Efficacy of Team-Based Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation in the Workplace

Worksite smoking cessation programs offer accessibility of the target population, availability of occupational health support, and the potential for peer pressure and peer support. The purpose of this study was to identify the efficacy of the financial incentives given to various teams in the workplace. St. Paul's Hospital's employees were enrolled. Each team of employees consisted of smoking participants and non-smoking fellow workers from the same department. The financial incentive of 50000 won (about $45) was rewarded to the team for each successful participant-not to individual members-after the first week and then after one month. If the smokers in the team remained abstinent for a longer time period, the team was given an incentive of 100000 won for each successful participant after 3 and 6 months. A total 28 smoking participants and 6 teams were enrolled. Self-reported abstinence rates validated by urinary cotinine test at 3, 6, and 12 months after the initial cessation were 61%, 54%, and 50%, respectively. Smokers with high nicotine dependence scores or those who began participation 1 month after enrollment initiation had a lower abstinence rate at 3 months, but not at 6 and 12 months. Participants who succeeded at smoking cessation at 12 months were more likely to be older and have a longer smoking duration history. The financial incentives given to teams could be promising and effective to improve long-term rates of smoking cessation. This approach could use peer pressure and peer support in the workplace over a longer period.

The role of topotecan as second-line chemotherapy in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: Topotecan has recently been used as a second-line agent in treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. The aim of the study was to evaluate the response rate and toxicities of topotecan in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who had been treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy. METHODS: A retrospective review of all cases of recurrent ovarian cancer treated with topotecan was done. Response was evaluated using the clinical examination, CA-125 level and radiologic reports (CT, MRI) according to RECIST criteria. The toxicities were evaluated according to GOG criteria. RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2004, 57 patients were treated with topotecan for recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. The response rate in platinum-sensitive group was 30.8% (4/13) and the response rate in platinum-resistant group was 15.9% (7/44). The response rate in topotecan alone therapy group was 8.0% (2/25), and the response rate in topotecan plus platinum combination therapy group was 28.1% (9/32). However, topotecan plus platinum combination therapy did not demonstrate a statistically significant trend toward greater median survival than topotecan alone therapy (19.2 month versus 17.2 month, P=0.82). Neutropenia above grade 3 was noted in 70%, and anemia above grade 3 in 36.8%, and thrombocytopenia above grade 3 in 47.3%. Although most severe toxicities were due to bone marrow suppression, they were adequately managed by supportive care. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that topotecan has moderate activity in the recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who have failed previous treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. The response of topotecan plus platinum combination therapy was better than topotecan alone and the potential of other combination regimen deserves further evaluations.

Conization by combination of loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold coagulation for the stage Ia1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the results of conization by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold coagulation as a definitive treatment in the patients with FIGO stage Ia1 squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. METHODS: One hundred eighty-seven patients were diagnosed as stage Ia1 cervical squamous cell carcinomas from 1995 to 2004 by conization with LEEP and cold coagulation. Fifty-nine patients who wanted to preserve fertility and/or refused further surgical treatment were followed-up without further treatment. Eleven patients of the 59 had involved ectocervical resection margins. All patients were followed-up with cervicovaginal smear and colposcopic examination at a regular interval. Disease recurrence was defined as a histologic diagnosis of dysplasia or more. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 69.0 months (range 8 to 103). All 59 patients had no lymphvascular space invasion (LVSI). In four patients, the ectocervical margins were involved by dysplasia, in seven patients, by carcinoma in-situ. There were no specific differences in ages, depth of stromal invasion and HPV status between the groups with and without involved margins. All 59 patients did not recur during follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Conization with LEEP and cold coagulation was feasible and could be used as a definitive therapy for the patients with stage Ia1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma. This study suggests that conization might play a role in a patient with positive margins (dysplasia or CIS) when LVSI is not demonstrated.