Radical Cystectomy in the Treatment of Invasive Bladder Cancer: Long-Term Results in 1,054 Patients.

Purpose: To evaluate our long-term experience with patients treated uniformly with radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for invasive bladder cancer and to describe the association of the primary bladder tumor stage and regional lymph node status with clinical outcomes.

Patients And Methods: All patients undergoing radical cystectomy with bilateral pelvic iliac lymphadenectomy, with the intent to cure, for transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder between July 1971 and December 1997, with or without adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy, were evaluated. The clinical course, pathologic characteristics, and long-term clinical outcomes were evaluated in this group of patients.

Clinical outcomes of chemical pleurodesis using a minocycline.

Background: Pleurodesis is often used to prevent the re-accumulation of a malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Intrapleural urokinase (IPUK) therapy facilitates lung re-expansion for patients with loculated MPE or a trapped lung that allows subsequent pleurodesis. MPE management has been traditionally regarded as a symptomatic treatment.

Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration is promising for identifying EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is advantageous for the one-step diagnosis and staging of lung adenocarcinoma under topical anesthesia and conscious sedation. We examined its efficacy for identifying EGFR mutations.

Methods: Forty-seven patients with proven or suspected lung adenocarcinoma indicated for hilar-mediastinal lymph node (LN) staging between June 2011 and December 2017 were enrolled.

Prevalence, risk factors, and the desire for help of distressed newly diagnosed cancer patients: A large-sample study.

Objective: Beginning in 2007, all newly diagnosed cancer patients at the Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center (KF-SYSCC) were screened for psychosocial distress. Our social workers, as part of the psychosocial care team (PCT), have engaged in proactive outreach with patients identified as distressed. The goal of the present study was to assess the prevalence of psychosocial distress and the extent of contact between the PCT and distressed patients.

Pleural fluid osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator levels as predictors of pleurodesis outcome and prognosticators in patients with malignant pleural effusion: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Rapidly growing cancer cells secrete growth-promoting polypeptides and have increased proteolytic activity, contributing to tumor progression and metastasis. Their presentation in malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and their predictive value for the outcome of pleurodesis and survival were studied.

Methods: Between February 2011 and March 2012, MPE samples were prospectively collected from 61 patients.

Comparison of 19-gauge eXcelon and WANG MW-319 transbronchial aspiration needles.

Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) using 19-gauge needles can obtain larger histological specimens for hilar-mediastinal diagnosis. A new 19-gauge eXcelon needle was introduced in Taiwan in July 2012. We prospectively enrolled patients with hilar-mediastinal lesions and pathology results of suspected benign origin or lymphoproliferative processes, to perform TBNA using a 19-gauge eXcelon needle, between July 2012 and December 2012.

Second primary lung cancers among breast cancer patients treated with anti-estrogens have a longer cancer-specific survival.

Background/aim: Estrogen is thought to play an important role in lung cancer carcinogenesis and progression. The incidence and survival of second primary lung cancer among breast cancer patients with and without anti-estrogen therapy were evaluated.

Patients And Methods: All women diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at the Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center between January 2000 and December 2009 were included and followed-up for occurrence and/or death from lung cancer until December 2011.

Health services utilisation in breast cancer survivors in Taiwan.

Surveillance guidelines for breast cancer survivors recommend regular history and physical and mammography, and against routine imaging for detecting distant metastasis. Stage 0, I, II breast cancer cases treated at a major cancer center were identified from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used multivariable negative binomial and logistic regression analyses on institutional claims data to examine factors contributing to utilisation patterns of surveillance visits and tests in disease-free survivors.

Estrogen adversely affects the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Estrogen has been postulated to contribute to the development and progression of lung cancer. We examined the epidemiologic evidence, explored the characteristics of estrogen receptors (ER) in lung adenocarcinoma, and investigated the effect of estrogen on lung cancer cell migration, including the signaling pathway involved. For epidemiologic evidence, a total of 1434 consecutive non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent standardized staging and homogenous treatment were prospectively enrolled from January 2002 to December 2008, and followed until December 2012.

Safety of interventional bronchoscopy through complication review at a cancer center.

