The 8th Biennial Meeting of the Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology, December 1st to 3rd, 2023

Heng-Cheng Hsu,김재원,박정열,서동훈,김세익,Jen-Ruei Chen,Peng-Hui Wang 대한부인종양학회 2024 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.35 No.2

As per the 2018 GLOBOCAN database, Asia accounted for 48.7% (637,761) of new gynecologiccancer cases and 50.1% (305,000) of gynecologic cancer deaths [1]. Recognizing the distinctdifferences in genetic background, cancer epidemiology, disease characteristics, and socio-cultural environment between Asian and non-Asian women, it is noteworthy that much ofthe experimental evidence guiding clinical gynecologic oncology practices has historicallybeen drawn from studies in Western populations. Established in 2008, the Asian Society ofGynecologic Oncology (ASGO) ser ves as a key organization in Asia, dedicated to advancingthe study, prevention, and treatment of gynecological cancer through scientific exchange,regional/international collaboration, educational initiatives, and fostering camaraderieamong its members [2]. Presently, ASGO boasts members from over 10 countries in Asia. Building on the success of the previous meetings held in Tokyo (2009) [3], Seoul (2011)[4], Kyoto (2013) [5], Seoul (2015) [6], Tokyo (2017) [7], Incheon (2019) [8], and Bangkok(2021) [9], the eighth Biennial Meeting of ASGO took place at the state-of-the-art HNBKInternational Convention Center in Taipei, Taiwan, from December 01 to 03, 2023. Theoverarching theme for this event was “Reunion to Overcome Gynecologic Cancer in Asia.”Notably, due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in 2021, the meetingwas transformed into a hybrid format. This gathering marked a significant milestone as thefirst in-person Pan-Asia meeting focused on gynecological cancer following the pandemic. Additionally, it is worth highlighting that this was the inaugural ASGO meeting held outsideof Korea and Japan, underscoring the broadening geographical scope and global impactof the conference. Professor Peng-Hui Wang and Jae-Weon Jim chaired the organizingcommittee. ASGO 2023 witnessed the participation of 633 attendees from 17 countries,featuring 152 honored speakers and chairs from 12 countries. The event included 44 oral/surgical video presentations and 187 poster presentations, covering a diverse range ofscientific topics, from fundamental principles of gynecological cancer care to advanced, high-technology practices rooted in cutting-edge research (Table 1). Photos from the meetingare accessible on the official meeting website (http://tinyurl.com/26xtts2f ).

Ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang ameliorates diet-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice

Hsu-Feng Lu,Yu-Heng Lai,Hsiu-Chen Huang,I-Jung Lee,Lie-Chwen Lin,Hui-Kang Liu,Hsiao-Hsuan Tien,Cheng Huang 고려인삼학회 2020 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.44 No.2

Background: Dietary fat has been suggested to be the cause of various health issues. Obesity, hypertension,cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and kidney disease are known to be associatedwith a high-fat diet (HFD). Obesity and associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus andnonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are currently a worldwide health problem. Few prospectivepharmaceutical therapies that directly target NAFLD are available at present. A Traditional ChineseMedicine, ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang (GBHT), is widely used by diabetic patients to control glucose levelor thirst. However, whether it has therapeutic effects on fat-induced hepatic steatosis and metabolicsyndrome remains unclear. Methods: This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of GBHT on fat-induced obesity,hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice. Results: GBHT protected mice against HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, andhyperglycemia compared with mice that were not treated. GBHT inhibited the expansion of adiposetissue and adipocyte hypertrophy. No ectopic fat deposition was found in the livers of HFD mice treatedwith GBHT. In addition, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was also improved byGBHT. Conclusion: GBHT prevents changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in a HFD mouse model. Ourfindings provide evidence for the traditional use of GBHT as therapy for the management of metabolicsyndrome.

Ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang ameliorates diet-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice

Lu, Hsu-Feng,Lai, Yu-Heng,Huang, Hsiu-Chen,Lee, I-Jung,Lin, Lie-Chwen,Liu, Hui-Kang,Tien, Hsiao-Hsuan,Huang, Cheng The Korean Society of Ginseng 2020 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.44 No.2

Background: Dietary fat has been suggested to be the cause of various health issues. Obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and kidney disease are known to be associated with a high-fat diet (HFD). Obesity and associated conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are currently a worldwide health problem. Few prospective pharmaceutical therapies that directly target NAFLD are available at present. A Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginseng-plus-Bai-Hu-Tang (GBHT), is widely used by diabetic patients to control glucose level or thirst. However, whether it has therapeutic effects on fat-induced hepatic steatosis and metabolic syndrome remains unclear. Methods: This study was conducted to examine the therapeutic effect of GBHT on fat-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance in mice. Results: GBHT protected mice against HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia compared with mice that were not treated. GBHT inhibited the expansion of adipose tissue and adipocyte hypertrophy. No ectopic fat deposition was found in the livers of HFD mice treated with GBHT. In addition, glucose intolerance and insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was also improved by GBHT. Conclusion: GBHT prevents changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in a HFD mouse model. Our findings provide evidence for the traditional use of GBHT as therapy for the management of metabolic syndrome.

