[en] To analyze biochemical changes of liver function following combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia, we reviewed retrospectively 37 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with radiotherapy and hyperthermia between July 1988 and December 1990 at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei University College of Medicine. Mean age was 52.7 years and male to female ratio was 11:1. The patients were classified as follows; to A and B group by Child classification, to M and L group by irradiated volume, and subclassified into BM, BL, AM and AL group according to the combination of Child classification and irradiated volume. Radiation dose to the primary tumor was 3060 cGy with daily 180 cGy, 5 fraction per week using 10 MV or 4 MV linear accelerator. Hyperthermia (Thermotron RF-8) was performed more than 4 times in all patients. Biochemical parameters including albHmin (Alb), total bilirubin(T. Bil), aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were regularly followed from 1 week before the treatment to 3 months after the treatment. The results are summarized as follows; 1) In all the patient, mean ALP level peaked at 1 month, decreased at 2 months, slightly increased at 3 months after the treatment. Mean SGOT and SGPT levels peaked at 1 month after the treatment. Mean T. Bil level increased continuously and highest at 3 months after the treatment. Mean Alb level did not show significant changes.; 2) Mean ALP level retired to normal level at 3 month after the treatment in A but increased in B group and the differences were statistically significant(p<0.01). Mean SGOT and SGPT levels peaked 1 month in A and 2 months after the treatment in B group. All the biochemical parameters did not show significant difference between M and L group. Mean ALP level increased at 3 months after the treatment in BM and BL groups and decreased in AM and AL groups. Mean SGOT level increased at 3 months after the treatment in BL groups.; 3) Hepatic failure occurred within 3 months after the treatment in 4 patients, all of whom were in BL group. It is suggested that pre-treatment liver function and irradiated volume influence biochemical changes of liver in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma following combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia, and this treatment modality appears generally to be safe but might cause hepatic failure particularly in patient with poor liver function and large treatment volume

[en] Purpose: To evaluate the role of postoperative radiotherapy in the management of primary or recurrent intracranial meningiomas. Methods and Materials: A retrospective review of 34 intracranial meningioma patients referred to the Yonsei Cancer Center for postoperative radiotherapy between 1981 and 1990 was undertaken. Of the 34 patients, 24 patients received elective postoperative radiotherapy after total or subtotal resection(Group 1), and 10 patients received postoperative radiotherapy as a salvage treatment for recurrent tumors(Group 2). Ten patients received postoperative radiotherapy after total resection, and twenty-four after subtotal resection. Ten patients who had total tumor resection were referred for radiotherapy either because of angioblastic or malignant histologic type (4 patients in Group 1) or because of recurrent disease after initial surgery(6 patients in Group 2). Radiation dose of 50-56Gy was delivered over a period of 5-5.5 weeks using 4MV LINAC or Co-60 teletherapy unit. Results: Overall actuarial progression free survival (PFS) at 5 years was 80%. Survival was most likely affected by histologic subtypes. Five year PFS rate was 52% for benign angioblastic histology, as compared with 100% for classic benign histology. For malignant meningiomas, 5 year PFS rate was 44%. The recurrence rates of classic, angioblastic, and malignant type were 5%(1/21), 80%(4/5), and 50%(4/8), respectively. The duration between salvage post-operative radiotherapy and recurrence was longer than the duration between initial surgery and recurrence in the patients of group 2 with angioblastic or malignant histology. Conclusion: Postoperative radiotherapy of primary or recurrent intracranial meningiomas appears to be effective modality, especially in the patients with classic meningiomas. In angioblastic or malignant histologies, a more effective approach seems to be needed for decreasing recurrence rate

[en] From 1988 to 1991, nineteen patients with unresectable localized pancreatic carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy and/or hyperthermia or in combination with chemotherapy. Radiation dose of 4500-5000 cGy with or without additional 500-1000 cGy was administered over 5 to 6 weeks to the pancreatic tumor area using 10 MV linear accelerator. Five of 19 patients were given chemotherapy, either neoadjuvant or maintenance setting with FAM regimen (5-FU, adriamycin and mitomycin C), which was repeated every 4 weeks for one year or until progression. Symptomatic palliation was achieved in 17 among 19 patients (89%) and objective response(complete or partial response in CT finding) was achieved in 5 among 11 patients (45%). The median survival time was 9 months and one-year survival rate, 32%. Local-regional failure was documented in 10 among 13 patients(77%) and distant failures were found in the liver (3 patients) and carcinomatosis (2 patients). Prognostic significance of various factors such as age, sex, performance status, tumor location, stage, etc. were assessed. Any factors did net have the prognostic significance in univariate analysis. Treatment was well tolerated in most of the patients with only wild to moderate toxicity

