• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the effects of warm needling in a patient with cancer who had chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: A 46-year-old Korean female outpatient diagnosed with malignant ovarian cancer was treated with warm needling therapy on the foot acupuncture points for CIPN. Neuropathic symptoms and quality of life were assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS) and the functional assessment of cancer therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-NTX) score. Results: After 6 months of treatment, the patient showed a reduction in the severity of CIPN symptoms and an improvement in the quality of life, although the severity of symptoms fluctuated as the patient underwent chemotherapy sessions. Conclusion: This study suggests that warm needling may be an effective treatment for CIPN.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2021

Introduction: The aim of this study is to report on the effectiveness of Korean medicine to improve symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Some patients are treated with medication, but medications may have no effect in some patients. Korean medicine treatments have been used in such patients, but few reports exist. Case Presentation: A 58-year-old female patient with CIPN reported symptoms of bilateral limb pain and tingling sensations as well as cold sensations in bilateral lower legs and hands, fatigue, and bilateral limb weakness. To reduce the patient's symptoms, we provided Korean medical treatment, including herbal medicine (Uchashinki-hwan), acupuncture, and moxibation. To evaluate the results of this treatment, we used a numeric rating scale (NRS), the manual muscle test (MMT), the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality-of-life questionnaire about CIPN (EORTC-QLQ-CIPN20). After 49 days of treatment, the NRS scores decreased for bilateral limb pain and tingling, for bilateral lower leg and hand cold sensation, and for fatigue. The MMT results for the upper and lower extremities were improved. CTCAE Grade and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 score were also decreased. Conclusion: According to these results, Korean medicine treatment may be considered an effective treatment for CIPN. Prospective studies are needed in the future to confirm and expand these findings.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.62-65
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• 2017

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease and despite the efforts of the past few decades, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate remains disappointing and does not exceed 10% in Korea. Especially, only 15-20% of patients are candidates for surgical resection because most patients are diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic disease, and their only treatment approach is palliative chemotherapy. Since the first chemo-regimen of Gemcitabine and Nanoparticle albumin bound (nab) - paclitaxel was brought to clinical practice in 2013, the improvement in overall survival, progression-free survival, and response rate was achieved in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We report the case of a young patient with cardiogenic shock accompanied by multi-organ failure after 4^th cycle Gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy with partial response.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2023

Objectives: To report the improvement of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and pantalgia with integrative cancer treatment on adverse effects of chemotherapy in a breast cancer patient. Methods: A 63-year-old female patient who has been diagnosed with breast cancer got treated for 103 days with integrative cancer treatment including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, physiotherapies, hand and foot bath to decrease side effects of chemotherapy. The patient was also treated Western immunotherapies like Thymosin, Viscum album. Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide was applied and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy(CIPN), pantalgia and nausea occured. The efficacy of treatment was measured by a numeric rating scale(NRS) of symptoms, National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event(NCI-CTCAE) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG) Performance Status Scale. Results: The NRS scroes for CIPN, pantalgia, nausea were improved. There was no adverse effects of 3 or higher assessed by the NCI-CTCAE. The ECOG grade improved from grade 2 to 1. Conclusions: This study suggests that integrative cancer treatment could improve CIPN, pantalgia after chemotherapy in breast cancer.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1092-1100
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• 2023

Introduction: We present a case of multiple myeloma with amyloidosis, which has features of peripheral neuropathy after induction chemotherapy before autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, in a 56-year-old woman with Korean medicine. Case Presentation: For 17 days of hospitalization, the patient with complaints of numbness and a tingling sensation in the hands and feet was treated with acupuncture, herbal medicine. To reduce the symptoms, we provided Korean medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the results of the treatment. Until discharge, the VAS scores decreased for both hands and the foot tingling sensation. Conclusion: According to these results, Korean medicine treatment may be considered an effective treatment for tingling sensations in a patient with multiple myeloma with amyloidosis. Prospective studies are needed in the future to confirm and expand these findings.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.176-189
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• 2024

In femoral neuropathy, the femoral nerve is compressed or ischemic. Patients with femoral neuropathy experience muscle atrophy, difficulty flexing the hip joint and extending the knee, decreased sensation of the lower extremities, and loss of patellar tendon reflex. The prognosis of femoral neuropathy is reported to vary, as it takes several days to several months for neurological abnormalities to resolve. We describe a case of a 58-year-old female with a diagnosis of severe femoral neuropathy and complaints of motor weakness and hypoesthesia. The patient underwent combined Western-Korean medicine treatment. The Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Scoring System, Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale, and Berg Balance Scale were used as evaluation tools during the treatment period. The combined Western-Korean medicine treatment led to a significant improvement in symptoms in this patient with severe femoral neuropathy where the cause was unclear and the prognosis was expected to be poor.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.358-380
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• 2024

