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Viral breakthrough has been considered a major limitation of lamivudine in the treatment of hepatitis B virus related chronic liver disease. Its clinical meaning has not been thoroughly assessed.64 patients who showed viral breakthrough during lamivudine treatment were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the rate of HBeAg seroconversion and hepatic decompensation after viral breakthrough.After viral breakthrough, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) elevation more than 1.2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) was noticed in 40 patients (62.5%). Acute flare (serum ALT elevationx 5 ULN, or serum bilirubin3 mg/dL) occurred in 15 patients (23.4%). During the period of follow up (15.0 +/- 9.7 months; range, 0-31 months) since viral breakthrough, decreased serum HBV-DNA level to below the detection limit and serum ALT normalization was seen in 15 patients (23.4%). HBeAg seroconversion was noticed in 7 (13.7%) of a total of 51 HBeAg positive patients at base line; in 4 (15.4%) of 26 patients with non-hepatic failure (chronic hepatitis or Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis) at base line; and in 2 (40.0%) of 5 patients with non-hepatic failure at base line and acute flare after viral breakthrough. During this period, terminal hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh class C) or death was noticed in 9 (90.0%) of 10 patients who had hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh class B or C) at baseline and acute flare after viral breakthrough.Acute flare after viral breakthrough seemed to continue during HBeAg seroconversion and rarely developed into terminal hepatic decompensation or death in patients with non-hepatic decompensation at baseline. Its incidence is not only high but lethal to most patients with hepatic decompensation at baseline.

Background : In lung cancer patients, the presence of metastatic neck nodes is a crucial indicator of inoperabilty. So thorough physical examination of neck is always mandatory, but sometimes those are hardly palpable even by the skillful hand. Ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic method in detection of small impalpable lymph nodes and in guidance of fine needle aspiration biopsy. In this study we evaluated the clinical usefulness of ultrasonography(USG) and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology(US-FNA) in lung cancer patients without palpable neck nodes. Methods and Materials : From Sep 2002 to Sep 2003, 36 non-small cell lung cancer patients (20 adenocarcinoma, 16 squamous cell cancer) and 10 small cell lung cancer patients without palpable neck nodes on physical examiation were enrolled. patients who had contralateral mediastinal nodal enlargement(>1cm) on chest CT were excluded. After the routine check of USG on the neck, US-FNA was done in cases with enlarged neck nodes ( in the short axis). The presence of enlarged lymph node on USG, and of malignant cells on cytology were evaluated by the histological type and the patients' clinical stage of lung cancer. Results : Among 36 non-small lung cell cancer patients, 14 (38.8%) had enlarged neck nodes on USG, and 5 of 10 small cell lung carcinoma patients. The mean diameter of the neck nodes was 9.8 mm (range, 7-12 mm). US-FNA of 14 non-small cell lung cancer patients revealed tumor cells in eight patients (57.1%). In 5 small cell lung cancer pateints, tumor cells were found in all cases. By the result of US-FNA, the clinical stage of 8 out of 36 (22.2%) non-small cell lung cancer patients had changed, including two cases of shift from the operable IIIa to the inoperable IIIb. In small cell lung cancer patients their clinical stage was not changed after US-FNA, but their pathological diagnosis was easily done in two cases, in whom endobronchial lesions were not found on bronchoscopy. Conclusions : USG and US-FNA of neck node seem to be safe, sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic tools in the evaluation of lung cancer patients without palpable neck nodes.

연구배경 : 진행된 비소세포폐암환자에서 gemcitabine과 cisplatin 복합화학요법 후 치료효과와 부작용 및 생존기간을 조사한다. 방 법 : 수술이 불가능한 IIIB기와 IV기 비소세포폐암환자 40명(남성이 21명이며 여성은 19명; 연령분포는 37에서 73세 사이이며 중간값은 63세)을 대상으로 하였다. 병리학적 진단은 선암이 28명(70.0%), 편평상피세포암이 11명(27.5%), 대세포암이 1명(2.5%)이었으며 병기는 3기(IIIB)가 18명(45%), 4기(IV)가 22명(55%) 이었다. Gemcitabine은 제1일과 제8일에 1200 $mg/m^2$ 을 1시간 동안 정맥 주사하였고, cisplatin은 제1일 gemcitabine 주입이 끝난 뒤 60 $mg/m^2$ 을 3시간에 걸쳐 정맥 주사하였으며 21일 주기로 반복하여 시행하였다. 급성 부작용의 빈도와 정도는 WHO 기준에 따라 조사하였다. 결 과 : 40명의 환자 중 치료 후 완전관해는 없었으며 부분관해는 15명(37.5%), 무반응군은 7명(17.5%), 진행성 병변은 18명(45%)으로 전체 반응률은 37.5%이었다. 혈액학적 부작용으로는 grade 3이상의 중증 호중구 감소증이 5명(125%) 있었으며, 발열성 호중구 감소증으로 입원을 요하였던 경우는 2명(5%)으로 그중 1명이 폐렴으로 사망하였고 혈소판 감소층은 1명(2.5%)에서 있었다. 비혈액학적 부작용으로는 1도의 간독성이 10명(30%)에서 발생하였으나 보존적인 치료로 호전되었으며 그 외 오심, 구토, 설사, 발열, 발진, 탈모, 감염, 변비들이 보고되었으나 대증요법으로 쉽게 조절할 수 있었다. 본 연구에서 반응지속기간의 중앙값은 19주(95% CI, 16.3-23.5주)이었다. 1년 및 2년 생존율은 각각 55% 및 10%였다. 생존기간의 중앙값은 55주 (95% CI, 34-75주)였다. 결 론 : Cisplalin, gemcitabine 복합항암약물요법은 수술적 처지가 불가능한 진행된 비소세포폐암의 치료에 비교적 효과적이었으며 부작용 발생도 적었다. 【Background : To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods : Forty patients (21 men, 19 women ; age range, 37 to 73 years; median, 63 years) with unresectable stage IIIB to IV NSCLC were evaluated. Patients received cisplatin $60mg/m^2$ (Day 1), gemcitabine $1200mg/m^2$ (Day 1 and 8) every 21 days. Eighteen patients had stage IIIB disease and 22 had stage IV. There were 28 patients of adenocarcinoma (70.0%), 11 of squamous cell carcinoma (27.5%), and one of large cell carcinoma (2.5%). Results : Of 40 patients, no patients showed complete response while 15(37.5%) showed partial response, 7(17.5%) had stable diseases, 18(45%) had progressive diseases. During a total of 195 courses of chemotherapy, grade 3 or more granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia occured in 12.5% and 2.5% of patients respectively. Non-hematologic toxicity was mild and easily controlled. There was one case of treatment-related death by pneumomia. The median survival was 55 weeks (95% CI, 34~75weeks), and the time to progression was 19 weeks (95% CI, 16~23weeks). One year survival rate was 55% and 2 year survival rate was 10%. Conclusion : The efficacy of cisplatin and gemcitabine combination chemotherapy was acceptable in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.】