Sungkyunkwan University · Medicine
Professor Won Park's research lab specializes in medical imaging and oncology, focusing on improving the accuracy of cancer staging and treatment response prediction in gynecological and gastrointestinal malignancies. The lab investigates the clinical utility of advanced imaging modalities such as PET/CT and MRI in assessing tumor extension and lymph node involvement, particularly in cervical and rectal cancers. A key research direction involves identifying and validating hematologic biomarkers—such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)—as non-invasive predictors of treatment response and prognosis in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. The lab aims to integrate imaging and systemic biomarkers to enhance personalized cancer management and guide clinical decision-making.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
MRI provides an improved evaluation of local tumor extension, but PET is more useful for the evaluation of pelvic lymph nodes than MRI; however, PET still misses microscopic disease. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the usefulness of PET/computed tomography (CT) for the accuracy of the disease extension and the cost-effectiveness of MRI, PET or PET/CT in patients with cervical cancer.
Elevated NLR and PLR levels can be considered as predictors of poor pathologic response, and NLR can be considered a prognosticator in patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.
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