Successful Enrichment of Rarely Found Candidatus Anammoxoglobus propionicus from Leachate Sludge

( Shu Chuan Hsu ),( Yen Chun Lai ),( Ping Heng Hsieh ),( Pun Jen Cheng ),( Suen Shin Wong ),( Chun Hsiung Hung ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2014 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.24 No.7

Bacteria that mediate the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (anammox) have been detected in natural ecosystems, as well as various wastewater treatment systems. In this study, sludge from a particular landfill leachate anaerobic treatment system was selected as the incubation seed for anammox microorganism enrichment owing to its possible anammox activity. Transmission electron microscopy observation, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis, and cloning/sequencing techniques were applied to identify the diversity of anammox microorganisms throughout the incubation. During the early stage of operation, the diversity of anammox microorganisms was similar to the original complex microbes in the seed sludge. However, as incubation time increased, the anammox microorganism diversity within the system that was originally dominated by Candidatus (Ca.) Brocadia sp. was replaced by Ca. Anammoxoglobus propionicus. The domination of Ca. Anammoxoglobus propionicus produced a stable removal of ammonia (70 mg-N/l) and nitrite (90 mg-N/l), and the total nitrogen removal efficiency was maintained at nearly 95%. The fluorescence in situ hybridization results showed that Ca. Anammoxoglobus propionicus was successfully enriched from 1.8 ± 0.6% initially to 65 ± 5% after 481 days of operation. Therefore, the present results demonstrated the feasibility of enriching Ca. Anammoxoglobus propionicus from leachate sludge, even though the original cell count was extremely low. Application of this seldom found anammox organism could offer an alternative to current ammonia-nitrogen treatment.

Delay of Surgery for Spinal Metastasis due to the COVID-19 Outbreak Affected Patient Outcomes

Chia-Jung Hsieh,Chun-Yu Wu,Yen-Heng Lin,Yu-Cheng Huang,Wen-Chi Yang,Tom Wei-Wu Chen,Wei-Li Ma,Wei-Hsin Lin,Feng-Ming Hsu,Furen Xiao,Shih-Hung Yang,Dar-Ming Lai,Chang-Mu Chen,Shin-Yi Chao,Fon-Yih Tsuan 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.4

Objective: The present study is to analyze the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 2019) outbreak and the subsequent lockdown on the outcomes of spinal metastasis patients. Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of data from a prospective cohort study. All patients underwent surgical intervention for spinal metastases between January 2019 and December 2021 and had at least 3 months of postoperative follow-up. The primary outcome was overall mortality during the 4 different stages (pre-COVID-19 era, COVID-19 pandemic except in Taiwan, national lockdown, lifting of the lockdown). The secondary outcomes were the oncological severity scores, medical/surgical accessibility, and patient functional outcome during the 4 periods as well as survival/mortality. Results: A total of 233 patients were included. The overall mortality rate was 41.20%. During the Taiwan lockdown, more patients received palliative surgery than other surgical methods, and no total en bloc spondylectomy was performed. The time from surgeon visit to operation was approximately doubled after the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan (75.97, 86.63, 168.79, and 166.91 hours in the 4 periods, respectively). The estimated survival probability was highest after the national lockdown was lifted and lowest during the lockdown. In the multivariate analysis, increased risk of mortality was observed with delay of surgery, with emergency surgery having a higher risk with delays above 33 hours, urgent surgery (below 59 and above 111 hours), and elective surgery (above 332 hours). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic and related policies have altered daily clinical practice and negatively impacted the survival of patients with spinal metastases.