Background And Aims: There have been rapid advances in the area of interventional bronchoscopy over the past 15 years, but associated complications have been rarely discussed. A longitudinal evaluation of the same operator's performance at a cancer center is reported.

Methods: A detailed record review of diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy between January 1997 and March 2013 was conducted.

Multimodality treatment and long-term follow-up of the primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Introduction: Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a very rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer. Most cases are reported in Southeast Asia and are associated with Epstein-Barr virus infections. Because of its rare incidence, the optimal treatment and the results of long-term follow-up are not well understood.

The HADS and the DT for screening psychosocial distress of cancer patients in Taiwan.

Purpose: This study assesses the sensitivity and specificity of Mandarin versions of two psychosocial screening tools for adjustment, anxiety and depressive disorders: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Distress Thermometer (DT).

Methods: The two scales were used to screen 103 consecutive cancer patients seen for psychiatric evaluation at KF-SYSCC between May and November 2004 prior to their psychiatric interviews. Each scale was tested against clinical psychiatric diagnoses based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition for their sensitivity and specificity.

Sex-associated differences in non-small cell lung cancer in the new era: is gender an independent prognostic factor?

Background: Women with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) appear to have better survival. This study aimed to evaluate sex differences in NSCLC in recent years. The true effect of gender on the overall survival was analyzed taking other prognostic factors into account.

Computed tomography characteristics of primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a very rare subtype of lung cancer. This report documents the CT features of 16 Chinese patients diagnosed with primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma from January 1999 to December 2005. A pre-treatment CT was used to assess the tumour site, size, borders, pleural and vascular involvement, and the presence of lymph node involvement.

Clinicopathologic analysis of acute myeloid leukemia in a single institution: biphenotypic acute myeloid leukemia may not be an aggressive subtype.

Background: Most acute leukemias are classified as lymphoid or myeloid lineages by standard microscopic morphology, cytochemistry and a panel of immunologic markers. The World Health Organization classification of acute leukemia incorporates morphologic, cytogenetic, immunologic and clinical features to define the entities that are biologically homogeneous and that have clinical relevance. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinicopathologic characteristics of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in Taiwan.

Intrapleural urokinase for the treatment of loculated malignant pleural effusions and trapped lungs in medically inoperable cancer patients.

Background: Pleural fluid loculations or trapped lungs frequently render patients with symptomatic malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) unsuitable for pleurodesis. Thoracoscopic surgery or thoracotomy with decortication is generally not feasible for patients with a poor performance status. MPEs have augmented procoagulant and depressed fibrinolytic activity that contributes to fibrin deposition within the pleural space.

Clinicopathological analysis of 598 malignant lymphomas in Taiwan: seven-year experience in a single institution.

The clinicopathological characteristics of malignant lymphomas vary according to geography. The purpose of this study is to determine the distribution and clinicopathological characteristics of malignant lymphomas in Taiwan. Archival tissue from 598 malignant lymphomas during the period of 1995-2002 was retrieved.

Prevertebral muscle involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic significance of prevertebral muscle involvement in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods And Materials: Between July 1990 and December 2001, 521 newly diagnosed patients with NPC treated at Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center (KF-SYSCC) were examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evidence of prevertebral muscle involvement before treatment. Patients were staged according to the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging classification of NPC based on the physical exams and MRI findings.

Clinicopathological analysis of malignant lymphoma in Taiwan, defined according to the World Health Organization classification.

We report the distribution and clinicopathological characteristics of malignant lymphomas in Taiwan, defined according to the WHO classification. Data including age and gender of the patients, clinical staging and disease courses were collected for 598 cases of malignant lymphomas. The results showed that the epidemiological characteristics of malignant lymphomas in Taiwan are similar to those in other Asian countries except for a lower incidence rate of T/NK cell lymphoma.

Thrombospondin-1 expression in patients with pathologic stage T3 prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy: association with p53 alterations, tumor angiogenesis, and tumor progression.

Objectives: To investigate thrombospondin-1 (TSP) expression in patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy. TSP is a p53-dependent inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that TSP expression is significantly associated with the microvessel density (MVD) count, p53 expression, and disease-specific and overall survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.