PURPOSE: To analyze the controversies surrounding therapeutic decision-making and the withholding of life- sustaining treatments, values held concerning therapeutic interventions of terminal cancer patients are compared between physicians and family members. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 42 advanced or terminal stage cancer patients were enrolled for the study. The questionnaires were administered to the duty doctor and the family of the patients. Questions included whether to use new agents with a 15% partial efficacy and whether to use opioid analgesics, intravenous nutrition, a feeding tube, antibiotics, and hemodialysis. Additionally, we asked about the administration of CPR, ventilator application, and euthanasia. If the family permitted, the same questionnaires were given to the patients. RESULTS: Of the 42 cases, 5 families refused to answer the questionnaire. Of the available 37 families, only 5 families permitted access to the patients. Of the 5 patients, 2 patients refused the questionnaire. Only 67.6% and 8.1% of families and the patients clearly understood the stage of cancer. The use of a new agent was accepted by 45.2% of the physicians and 45.9% of the families. The rankings of the acceptance of treatment in the physicians and in the families were similar. The concordance rate between the physicians and the families was lowest on ventilator application and CPR. 31% of the physicians and 43.2% of the families agreed on the issue of euthanasia. CONCLUSION: Values held on issues like therapeutic decision-making and the withholding of life-sustaining treatments in terminal cancer patients are discordant between physicians and family members. In order to resolve controversies on the role of physicians in end-of-life decisions, the values of physicians as well as patients and their family members should be considered in the final decision-making process.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Euthanasia ; Humans ; Medical Futility ; Renal Dialysis ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Withholding Treatment ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Because of the relative paucity of data regarding the clinical outcome in adult patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in Korea, we analyzed clinical courses in adult ALL patients treated with VPD (L) regimen (vincristine, prednisolone, daunorubicin, L-asparaginase) at the Seoul National University Hospital, and evaluated prognostic factors influencing the outcome. METHODS: Patients with ALL newly diagnosed between October 1994 and June 2000 at our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Fifty-three patients were evaluable. Induction chemotherapy consisted of VPD with (46 cases) or without L-asparaginase (7 cases). After complete remission (CR), consolidation therapy, CNS prophylaxis and maintenance chemotherapy were administered. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 16 to 67 (median 30). CR rate was 86.8% (46/53) and no significant prognostic factor was found for the CR rate. With a median follow-up time of 27.2 months (range 12.9~83.0 months) in living patients, the median overall survival (OS) for all cases was 16.7 months (13.4~20.1 months, 95% C.I.) and the estimated 4-year OS rate was 25.4%+/-8.9%. The median relapse-free survival (RFS) was 12.2 months (8.4~16.0 months, 95% C.I.), and 3-year RFS rate was 29.9%+/-10.2%. Poor prognostic factors for OS were Ph chromosome (p=0.005) and T-cell immunophenotype (p=0.03). For RFS they were Ph chromosome (p=0.01) and the presence of a mediastinal mass (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Despite an initial excellent response to the VPD (L) regimen, newer therapeutic strategies, including more intensive postremission therapies, are urgently needed because of the high relapse rate. Future therapeutic approaches need to be stratified according to several prognostic factors.
Administration, Oral ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Asparaginase/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Disease-Free Survival ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Doxorubicin/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Maximum Tolerated Dose ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/diagnosis/*drug therapy/*mortality ; Prednisone/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Probability ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine/*administration & dosage/adverse effects

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan is an active agent in colorectal cancer, producing 30~40% response rates when combined with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in metastatic colorectal cancer as first line therapy, however, the best combination schedules are not determined yet. We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan combined with bolus 5-fluorouracil, continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil, and high-dose leucovorin every two weeks (LV5FU2 regimen) in recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer in Korean patients. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with measurable diseases previously untreated with chemotherapy other than adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer were enrolled onto this study and received the study drugs between June 2000 and December 2001. Treatment consisted of irinotecan (180 mg/m2 over two hours on day 1) followed by leucovorin (200 mg/m2 over two hours), bolus 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m2 and continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2 over next 22 hours) on day 1 and 2. Chemotherapy was repeated every two weeks until progressive disease. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients evaluable for response, 8 partial responses were observed with a response rate of 40%. Six additional patients achieved stable disease as their best response, and six progressed. The median time to progression was 5.0 months and median overall survival was 17.3 months. The most frequently observed grade 3~4 toxicities were neutropenia (18%) and diarrhea (4.8%). Two mortalities occurred, though not clearly related to treatment, before the end of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Irinotecan combined with LV5FU2 regimen was effective in advanced colorectal cancer with manageable side effects. Caution should be paid to elderly and poor performance patients to prevent treatment related mortality and morbidity.
Aged ; Appointments and Schedules ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Fluorouracil* ; Humans ; Leucovorin* ; Mortality ; Neutropenia

