• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 2018

Purpose: Imaging plays a significant role in diagnosing leptomeningeal metastases. However, the most appropriate sequence for the detection of leptomeningeal metastases has yet to be determined. This study compares the efficacies of contrast-enhanced T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and contrast-enhanced 3D T1 black-blood fast spin echo (FSE) imaging for the detection of leptomeningeal metastases. Materials and Methods: Tube phantoms containing varying concentrations of gadobutrol solution were scanned using T2 FLAIR and 3D T1 black-blood FSE. Additionally, 30 patients with leptomeningeal metastases were retrospectively evaluated to compare conspicuous lesions and the extent of leptomeningeal metastases detected by T2 FLAIR and 3D T1 black-blood FSE. Results: The signal intensities of low-concentration gadobutrol solutions (< 0.5 mmol/L) on T2 FLAIR images were higher than in 3D T1 black-blood FSE. The T2 FLAIR sequences exhibited significantly greater visual conspicuity scores than the 3D T1 black-blood sequence in leptomeningeal metastases of the pial membrane of cistern (P = 0.014). T2 FLAIR images exhibited a greater or equal extent (96.7%) of leptomeningeal metastases than 3D T1 black-blood FSE images. Conclusion: Because of its high sensitivity even at low gadolinium concentrations, contrast-enhanced T2 FLAIR images delineated leptomeningeal metastases in a wider territory than 3D T1 black-blood FSE.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9233-9239
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• 2014

Background: We aimed to evaluate the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression discordance in matched pairs of primary breast cancer and lymph node metastasis specimens and determine the effect of discordance on prognosis. Materials and Methods: Among all patients diagnosed with lymph node metastases from 2004 to 2007, primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases were resected from 209 patients. The status of ER, PR, and HER2 expression was analyzed immunohistochemically in 200, 194, and 193 patients, respectively. Discordance was correlated with prognosis. Results: Biomarker discordance between primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases was 25.0% (50/200) for ER status, 28.9% (56/194) for PR status, and 14.0% (27/193) for HER2 status. ER positivity was a significant independent predictor of improved survival when analyzed in primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Patients with PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases displayed significantly enhanced survival compared to patients with PR-positive primary tumors and PR-negative lymph node metastases. Patients with ER- and PR-positive primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases who received endocrine therapy after surgery displayed significantly better survival than those not receiving endocrine therapy. Similalry treated patients with PR-negative primary tumors and PR-positive paired lymph node metastases also displayed better survival than those not receiving endocrine therapy. Conclusions: Biomarker discordance was observed in matched pairs of primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Such cases displayed poor survival. Thus, it is important to reassess receptor biomarkers used for lymph node metastases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4503-4506
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• 2016

Background: Lymph node and distant metastases are known as the prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Clinical parameters are needed to predict metastases preoperatively. The aim of this study was to assess clinical predictive factors for lymph node and distant metastases. Materials and Methods: We collected RCC data from January 1995 until December 2015 at Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital in Jakarta. We only reviewed data that had renal cell carcinoma histopathology by operation or biopsy. Clinical information such as patient age, gender, hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and tumor size (clinical T stage) were reviewed and analyzed by Chi-squre and logistic regression to establish clinical predictive value. Results: A total of 102 patients were reviewed. There were 32 (31.4%) with lymph node metastases and 27 (26.5%) with distant metastases. Age, Hb and clinical T staging were associated with nodal metastases. However, only Hb and clinical T staging were found to be associated with distant metastases. By logistic regression, we found T3-4 in clinical T-stage to be the only predictor of nodal metastases (OR 5.14; 1.87 - 14.09) and distant metastases (OR 3.42; 1.27 - .9.23). Conclusions: Clinical T-stages of T3 and T4 according to The AJCC TNM classification could be used as independent clinical predictive factors for lymph node or distant metastases in patients with RCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7689-7694
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• 2015

