A Pilot Study Evaluating Steroid-Induced Diabetes after Antiemetic Dexamethasone Therapy in Chemotherapy-Treated Cancer Patients / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Dexamethasone is a mainstay antiemetic regimen for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the incidence of and factors associated with steroid-induced diabetes in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with dexamethasone as an antiemetic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Non-diabetic patients with newly diagnosed gastrointestinal cancer who received at least three cycles of highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy with dexamethasone as an antiemetic were enrolled. Fasting plasma glucose levels, 2-hour postprandial glucose levels, and hemoglobin A1C tests for the diagnosis of diabetes were performed before chemotherapy and at 3 and 6 months after the start of chemotherapy. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used as an index for measurement of insulin resistance, defined as a HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5. RESULTS: Between January 2012 and November 2013, 101 patients with no history of diabetes underwent laboratory tests for assessment of eligibility; 77 of these patients were included in the analysis. Forty-five patients (58.4%) were insulin resistant and 17 (22.1%) developed steroid-induced diabetes at 3 or 6 months after the first chemotherapy, which included dexamethasone as an antiemetic. Multivariate analysis showed significant association of the incidence of steroid-induced diabetes with the cumulative dose of dexamethasone (p=0.049). CONCLUSION: We suggest that development of steroid-induced diabetes after antiemetic dexamethasone therapy occurs in approximately 20% of non-diabetic cancer patients; this is particularly significant for patients receiving high doses of dexamethasone.

Impact of Hyperglycemia on Survival and Infection-Related Adverse Events in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Were Receiving Palliative Chemotherapy / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients with diabetes have poor overall survival than those without diabetes. However, the effect of hyperglycemia on survival after diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been assessed. Therefore, we assessed the impact of hyperglycemia on the survival and infection-related adverse events (AEs) in patients with metastatic CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 206 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic CRC who were treated with palliative chemotherapy from March 2000 to December 2012 at Chungbuk National University Hospital. The mean glucose level of each patient was calculated using all available glucose results. RESULTS: The mean glucose levels ranged between 76.8 and 303.5 mg/dL, and patients were categorized into quartiles in accordance to their mean glucose level: group 1 ( 142.6 mg/dL). The median overall survival for patients in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 22.6, 20.1, 18.9, and 17.9 months, respectively; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.643). Compared with patients in group 1, those in groups 2, 3, and 4 were at a higher risk of infection-related AEs, according to a multivariate analysis (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia was not associated with shorter survival; however, it was associated with infection-related AEs in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic CRC receiving palliative chemotherapy.

Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in a Perigastric Lymph Node from an Unknown Primary Site / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Neuroendocrine carcinomas from an unknown primary site are uncommon. The authors report on a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma in a perigastric lymph node (LN) with no primary site. A 52-year-old male patient with early gastric adenocarcinoma underwent treatment by endoscopic submucosal dissection, and, six months later, findings on a computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed a LN enlargement measuring 2.0 cm in the perigastric region. The patient underwent subtotal gastrectomy and regional LN dissection under a suggestive preoperative diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma with LN metastasis. However, microscopically, no residual tumor was found in the stomach, and the perigastric LN showed poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (PDNEC). After an extensive workup, no primary site was identified. The patient also received four cycles of etoposide and cisplatin. Despite its extremely rare incidence, this case suggests that PDNEC of an unknown primary site is limited to a single site, and that resection should be considered in combination with chemotherapy.

Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Supraclavicular Lymph Node with No Known Primary: A Case Report / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Although metastasis is relatively frequent in cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), metastasis in the cervical or supraclavicular lymph node (LN) is relatively rare. Moreover, cases of metastatic RCC with a non-identifiable kidney mass are extremely rare. Here, the authors report a case of metastatic RCC in a supraclavicular LN without a primary kidney lesion. A 69-year-old man presented with a progressively enlarging right supraclavicular mass. Incisional biopsy of the affected supraclavicular LN was performed, and histological examination revealed metastatic RCC. However, no tumor was found in either kidney, despite various examinations. The patient was treated with radiotherapy followed by sunitinib. After three months on sunitinib, a follow-up computed tomography scan revealed that the supraclavicular LN had markedly decreased, and after 20 months, the disease had not progressed. This case suggests that, even when there is no primary kidney lesion, clinicians must consider the possibility of metastatic RCC when evaluating patients with clear cell carcinoma with an unknown primary site.

