Biomedical subjects

Won-Suk Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Won-Suk Lee.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Pulmonary resection for metastases from colorectal cancer: prognostic factors and survival.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary metastases occur in up to 10% of all patients who undergo curative resection. Surgical resection is an important part in the treatment of pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer. We analyzed the treatment outcome and prognostic factors affecting survival in this subset of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 1994 and December 2004, 59 patients underwent curative resection for pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer. Uncontrollable synchronous liver and lung metastasis or synchronous colorectal cancer with isolated lung metastasis were excluded from this study. A retrospective review of patient characteristics and factors influencing survival was performed. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Comparison between groups were performed by a log-rank analysis and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival rate of all patients who received pulmonary resection was 50.3%. The number of pulmonary metastases was significantly related with survival in univariate analysis, but not in multivariate analysis (p = 0.032). Prethoracotomy carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level exceeding 5 ng/ml was related with poor survival (p = 0.001). A disease-free interval of greater than 2 years did not correlate with survival after thoracotomy (p = 0.3). CONCLUSION: The prethoracotomy CEA level and the number of metastases were independent prognostic factors. Resection of pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer may result in improved survival or even healing in selected patients. Pulmonary resection of colorectal cancer is regarded as a safe and effective treatment with low morbidity and mortality rates.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Comparison of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma with hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: Combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma (HCC-CC) is a rare primary hepatic neoplasm (PHN) with features of both hepatocellular and biliary differentiation. We compared the outcome of hepatic resection in patients with HCC-CC, those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and those with cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). METHODS: Between November 1994 and December 2003, 952 patients underwent hepatic resection for a PHN. RESULTS: The incidence of HCC-CC was 3.5%. Hepatitis B surface antigen was positive in 51.2% of these patients and the HCV antibody was positive in 12.2%. Positive hepatitis serology was more common in the HCC group (66.7%). The prevalence of underlying liver cirrhosis was significantly lower in the ICC group (7.8%) than in the HCC (49%) and HCC-CC (41.5%) groups (P < 0.0001). The median overall survival periods after hepatic resection of HCC-CC, HCC, and ICC were 47.3, 71.7, and 21.5 months, respectively (P < 0.0001). The median disease-free survival (DFS) periods after hepatic resection for HCC-CC, HCC, and ICC were 23.4, 68.2, and 15.5 months, respectively (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients with transitional type HCC-CC had significantly poorer survival rates than those with HCC, after hepatic resection. Therefore, a more aggressive treatment modality should be explored to improve the survival rate of these patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Effect of core-needle biopsy vs fine-needle aspiration on pathologic measurement of tumor size in breast cancer.

HYPOTHESIS: Core-needle biopsy (CNB) and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) play an important role in the initial diagnosis of breast cancer. However, CNB might alter the size of the tumor, which might subsequently change its pathologic stage and thus affect the decision about adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS: Between January 2000 and May 2002, we studied 291 patients with invasive carcinoma lesion in a retrospective analysis. One hundred ninety-nine patients underwent ultrasonography-guided CNB. Ninety-two patients had FNA before surgical manipulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The clinically measured tumor size using ultrasonography was compared with the pathologic tumor size in both the CNB and FNA groups. The difference in each group was determined and analyzed using a t test. The mean +/- SD preoperative ultrasonographically measured size in the CNB group was 2.09 +/- 1.06 cm and in the FNA group, 2.16 +/- 0.92 cm (no significant difference). The pathologic measurement of the lesion on surgical specimens revealed that the mean pathologic tumor size was 2.09 +/- 0.90 cm in the CNB group and 2.36 +/- 0.92 cm in the FNA group. The changes in size from preoperative measurements by ultrasonography to pathologic measurements on surgical specimens were greater in the CNB group (0.003 +/- 0.65 cm) than in the FNA group (0.20 +/- 0.39 cm; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although the reduction in tumor size might be small with patients who undergo CNB, it must be considered when deciding adjuvant treatment, especially for tumor sizes on the "borderline" in establishing the indication for and the type of adjuvant treatment.

Biopsy, Fine-Needle↗

PubMed2004

A simple pattern classification method for alcohol-responsive proteins that are differentially expressed in mouse brain.

Proteomic analysis of brain tissues obtained from two inbred mice, C57BL/6J (B6, an alcohol-preferring strain) and DBA/2J (D2, an alcohol-avoiding strain), that were orally administered 1.5 g/kg ethanol, was performed to investigate alcohol-responsive proteins. To analyze relationships of alcohol-responsive protein spots between B6 and D2 mice, we have developed a simple spot classification method (SCM) for the fully matched spot data sets produced by the Melanie 4 analysis software using the paired two-dimensional (2-D) gels of two strains over time. By applying SCM, 55 protein spots that were differentially expressed in brain tissue were classified into 16 patterns as mirror images (2x8 patterns), and additionally in an ordered fashion such as 'fast turn over' and 'slow turn over' forms, depending on the frequency of repetition and rate of changed expression profile in 2-D gels over time. Searching for any interaction proteins through databases of interacting proteins using the classified data set has led to the construction of a linkage map, which reveals the interrelationship of the alcohol-responsive proteins between different species. Thus, it is suggested that the different responses for alcohol between B6 and D2 may come from differences of the response rates and interactions of different variants of the alcohol-responsive protein family.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2003

Melatonin reduces ultraviolet-B induced cell damages and polyamine levels in human skin fibroblasts in culture.

UV radiation is known to cause photoaging of the skin and is considered one of the leading cause of developing skin carcinogenesis. Melatonin which has a highly lipophilic molecular structure facilitating penetration of cell membranes and serving as an extra- and intracellular free radical scavenger has been demonstrated to protect photodamage of skin affected by UV exposure. In this study, we have examined the role of melatonin in response to UVB induced photodamaging process, using human skin fibroblasts in vitro. Cell survival curves after UVB irradiation showed dose-dependent decrease. Only 60% of fibroblasts were survived at 140 mJ/cm(2) UVB irradiation. By pre-cultivation of cells with melatonin (100 nM), a significant number of cells remained unaffected. After UVB irradiation with 70 mJ/cm(2), the level of putrescine was 1.7+/-0.3 fold increased compared to melatonin pre-treated group. In Northern analyses, the transcriptional level of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene expression was increased by UVB irradiation and prohibited by melatonin. These results indicated that melatonin was effectively able to neutralize membrane peroxidation when present in relevant concentration during UVB irradiation and diminishes the UVB-induced increase of polyamine synthesis and ODC gene expression. Collectively, ODC response to UVB induced changes are possibly involves a melatonin or antioxidant sensitive regulatory pathway in normal human skin fibroblast.

Antioxidants↗