Antiproliferative and Antitumorigenic Activity of Toona sinensis Leaf Extracts in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Chih-Jen Yang,Yu-Jung Huang,Cheng-Yuan Wang,Chuan-Sheng Wang,Pei-Hui Wang,Jen-Yu Hung,Tung-Heng Wang,Hseng-Kuang Hsu,Hurng-Wern Huang,S.P. Anand Kumar,Ming-Shyan Huang,Ching-Feng Weng 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.1

Toona sinensis is a traditional Chinese herb, and the extracts of T. sinensis leaf possess a variety of biological functions. This study attempted to test the antiproliferative effect of TSL-1 (a bioactive fraction of T. sinensis) in H441 cells (lung adenocarcinoma). The data showed that the antiproliferative effect of TSL-1 on H441 cells is prominent using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. TSL-1-induced apoptosis was confirmed by cell morphology, sub-G1 peak accumulation, cleavage of poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase, and propidium iodide-annexin V double staining. Furthermore, decreased Bcl-2 accompanied by increased Bax (in western blotting) was found with TSL-1 treatment of H441 cells. TSL-1 treatment-induced G1 arrest was concurrent with the down-regulation of protein levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 in H441 cells. Peroral and intraperitoneal administrations of TSL-1 were performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, and peroral administration of TSL-1 was also used to elucidate the therapeutic efficacy in the H441 cell xenograft model in vivo. The data revealed that TSL-1 treatment inhibited H441 tumor growth in both therapeutic and preventive experiments. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TSL-1 possesses the capability of preventing and alleviating lung cancer proliferation in vitro and in vivo with proven nephrological and hepatic safety and has the potential to be developed as an anti–lung cancer drug.

Contrasting clinical characteristics and treatment patterns in women with newly diagnosed advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in Australia, South Korea and Taiwan

Hung-Hsueh Chou,Sian Fereday,Anna DeFazio,Chih-Long Chang,David Bowtell,Heng-Cheng Hsu,Nadia Traficante,Soo Young Jeong,Wen-Fang Cheng,Dinuka Ariyarantne,Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group,Teresa T 대한부인종양학회 2023 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.34 No.1

Objective: The real-world INFORM study analyzed sociodemographics, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in Australia, South Korea (S.Korea) and Taiwan preceding incorporation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors into clinical practice. Methods: Retrospective data from patients diagnosed with EOC (high-grade serous EOC for Taiwan) between January 2014 and December 2018 with ≥12 months follow-up from diagnosis were analyzed descriptively. Survival was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier with two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Of the 987 patients (Australia, 223; S.Korea, 513; Taiwan, 251), 98% received platinum-based chemotherapy (CT). In S.Korea and Taiwan 76.0% and 78.9% respectively underwent primary cytoreductive surgery; in Australia, 56.5% had interval debulking surgery. Bevacizumab was included in primary/maintenance therapy for 22.4%, 14.6% and 6.8% of patients in Australia, S.Korea and Taiwan, respectively. Patients receiving bevacizumab were high-risk (reimbursement policy) and achieved similar real-world progression-free survival (PFS) compared with CT only. Overall, the median real-world PFS (months; 95% CI) was similar across Australia (16.0 [14.63–18.08]), S.Korea (17.7 [16.18–19.27]) and Taiwan (19.1 [17.56–22.29]). Conclusion: This study reveals poor prognosis despite differences in demographics and treatment patterns for patients with EOC across Asia-Pacific suggesting the need for biomarker-driven novel therapies to improve outcomes.

Ovarian cancer risk score predicts chemo-response and outcome in epithelial ovarian carcinoma patients

Hsiao-Yun Lu,Yi-Jou Tai,Yu-Li Chen,Ying-Cheng Chiang,Heng-Cheng Hsu,Wen-Fang Cheng 대한부인종양학회 2021 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.32 No.2

Objective: Cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is a standard frontlinetreatment for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We aimed to develop an ovarian cancer riskscore (OVRS) based on the expression of 10 ovarian-cancer-related genes to predict thechemoresistance, and outcomes of EOC patients. Methods: We designed a case-control study with total 149 EOC women including 75chemosensitives and 74 chemoresistants. Gene expression was measured using thequantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We tested for correlation between theOVRS and chemosensitivity or chemoresistance, disease-free survival (DFS), and overallsurvival (OS), and validated the OVRS by analyzing patients from the TCGA database. Results: The chemosensitive group had lower OVRS than the chemoresistant group (5 vs. 15, p≤0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Patients with disease relapse (13 vs. 5, p<0.001, Mann Whitney U test) or disease-related death (13.5 vs. 6, p<0.001) had higher OVRS than thosewithout. OVRS ≥10 (hazard ratio=3.29; 95% confidence interval=1.94–5.58; p<0.001) was theonly predictor for chemoresistance in multivariate analysis. The median DFS (5 months vs. 24 months) and OS (39 months vs. >60 months) of patients with OVRS ≥10 were significantlyshorter than those of patients with OVRS <9). The high OVRS group also had significantlyshorter median OS than the low OVRS group in 255 patients in the TCGA database (39 vs. 49months, p=0.046). Conclusions: Specific genes panel can be clinically applied in predicting the chemoresistanceand outcome, and decision-making of epithelial ovarian cancer.