Clinical Nutrition Service at Medical Centers in Seoul

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of clinical nutrition services at various medical centers in Seoul, Korea. A questionnaire was distributed to the departments of nutrition at 44 hospitals in Seoul on July 2009. Nutritional screening carried out at a rate of 59.1% at the medical centers, and a significant difference was found according to the type of center, from 100% in tertiary hospitals to 18.8% in normal hospitals. On annual average, the numbers of inpatients, inpatients for malnutritional screening, inpatients with malnutrition, and inpatients for malnutrition management were 15,169.5, 10,870.9, 2,224.8, and 1,546.2, respectively. On average the group nutrition education was done 36.1 times/year for diabetes, 8.2 times/year for cancer, and 1.9 times/year for renal disease, and the numbers of participants 423.1, 95.1, and 31.5, respectively. On average the individual nutrition education of inpatients with diabetes was done 135.4 times/year for ordered-type, and 119.3 times/year for unordered-type, 106.2 times/year for paid-type, and 148.5 times/year for unpaid-type. The mean fee for education and counseling was the highest for peritoneal dialysis (73,090.9 won) but the lowest for heart disease (23,609.1 won). On average the individual nutrition education of outpatients with diabetes was done 234.6 times/year for ordered-type, and 2.5 times/year for unordered-type, 204.4 times/year for paid-type, and 32.7 times/year for unpaid-type. The mean fee for education and counseling was also the highest for peritoneal dialysis (63,500.0 won) but the lowest for heart disease (21,336.4 won). To implement more effective clinical nutrition service, a national medical insurance imbursement policy should be urgently instituted such that diseases left as unpaid are covered by health insurance, including all nutrition-related disease.

Analysis of Hospital Foodservice Management and Health Insurance Coverage of Inpatient Meals in Seoul

The objectives of this study were to explore hospital foodservice management and to investigate conditions related to health insurance coverage of inpatient meals. A questionnaire was distributed to the nutrition departments of 44 hospitals in Seoul on July 2009. The average kitchen area was 0.5 m2, and centralized distribution systems were in place. Partition walls from contamination zones, separate work tables to prevent cross-contamination, exclusive areas for preparing tube feeding, and split carts with refrigerated and convection heat settings were largely used in tertiary hospitals. Most dietitians did meal rounds (93.2%) and surveyed for patient satisfaction (86.4%). The major theme of QI (Quality Improvement) was menu management (31.8%). The health insurance fees for meals were 4,938.9 won for a general diet, 5,199.8 won for a therapeutic diet, 4,067.0 won for tube feeding, 9,950.0 won for sterilized diet, and 18,383.4 won for diets not covered by health insurance. The prices for general and therapeutic diets were significantly lower in hospitals compared to tertiary or general hospitals (P<0.001). The cost composed of 48.3% food, 44.0% labor and 7.7% overhead for general diets and 47.9%, 44.5% and 7.6% for therapeutic diets. In the case of health insurance coverage for patient meals, the number of items applied to general diets averaged 2.8 out of 4 and for therapeutic diets it averaged 1.9 out of 3. To reform the health insurance coverage system for patient meals, it is urgent that the qualified level of patient meals is presented from a national viewpoint, and monitoring should be performed consistently by developing the evaluation tools.

Mouse Orthotopic Lung Cancer Model Induced by PC14PE6 / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate in detail the xenograft mouse orthotopic lung cancer model induced by PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three cell doses (0.5x10(6); 1x10(6); 2x10(6)) of PC14PE6 cells were injected into the lungs of male BALB/c nude mice by the intrathoracic injection method. The lung and other organs, including brain, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, adrenal gland, and lymph node on knee, were removed and stained with H/E to detect the presence of tumor cells. RESULTS: The reliable tumorigenicity time in the PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cell-inoculated BALB/c nude mouse was 10 days after intrathoracic injection. The average life span of the three groups after inoculation was 14 days in the 2x10(6) cells inoculum group; 25 days in the 1x10(6) cells inoculum group; and 32 days in the 0.5x10(6) cells inoculum group. The PC14PE6 adenocarcinoma cells induced orthotopic lung cancer limited within the thorax. CONCLUSIONS: This orthotopic lung cancer model is an efficient cancer model with easy inoculation methods, rapid and high tumorigenicity, and simple monitoring methods for metastasis.