[en] A retrospective review of 72 patients with locally advanced gallbladder carcinoma, between January 1900 and December 1996, was performed. Survival results and prognostic factors are analyzed for the patients treated with a various modalities. The patients were classified by treatment modality: group 1 included to 27 patients treated with palliative surgery alone, and group 2 for 11 patient treated with palliative surgery and radiotherapy; group 3 for 18 patients not treated by any treatment modality, and group 4 for 16 patients treated with radiotherapy alone. Age distribution ranged from 35 to 80 years with a mean of 63 years. The stage was classified by TNM and Nevin's staging system; all patients had an advanced stage more than III. Palliative surgery was done in 3B patients and adjuvant radiation therapy (Rl1 was followed in 11. For 34 patients, in whom no resection was tried, definitive RT was done in 16. Radiation delivered to tumor site and draining nodes up to 45-612 Gy using 10 MY linear accelerator. Chemotherapy was given to 25 patients with 5-FU based regimens. Median survival time was 10.3 months and 3-year survival rates (3-YSR) were 13.0% in all patients. Survival rates according to the treatment modalities were as followed; in palliative surgery alone, 3-YSR was 2.5%; in palliative surgery and adjuvant RT, 3-YSR was 45.5%; in no treatment group, 3YSR were 8.3%; and definitive RT was 13.1%. It was better survival in additional RT after palliative surgery group than palliative surgery alone (p=0.0009). It was better survival in definitive RT group than no treatment group (p=0.022). Significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis were treatment modalities, the type of tumor and TNM stage. Significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis were treatment modalities, the type of tumor and the presence of jaundice. It is suggested that RT could be potentially effective as adjuvant treatment modalities after palliative surgery or primary treatment for locally advanced and unresectable gallbladder carcinoma

[en] Between January 1983 and December 1988, 218 female patients with known breast cancer and positive axillary nodes were treated with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy following radical mastectomy. Treatment results were retrospectively analysed at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University of College of Medicine. The patients were classified into 3 groups; group 1 included 80 patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy alone; in group 2, 52 patients treated with radiotherapy alone; and in group 3, 86 patients treated with combined chemo-radiotherapy. The mean age was 44 years and ranged from 27 to 70. The median follow-up time was 51 months. Seven-year relapse free and overall survival rates were 56% and 67%; in group 1, 50% and 56%; in group 2, 51% and 65%; and in group 3, 62% and 75% respectively. This difference was not statistically significant(p<0.05). The loco-regional failure rates were 13% and distant failure rates were 33%. There was less risk of loco-regional failure in group 2 and 3 which included radiotherapy (.0<0.05). But there was no significant y difference in the rates of distant failure(p>0.05). By univariate analysis, the only significant prognostic factor affecting relapse-free survival was the percentage of positive axillary nodes; and the overall survival significantly correlated with the primary tumor size, the number or percentage of positive axillary nodes, and stage. But in multivariate analysis, the only significant prognostic factor was treatment modality. By univariate analysis of prognostic factors affecting the rates of overall failure and distant failure, the significant prognostic factors was the percentage of positive axillary nodes; and the risk of the loco-regional failure significantly correlated with the treatment modality. In conclusion, these results suggest a potential for decreasing the risk of loco-regional failure with the addition of postoperative radiotherapy to chemotherapy in the premenopausal patients, and in the patients with number or percentage of positive nodes more than 4 or 1/3. The results of this study suggest that the combined chemo-radiotherapy as adjuvant treatment following radical mastectomy was the most effective modality in groups of 2-5 cm sized tumor, stage 11B, and in patients with more than 4 or 1/3 of number or percentage of positive nodes

[en] In order to improve the proper use of radiotherapy and breast-conserving treatment (BCT) in the management of breast cancer, current status of breast cancer treatment in Korea was surveyed nationwide and the use of BCT were evaluated. Patients characteristics and treatment pattern of 1048 breast cancer patients from 27 institutions diagnosed between January, 1998 and June, 1998 were analyzed. The incidence of receiving BCT was analyzed according to the stage, age, geography, type of hospital, and the availability of radiotherapy facility. Radical mastectomy was performed in 64.8% of total patients and 26% of patients received breast-conserving surgery (BCS). The proportions of patients receiving BCT were 47.5% in stage 0, 54.4% in stage I and 20.3% in stage II. Some of the patients (6.6% of stage I, 10.1% of stage II and 66.7% of stage III) not received radiotherapy after BCS. Only 45% of stage III patients received post-operative radiotherapy after radical mastectomy. The proportion of patients receiving BCT was different according to the geography and availability of radiotherapy facilities. Radiotherapy was not fully used in the management of breast cancer, even in the patients received breast-conserving surgery. The proportion of the patients who received BCT was lower than the report of western countries. To improve the application of proper management of breast cancer, every efforts such as a training of physicians, public education, and improving accessibility of radiotherapy facilities should be done. The factors predicting receipt of BCT were accessibility of radiotherapy facility and geography. Also, periodic survey like current research is warranted

