PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate patients' preferences on receiving life-sustaining treatments (LST) and to analyze the relationship between patients' characteristics and LST selection. We also examined any discrepancy between LST patients' choices regarding medical intervention and actual medical intervention given/not given within 48 hours before death. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed from March 1, 2008 to August 31, 2008 in the Palliative Care Unit of Korea University Hospital. Electric medical records (EMR) of 102 hospice cancer patients were reviewed, and 74 patients with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) > or =10 at the time of signing the advance medical directives (AMD) were selected for the first analysis. Then, patients alive at the end of this study, transferred to other hospitals or dead within 48 hours were excluded, and the remaining 42 patients were selected for the second analysis. RESULTS: Preferred LST included antibiotics, total parenteral nutrition, tube feeding, transfusion, and laboratory and imaging studies. The relationship between patients' characteristics and LST could not be analyzed due to skewed preferences. LST chosen at the time of signing the AMD and actual medical intervention given/not given in the last 48 hours showed discrepancy in most cases. CONCLUSION: When making AMD in hospice cancer patients, it is important to consider the time and possibility of changing the choices. Above all, patients must fully understand the AMD. Thus, LST should always be provided with careful consideration of all possibilities, because legal and social aspects of AMD have not been established yet.
Advance Directives ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Enteral Nutrition ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hospices ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Support Care ; Medical Records ; Palliative Care ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total

PURPOSE: This aim of this study is to analyze the dosimetric difference between intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using 3 or 5 beams and MSF in the radiotherapy of the left breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a comparative analysis of two radiotherapy modalities that can achieve improved dose homogeneity. First is the multistatic fields technique that simultaneously uses both major and minor irradiation fields. The other is IMRT, which employs 3 or 5 beams using a fixed multileaf collimator. We designed treatment plans for 16 early left breast cancer patients who had taken breast conservation surgery and radiotherapy, and analyzed them from a dosimetric standpoint. RESULTS: For the mean values of V95 and dose homogeneity index, no statistically significant difference was observed among the three therapies. Extreme hot spots receiving over 110% of the prescribed dose were not found in any of the three methods. A Tukey test performed on IMRT showed a significantly larger increase in exposure dose to the ipsilateral lung and heart than multistatic fields technique (MSF) in the low-dose area, but in the high-dose area, MSF showed a slight increase. CONCLUSION: In order to improve dose homogeneity, the application of MSF, which can be easily planned and applied more widely, is considered an optimal alternative to IMRT for radiotherapy of early left breast cancer.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Heart ; Humans ; Lung

No abstract available.
Population Characteristics* ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxyurea with radiation in carcinoma of the cervix, huge exophytic or endophytic stage IIa and Iib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty four patients with carcinoma of the cervix stage IIA(29 patients) with exophytic(> or =3cm in diameter) or huge endophytic mass and IIB(35 patients) treated with radiation and hydroxyurea at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University, School of Medicine from Aug, 1989 to May, 1991. The maximum and mean follow up durations were 68 and 57 months respectively. The radiation therapy consisted of external irradiation to the whole pelvis(3600-5400cGy) shield (4X10 cm), and combined with intracavitary irradiation (3000-3500cGy to point A). Hydroxyurea was to be taken in a single oral dose of 1.0gm/day during radiation therapy. RESULTS: The control rate was 89.1%. The actuarial overall five year survival rate was 78.8% for stage IIA and 72.8% for stage IIB. The overall recurrence rate was 25%(16/64). Twenty-three percent of the patients developed or greater thrombocytopenia. Grade 3 or greater GI, GU complication and anemia were not noted. There was no treatment related death noted. CONCLUSION: We considered that hydroxyurea and radiation therapy may improve survival rate in huge exophytic and endophytic stage IIa cervical carcinoma with acceptible morbidity.
Anemia ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea* ; Radiation Oncology ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia

We report a rare case of multiple myeloma with biclonal gammopathy (IgG kappa and IgA lambda type) in a 58-year-old man with prostate cancer who presented with lower back pain. Through computed tomography (CT) imaging, an osteolytic lesion at the L3 vertebra and an enhancing lesion of the prostate gland with multiple lymphadenopathies were found. In the whole body positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), an additional osteoblastic bone lesion was found in the left ischial bone. A prostate biopsy was performed, and adenocarcinoma was confirmed. Decompression surgery of the L3 vertebra was conducted, and the pathologic result indicated that the lesion was a plasma cell neoplasm. Immunofixation electrophoresis showed the presence of biclonal gammopathy (IgG kappa and IgA lambda). Bone marrow plasma cells (CD138 positive cells) comprised 7.2% of nucleated cells and showed kappa positivity. We started radiation therapy for the L3 vertebra lesion, with a total dose of 3,940 cGy, and androgen deprivation therapy as treatment for the prostate cancer.
Adenocarcinoma/complications/*diagnosis/radiotherapy ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism/pathology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Immunoelectrophoresis ; Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains/blood ; Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Prostatic Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/radiotherapy ; Spine/pathology ; Syndecan-1/metabolism ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The genetic status of cagA, vacA subtype, iceA1, and babA, and the relationship to gastroduodenal diseases were assessed in Helicobacter pylori isolates in Korea. Seventy-six strains of H. pylori were isolated from the antrum and the corpus of 41 adult patients (22 with peptic ulcer and 19 with gastritis). The cagA, iceA1, and babA genes were assessed by polymerase chain reaction and the vacA subtypes were determined by reverse hybridization-line probe assay. The positive rates of 349-bp cagA, 208-bp cagA, iceA1, and babA genes were 97.4%, 96.1%, 84.2%, and 36.1%, respectively. The vacA s1a, s1b, s1c, and s2 variants were detected in 11.8%, 3.9%, 80.4%, and 1.3%, respectively. m1 (78.9%) is more prevalent than m2 (5.3%). The most common vacA genotype was s1c/m1 (61.9%), and 14 isolates (18.4%) contained mixed vacA genotypes from a single biopsy specimen. Twenty-one (60%) of 35 patients were infected with more than two strains of different cagA, iceA1, babA, and vacA genotypes. None of cagA, iceA1, babA, and vacA s1/m1 were associated with peptic ulcer. In conclusion, most H. pylori isolates in Korea carry cagA, iceA1, and vacA s1c/m1 genes, and reside with multiple strains. These genes do not correlate with the peptic ulcer in the Korean patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Bacterial Proteins/*genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Helicobacter pylori/*classification/genetics/pathogenicity ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Peptic Ulcer/*etiology/microbiology

The chemosensitizing effects of cyclosporin A and verapamil on the cytotoxicity of adriamycin were investigated using MTT assay against two human retinoblastoma cell lines, Y79 and WERI-Rb-1. Y79 and WERI-Rb-1 were totally resistant to doses up to 5.0 micrograms/ml of verapamil. Cyclosporin A inhibited the survival of Y79 and WERI-Rb-1 dose-dependently, however, the maximum inhibition at the highest concentration tested (5.0 micrograms/ml) was less than 50% (% survival at 5.0 micrograms/ml of cyclosporin A: 65.6% and 66.9% in Y79 and WERI-Rb-1, respectively). Combination of cyclosporin A and verapamil did not further inhibit the survival of Y79 and WERI-Rb-1 compared with cyclosporin A alone. Adramycin inhibited the survival of Y79 and WERI-Rb-1 dose-dependently. The chemosensitizing effects of cyclosporin A and verapamil on the cytotoxicity of adriamycin were evaluated in terms of sensitizing index (SI: the ratio of IC50 to adriamycin alone to IC50 to adriamycin in the presence of cyclosporin A and/or verapamil). Cyclosporin A significantly enhanced SI and the addition of verapamil enhanced SI further: SI values at 5.0 micrograms/ml of cyclosporin A, 5.0 micrograms/ml of cyclosporin A plus 1.5 micrograms/ml of cyclosporin A plus 1.5 micrograms/ml of verapamil, 5.0 micrograms/ml of cyclosporin A plus 3.0 micrograms/ml of verapamil were 2.0, 2.6 and 2.8 in Y79 and 2.6, 5.8 and 9.7 in WERI-Rb-1, respectively. These results suggest that cyclosporin A and verapamil are promising chemosensitizers to adriamycin in the treatment of retinoblastoma.
Cell Survival/drug effects ; Cyclosporine/*pharmacology ; Doxorubicin/*pharmacology ; Eye Neoplasms/drug therapy/*pathology ; Humans ; Retinoblastoma/drug therapy/*pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Verapamil/*pharmacology