Background: Bone tumors are neoplasias with a high overall mortality; one of the main factors that reduce survival is their high capacity to develop metastases. It has been reported that finding lung metastases at diagnosis of osteosarcoma (OS), chondrosarcoma (CS) and giant cell tumor of bone (GCTb) is quite common. In this study, we inquire the relationship of metastases caused by these tumors with different clinical and pathological aspects, in order to guide medical personnel in the diagnosis and opportune treatment of metastases or micro metastases. Materials and Methods: We collected data of 384 patients with clinical, radiological and histopathological diagnosis of OS, GCTb and CS that attended the National Rehabilitation Institute (INR) during 2006 to 2014. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were performed for data analysis. Results: In the three tumor types, the presence of metastases at diagnosis was variable (p=0.0001). Frequency of metastases was 36.7%, 31.7% and 13.2% for OS, CS and GCTb respectively. The average age had no significant difference (p>0.05) in relation to metastases, even so, patients with OS and GCTb and metastases, were older while patients with CS and metastases were younger, in comparison to patients without metastases. Males had a higher frequency of metastases (68.2%, p = 0.09) in contrast to CS and GCTb, in which the metastases was more frequent in women with 51.9% (p = 0.44) and 57.9% (p = 0.56) respectively. Broadly, metastasis was associated with primary tumors located in the femur (44.4%), followed by the tibia (15.6%); metastases was more frequent when primary tumor of GCTb and OS were in the same bones, but were located in the hip (26.3%) for CS. Conclusions: The frequency of metastases in OS, GCTb and CS is high in our population and is determined by different clinicopathological variables related to the kind of tumor. Further studies are needed in order to evaluate metastases subsequent to diagnosis and associations with survival and clinicopathological factors, as well as to determine the sensitivity and specificity of current methods of detection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.326-328
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• 2017

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive solid tumor. Patients with metastases from pancreatic cancer have poor survival rates. Here, we report the outcomes of 6 patients for whom resection of lung metastases was performed after a pancreatectomy to treat pancreatic cancer. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the perioperative clinical data of patients with lung metastases resulting from primary pancreatic cancer who were treated with lung resection between 2008 and 2015. We report 6 cases where lung resection was performed to treat lung metastases after a pancreatectomy. Results: The number of lung metastases was 1 in 5 cases and 2 in 1 case. The surgical procedures performed to treat the lung metastases included 4 wedge resections and 2 lobectomies. The cell type of the primary tumor and metastases was tubular adenocarcinoma in 5 cases and intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinoma in 1 case. All 6 patients survived with a mean follow-up period of 65.6 months, although the disease recurred in 2 patients. Conclusion: Resection of lung metastases resulting from primary pancreatic cancer may lengthen survival, provided the patient can tolerate surgery.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1665-1669
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• 2015

Background: The optimal surgical strategy for the treatment of synchronous resectable gastric cancer liver metastases remains controversial. The aims of this study were to analyze the outcome and overall survival of patients presenting with gastric cancer and liver metastases treated by simultaneous resection. Materials and Methods: Between January 1990 and June 2009, 35 patients diagnosed with synchronous hepatic metastases from gastric carcinoma received simultaneous resection of both primary gastric cancer and synchronous hepatic metastases. The clinicopathologic features and the surgical results of the 35 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The 5-year overall survival rate after surgery was 14.3%. Five patients survived for more than 5 years after surgery. No mortality has occurred within 30 days after resection, although two patients (5.7%) developed complications during the peri-operative course. Univariate analysis revealed that patients with the presence of lymphovascular invasion of the primary tumor, bilateral liver metastasis and multiple liver metastases suffered poor survival. Lymphovascular invasion by the primary lesion and multiple liver metastases were significant prognostic factors that influenced survival in the multivariate analysis (p=0.02, p=0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The presence of lymphovascular invasion of the primary tumor and multiple liver metastases are significant prognostic determinants of survival. Gastric cancer patients without lymphovascular invasion and with a solitary synchronous liver metastasis may be good candidates for hepatic resection. Simultaneous resection of both primary gastric cancer and synchronous hepatic metastases may effectively prolong survival in strictly selected patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1901-1906
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• 2015