[en] To evaluate the role of postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer, we retrospectively analyzed the treatment outcome of patients with rectal cancer taken curative surgical resection and postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. A total 46 patients with AJCC stage II and III carcinoma of rectum were treated with curative surgical resection and postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. T3 and T4 stage were 38 and 8 patients, respectively. N0, N1, and N2 stage were 12, 16, 18 patients, respectively. Forty patients received bolus infusions of 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m²/day) with leucovorin (20 mg/m²/day), every 4 weeks interval for 6 cycles. Oral Uracil/Tegafur on a daily basis for 6 ∼ 12 months was given in 6 patients. Radiotherapy with 45 Gy was delivered to the surgical bed and regional pelvic lymph node area, followed by 5.4 ∼ 9 Gy boost to the surgical bed. The follow up period ranged from 8 to 75 months with a median 35 months. Treatment failure occurred in 17 patients (37%). Locoregional failure occurred in 4 patients (8.7%) and distant failure in 16 patients (34.8%). There was no local failure only. Five year actuarial overall survival (OS) was 51.5% and relapse free survival (RFS) was 58.7%. The OS and RFS were 100%, 100% in stage N0 patients, 53.7%, 47.6% in N1 patients, and 0%, 41.2% in N2 patients (ρ = 0.012, ρ = 0.009). The RFS was 55%, 78.5%, and 31.2% in upper, middle, and lower rectal cancer patients, respectively (ρ = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that N stage (ρ = 0.012) was significant prognostic factor for OS and that N stage (ρ = 0.001) and location of tumor (ρ = 0.006) were for RFS. Bowel complications requiring surgery occurred in 3 patients. Postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was an effective modality for locoregional control of rectal cancer. But further investigations for reducing the distant failure rate are necessary because distant failure rate is still high

[en] Survival data, prognostic factors, and patterns of failure were retrospectively analyzed for a total of 76 patients with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix treated between January 1981 and December 1987, which represents 4.1% of all primary cervical carcinomas treated, at Department of Radiation Oncology, Yensei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine. The mean age of the patients was 49years(range, 27-79years) and the peak incidence was in the group 50 to 59years of age. More half of the patients were postmenopausal (46/76=60.5%). Most patients(76%)had abnormal vaginal bleeding either alone or in combination with other symptoms. The proportion of stage Iib was 43.4%. There were 4 major histologic subtypes: pure adenocarcinoma(48/76=63.2%), adenosquamous carcinoma(20/76=26.3%), papillary (5/76=6.6%) and clear cell carcinoma(3/76=3.9%). Of the many clinicopathologic variables evaluated for prognosis, the most significant prognostic factors were stage of disease and the size of tumor. The overall 5-year survival rate was 68%, and the 5-year survival rates for stage Ib, II and III were 90%, 66% and 54%, respectively. Control of pelvic tumors was achieved in 938%, 90.2% and 50.0% of cases of stage Ib, II and III disease, respectively. In present study, treatment modalities (radiation therapy alone/combined operative and radiation therapy) did not affect the local control of tumor and the survival

[en] Twenty-seven patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (n=21) or with microscopic evidence of tumor rest after aggressive surgery for extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma(n=6) between 1985 and 1990 were given radiotherapy consisting intentionally external radiotherapy and /or intraluminal therapy using Gamma-Med 12i (192-lr) high dose rate (HDR) remote control afterloading system following bile drainage procedures and Gianturco stent insertion. The objectives of this study has been to assess the feasibility and effects on survival of a combination of external radiotherapy and brachytherapy with which we hope to achieve optimal loco-regional control for patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct tumors. Sixteen patients were men and eleven were women, and the mean age was 58 years (34-70 ). 10MV X-ray was used for radiation therapy, with the total dose ranging from 45 Gy to 55 Gy, and intraluminal brachytherapy performed after external radiotherapy, with the dose of total 15 Gy. The minimum follow up was 12 months. Failure were predominantly local-regional, without distant failure. Median survival was 10 months; 2-year actuarial survival rates was 21%. Median survival for common hepatic duct(CHD) cancer was 9 months; for common bile duct (CBD) cancer, was 16 months. And median survival for incomplete surgery/external radiotherapy group and external/intraluminal radiotherapy group was 10 months; for external radiotherapy alone group, was 6 months. Use of chemotherapy and/or hyperthermia were not affected in survival. Therefore, our result is that the survival rates in the group of external/intraluminal radiotherapy were comparable with ones in the group of incomplete resection/external radiotherapy, and so we believe that the aggressive local and regional radiotherapy can improve the quality of life and the survival length

[en] Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare proliferative disease involving synovial membranes. Natural history and etiology of PVNS are not well known. PVNS presents as localized or diffuse tumor like nodular lesion of the synovial lining of the joint and the synovial spaces adjacent to the joints. Though histologically benign, it is a very aggressive lesion, capable of bone destruction and widespread infiltration of surrounding tissues. Standard therapy is surgical resection, but due to the infiltrative growth, the recurrence rate is significantly high. After several relapses surgical treatment of diffuse PVNS becomes difficult and may require amputation of the involved limb. Radiotherapy can provide an effective treatment option for patients with large lesions or lesions which are not suitable for surgery, after incomplete resection to prevent relapses or to avoid amputation. We report 2 cases of diffuse PVNS in the knee joint treated with arthroscopic gross total synovectomy and radiotherapy