OBJECTIVES: Many recent studies have suggested that several systemic conditions, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, are related to periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether any particular metabolic syndrome component correlates with the periodontal status. METHODS: This study analyzed data from 501 adults (age range, 30 to 64 years) who completed a general physical examination and an oral-health-related questionnaire between January 2014 and June 2014. Periodontitis was already used by the validity and reliability has been proven questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and the presence of chronic periodontitis. RESULTS: Among the 501 participants, 81 (16.2%) had metabolic syndrome and 91 (18.2%) had chronic periodontitis. The prevalence of chronic periodontitis was 28.40% (23/81) and 16.19% (68/420) in the participants with and without metabolic syndrome, respectively. The association remained significant after adjusting for sex, age, education, income, occupation, and smoking status; the adjusted odds ratio was 2.03 (95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 3.71). CONCLUSIONS: A significant association exists between metabolic syndrome components and the periodontal status.
Adult ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Education ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Periodontitis ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Reproducibility of Results ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of giant cell tumor (GCT) is mainly performed surgically. However, GCT in spine seems difficult to treat because of the limited surgical accessibility and proximity. In this report, we analyzed the outcome of GCT treatment in spine. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2012, 19 patients received treatment for GCT in spine. Median age at their first diagnosis was 31 years, 10 patients were male, and 9 female. Fourteen tumors were located in the sacrum, 1 in cervical, 1 in thoracic and 3 in lumbar spine. As primary treatment, gross total removal (GTR) was done in 6 patients, and subtotal removal (STR) in 13 patients. Radiation therapy (RT) as an adjuvant therapy was performed in 2 cases in GTR group and 10 cases in STR group. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 7 patients had local recurrence (36.8%). The average period until recurrence after primary treatment was 14 months. No recurrence was detected in GTR group. Recurrence was noted in 7 out of 13 patients who underwent STR. These differences were statistically significant (p=0.024). A median of recurrence free period (RFP) was 84 months. Also average RFP of the RT group was 112 months, and non-RT group was 65 months. These differences were statistically significant (p=0.041). CONCLUSION: Treatment of choice for GCT in spine is a complete removal of tumor without neurological deficits. In case of incomplete removal, radiation therapy may be a useful adjuvant treatment modality.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Giant Cell Tumors* ; Giant Cells* ; Humans ; Male ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Sacrum ; Spine*

PURPOSE: To analyze our quality assurance (QA) data for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) according to treatment site and to possibly improve QA for IMRT in Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed QA on 50 patients (head and neck, 28 patients; Breast, 14 patients; Pelvis, 8 patients) for IMRT. The calculated dose from RTP was compared with the measured value film, gamma index, and ionization chamber for dose measurement in each case. RESULTS: The point dose measurement results in 45 of 50 patients showed good agreement with the calculation dose (+/-3%). The largest error measured thus far has been 3.60%, with a mean of only -0.17% (SD, 2.25%). Each treatment site showed an error rate of -0.13% (SD, 1.93%) for head and neck cases, -0.26% (SD, 2.79%) for breast cases, and -0.24% (SD, 2.44%) for pelvis cases. The gamma index verified with the error rate of head and neck cases (6%), breast (10%), and pelvis (6%), which corresponded to a tolerance of 3 mm (3% for the head and neck, 2%, for the breast 1% for the pelvis, and 0% in the region where the isodose curve was greater than 90%. CONCLUSION: We recognize the cause of errors for each treatment site of IMRT QA and so we maximize our efforts to reduce error and increase accuracy.
Breast ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Pelvis