Background: Brain metastases occur in about 20-40% of patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), and are usually associated with a poor outcome. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is widely used but increasingly, more aggressive local treatments such as surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) are being employed. In our study we aimed to describe the various factors affecting outcomes in NSCLC patients receiving local therapy for brain metastases. Materials and Methods: The case records of 125 patients with NSCLC and brain metastases consecutively treated with radiotherapy at two tertiary centres from January 2006 to June 2012 were analysed for patient, tumour and treatment-related prognostic factors. Patients receiving SRS/SRT were treated using Cyberknife. Variables were examined in univariate and multivariate testing. Results: Overall median survival was 3.4 months (95%CI: 1.7-5.1). Median survival for patients with multiple metastases receiving WBRT was 1.5 months, 1-3 metastases receiving WBRT was 3.6 months and 1-3 metastases receiving surgery or SRS/SRT was 8.9 months. ECOG score (${\leq}2$ vs >2, p=0.001), presence of seizure (yes versus no, p=0.031), treatment modality according to number of brain metastases (1-3 metastases+surgery or $SRS/SRT{\pm}WBRT$ vs 1-3 metastases+WBRT only vs multiple metastases+WBRT only, p=0.007) and the use of post-therapy systemic treatment (yes versus no, p=0.001) emerged as significant on univariate analysis. All four factors remained statistically significant on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: ECOG ${\leq}2$, presence of seizures, oligometastatic disease treated with aggressive local therapy (surgery or SRS/SRT) and the use of post-therapy systemic treatment are favourable prognostic factors in NSCLC patients with brain metastases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5401-5406
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• 2015

Background: Brain metastases are the most common intra-cranial neoplasms. The incidence is on a rise due to advanced imaging techniques. Aims: The objective of the study was to analyse the clinical and demographic profile of patients with brain metastases from primary solid tumors. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective single institutional study covering 130 consecutive patients with brain metastases from January 2007 to August 2014. Results: Some 64.6% of the patients were females. The majority were in the sixth decade of life. The site of the primary tumor was the lungs in 50.8% of the cases. The overall median time from the diagnosis of the primary malignancy to detection of brain metastases was 21.4 months. Survival was found to be significantly improved in patients with solitary brain lesions when compared to patients with multiple brain metastases, and in patients undergoing surgical excision with or without cranial irradiation when compared to whole brain irradiation alone. The majority of the cases belonged to the recursive partitioning analysis class II group. Whole brain radiation therapy was delivered to 79% of the patients. Conclusions: Most of the patients with brain metastases in the study belonged to recursive partitioning analysis classes II or III, and hence had poor prognosis. Most of the patients in the Indian context either do not satisfy the indications for surgical excision or are incapable of bearing the high cost associated with stereotactic radiosurgery. Treatment should be tailored on an individual basis to all these patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2967-2970
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• 2015

Many patients with few cerebral metastases receive radiosurgery alone. The goal of this study was to create a tool to estimate the survival of such patients. To identify characteristics associated with survival, nine variables including radiosurgery dose, age, gender, Eastern cooperative oncology group performance score (ECOG-PS), primary tumor type, number/size of cerebral metastases, location of cerebral metastases, extra-cerebral metastases and time between cancer diagnosis and radiosurgery were analyzed in 214 patients. On multivariate analysis, age (p=0.03), ECOG-PS (p=0.02) and extra-cerebral metastases (p<0.01) had significant impacts on survival. Scoring points for each patient were obtained from 12-month survival rates (in %) related to the significant variables divided by 10. Addition of the scoring points of the three variables resulted in a patient's total predictive score. Two groups were designed, A (10-14 points) and B (16-17 points). Twelve-month survival rates were 33% and 77%, respectively (p<0.001). Median survival times were 8 and 20 months, respectively. Because most patients of group A died from extra-cerebral disease and/or new cerebral lesions, early systemic treatment and additional WBI should be considered. As cause of death in group B was mostly new cerebral metastases, additional WBI appears even more important for this group.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.5101-5106
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• 2015

Background: This systemic analysis was conducted to evaluate tumor recurrence rate and one-year survival rate for patients with liver metastases received radiofrequency ablation after transarterial chemoembolization and introduce a new method of radiofrequency ablation by puncture navigation technology for single liver metastases after transarterial chemoembolization. Materials and Methods: Clinical studies evaluating tumor recurrence rate and one-year survival rate. Appling the innova trackvision software to process one liver metastases received transarterial chemoembolization and using radiofrequency ablation by puncture navigation technology to treat the liver metastases. Results: 3 clinical studies which including 235 patients with liver metastases after transaeterial chemoembolization were considered eligible for inclusion. Systemic analysis suggested that tumor recurrence rate was 23% (54/235), one-year survival rate was 76% (178/235). The new procedure was performed successfully and the patient received a good prognosis. Conclusions: This systemic analysis suggests that radiofrequency ablation is a good method for liver metastases after transarterial chemoembolization and could receive a relatively good prognosis.