive multimodality treatment, the better pain control and the longer survival time.
Appointments and Schedules ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

In recent years there has been a growing interest in all forms of rotational therapy, and many different types of therapy machines designed for this kind of treatment have become available. To the medical radiation physicist, the dosimetry of rotation therapy has presented a number of interesting problems, and much useful work has been published on the basic date of dose distribution and dosage calculation. The setting dose for ARC therapy were obtained by computer calculation and measurement with cylindrical phantom. Authors compared computer calculation with measured value. And in ARC therapy, the region of maximum dose in shifted from the tumor center. The extent of shift was analyzed by isodose distribution for ARC therapy techniques.
Particle Accelerators*