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) is associated with recent streptococcal infections. However, PSRA is distinct from acute rheumatic fever by its clinical manifestations: non-migrating arthritis, erythema nodosum or erythema multiforme, and transient elevation of serum transaminases. We experienced a 33-year-old man who presented with fever, arthritis of both knees and ankles, and erythema nodosums on extensor surfaces of lower legs which developed 6 days after the onset of pharyngitis symptoms. Blood and urine cultures were negative. Throat culture was negative for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. The ASO titers increased up to 2080 IU/mL in sequential monitoring. The result of bone scan was compatible to arthritis of both knees and ankles. There were no signs or symptom of carditis. He showed clinical improvement with anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen 1,000 mg/day and prednisolone 7.5 mg/d). PSRA should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with arthritis combined with fever.
Adult ; Ankle ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Reactive* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythema Multiforme ; Erythema Nodosum ; Fever ; Humans ; Knee ; Leg ; Myocarditis ; Pharyngitis ; Pharynx ; Prednisolone ; Rheumatic Fever ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus ; Transaminases

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) is associated with recent streptococcal infections. However, PSRA is distinct from acute rheumatic fever by its clinical manifestations: non-migrating arthritis, erythema nodosum or erythema multiforme, and transient elevation of serum transaminases. We experienced a 33-year-old man who presented with fever, arthritis of both knees and ankles, and erythema nodosums on extensor surfaces of lower legs which developed 6 days after the onset of pharyngitis symptoms. Blood and urine cultures were negative. Throat culture was negative for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. The ASO titers increased up to 2080 IU/mL in sequential monitoring. The result of bone scan was compatible to arthritis of both knees and ankles. There were no signs or symptom of carditis. He showed clinical improvement with anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen 1,000 mg/day and prednisolone 7.5 mg/d). PSRA should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with arthritis combined with fever.
Adult ; Ankle ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Reactive* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythema Multiforme ; Erythema Nodosum ; Fever ; Humans ; Knee ; Leg ; Myocarditis ; Pharyngitis ; Pharynx ; Prednisolone ; Rheumatic Fever ; Streptococcal Infections ; Streptococcus ; Transaminases

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of fentanyl-TTS in the management of radiotherapy induced acute pain and cancer pain treated with radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study was open labelled prospective phase IV multi-center study. the study population included patients with more 4 numeric rating scale(NRS) score pain although managed with other analgesics or more than 6 NRS score pain without analgesics. Patients divided into two groups; patients with radiotherapy induced pain (Group A) and patients with cancer pain treated with radiotherapy (Group B). All patients received 25 ug/hr of fentanyl transdermal patch. Primary end point was pain relief; second end points were change in patient quality of life, a degree of satisfaction for patients and clinician, side effects. RESULTS: Between March 2005 and June 2005, 312 patients from 26 participating institutes were registered, but 249 patients completed this study. Total number of patients in each group was 185 in Group A, 64 in Group B. Mean age was 60 years and male to female ratio was 76:24. Severe pain NRS score at 2 weeks after the application of fentanyl was decreased from 7.03 to 4.01, p=0.003. There was a significant improvement in insomnia, social functioning, and quality of life. A degree of satisfaction for patients and clinician was very high. The most common reasons of patients' satisfactions was good pain control. Ninety six patients reported side effect. Nausea was the most common side effect. There was no serious side effect. CONCLUSION: Fentanyl-TTS was effective in both relieving pain with good tolerability and improving the quality of life for patients with radiotherapy induced acute pain and cancer pain treated with radiotherapy. The satisfaction of the patients and doctors was good. There was no major side effect.
Academies and Institutes ; Acute Pain ; Analgesics ; Female ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Male ; Nausea ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Radiotherapy* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Transdermal Patch*