Objectives: This study was performed to research Korean medical treatment methods for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by summarizing domestic studies. Methods: All domestic research papers on the Korean medical treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy were selected from the literature published until April 2024 in four domestic databases. In total, 26 domestic papers were selected. Results: Eighteen clinical studies and eight experimental studies were published by April 2024. Most of the studied patients were in their fifties, and 93.4% of the subjects were women. Uchashinki-hwan (牛車腎氣丸) was the most frequently prescribed herbal formula, and Rehmanniae Radix Preparata was the most commonly used herb. All studies showed significant effects of Korean medical treatment, and any adverse events were not reported. Conclusion: This study included all domestic research papers on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy to identify research trends in the Korean medicine community. Based on this, it is meaningful to confirm areas that need to be supplemented in future research plans. However, large-scale studies are needed.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2010

Background: Although quantitative sensory test (QST) is being used with increasing frequency for measuring sensory thresholds in clinical practice and epidemiologic studies, there has been no age-matched normative data in Korean adults. The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of QST in diabetic polyneuropathy with normal range in Korean adults. Methods: The Computer Aided Sensory Examination IV 4,2 (WR Medical Electronics Co., Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.A.), with 4,2,1 stepping algorithm was used to determine vibration and cold perception threshold in 70 normal controls and 19 patients with diabetic polyneuropathy aged from 21 to 79 years. The data were used to define age-matched upper and lower normal limits and normal range of side to side difference. We also evaluated the duration of diabetes, serum HbA1C level, and findings of nerve conduction study (NCS) and QST in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. Results: In normal adults, sensory thresholds slightly increased with age, and a slight side-to-side difference was observed. The diagnostic sensitivity of QST was not higher than NCS in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (36.8% vs. 42.1%, p=0.716), especially among elderly patients. Conclusions: QST might be used as a complementary test for NCS in the diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy. Although the QST is a simple method for the evaluation of peripheral nerve function, there are some limitations. Most of all, because the QST measuring is dependent on the subjective response of patients, the degree of concentration and cooperation of the patients can significantly affect the result. And thus, attention should be paid during the interpretation of QST results in patients with peripheral neuropathy.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2017

Gorham-Stout disease is a rare disorder characterized by lymphovascular proliferation and destruction of osseous matrix. The etiology of this condition remains poorly understood. Chylothorax as a consequence of lymphatic leakage in thoracic cage may cause a severe life-threatening complication, accompanying respiratory difficulty. Currently, there is no standard management for this extremely rare condition. Here we describe a patient affected by Gorham-Stout disease successfully managed by the combined treatment of mTOR inhibitor and beta-blocker. A previously healthy 11-year-old female developed dyspnea and chest pain with a massive pleural effusion. The ligation of right thoracic duct and bilateral pleurodesis temporarily decreased her pleural effusion, which was aggravated repetitively and required frequent admission and tube thoracotomies. Along with bilateral pleural adhesiolysis with thoracotomy, the combined treatment of oral beta-blocker and mTOR inhibitor was commenced. After 1 month of oral medication, her pleural effusion was not increased and she was free of respiratory difficulty on room air without chest tubes. Over eleven months of treatment, no serious adverse reaction was noted and her condition has been stable with no further admission required.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.349-358
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• 2017

Objectives: To analyze whether a concept similar to Korean 'Hwabyung' exists in China. We investigated the status of clinical studies conducted in China for relevant diseases and trends of the traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) treatment adopted in clinical studies. Methods: To explore the concept of a condition similar to Korean Hwabyung in China, we searched for the existence of concept and pattern that were parallel or similar to those of Hwabyung in TCM text-books and diagnostic guidelines. We searched and analyzed clinical studies of TCM treatment for depression syndrome similar to Hwabyung from CNKI using terms 'depression' and 'qi stagnation transforming into fire'. Using extracted data, characteristics of clinical research, herbal medicine, and acupuncture treatment used in the clinical research and their effects were systematically reviewed. Results: Symptoms of 'qi stagnation transforming into fire' were most similar to those of Hwabyung. Nine articles were selected from a total 258 articles. Most of them used DSM-IV or CCMD-3 for depression diagnosis. They applied 'diagnostic and efficacy guidelines for TCM diseases and syndromes' for pattern diagnosis of 'qi stagnation transforming into fire'. Danzhixiaoyao-san and Jiaweixiaoyao-san were found to be effective when they were used alone or in combination with antidepressants. Acupuncture treatment also showed remarkable effect on LR3, HT7, LI4, PC6, GV20 when it was used alone or in combination with antidepressants. However, careful interpretation is required because a small number of studies are included.Conclusions: 'Qi stagnation transforming into fire' seemed to have symptoms similar to Hwabyung. However, further research is needed to determine its diseases and pattern types compared to Hwabyung. According to included studies of 'depression with Qi stagnation transforming into fire', herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment tended to be effective in relieving depressive symptoms. However, more discussion is required for future application of herbal medicine and acupuncture for treating Hwabyung.