• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.135-150
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• 2016

Research Methods: This research analyzed the data on those aged 20 and older from the Report on Korean Medicine Usage Research, which was conducted in 2011. The definitions of toxicity were defined by the presence of toxicity listed in the survey. The questions used in analysis were sex, age, household income, health insurance, medical fees, satisfaction rates on treatments, as well as the types of diseases and the presence of toxicity from treatments. The analysis was done through frequency analysis using SAS 9.2 and Fisher's Exact Test. Results: Toxicity occurred in 2.1% patients out of the 3518 studied. The types of toxicity were skin problems, such as hives and pruritus (34.7%), gastrointestinal problems (20.8%), neurological diseases (4.2%), liver(1.4%), kidney toxicity(1.4%), and others (22.2%). There were no differences in toxicity by sex, age, household income and the types of health insurances. However, toxicity were positively correlated with the increase in standard of education (p=0.0124). In addition, as treatment costs increased (p<0.0001) and satisfaction rates decreased, toxicity increased (p<0.0001). Toxicity increased in patients with low back pain (p=0.0429), hwabyung (p=0.0392), lumbar sprain (p=0.0004), correction body type (p=0.0118), growth (p=0.0045), and from motor accidents (p=0.0448). In logistic regression analysis, Toxicity were positively correlated with medical fees, and cancer treatment and negatively correlated with satisfaction rate on treatments. Conclusion: The toxicity that occurred in outpatients who used Korean medical clinics mostly happened in skin, digestive organs, nerves, livers, and kidneys toxicity. The occurrences differed by the Educational lengths, expensive costs of treatments, low satisfaction rates of the treatments, and cancer.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2011

Recent advances in techniques and strategies use to detect cancer in its early stages and to treat it effectively has the survival rate of cancer patients and the number of long-term cancer survivors continually increasing. Unfortunately, many cancer survivors are at risk for various late and long-term effects of cancer treatments including the radiotherapy. Long-term cancer survivors can be also seen for a hospice and palliative care because of cancer recurrence and they are at risk of delayed reactions to radiotherapy. So, the understanding and knowledge of radiation reactions is required for the proper medical diagnosis, management, and coordination of the potential reactions that may occur in these care setting. In effort to increase the survival rate in cancer patients and to decrease the adverse effects of cancer treatment, many clinical studies have been and continue to be conducted. The efforts of these studies have thus resulted in the advancement of cancer treatments. Regrettably, the overall interest in how to manage adverse effects of cancer treatment such as radiotherapy appears seemingly low in clinical practice and its advanced studies as a whole are delayed and deficient. It is imperative that the medical community show an enthusiastic interest in the aftercare of cancer patients and cancer survivors in order to create a complementary integrative approach that will eliminate radiotherapy related pain/discomfort or illness in hospice and palliative care settings.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

Objectives: This research was aimed 1) to find out various subjective symptoms cancer patients had, 2) to find out the quantitative difference of symptoms occurring according to the area of cancer, current treatment methods, and relapse of the cancer and 3) to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. Methods: This study was a survey about the various subjective symptoms cancer patients had. The subjects were 48 cancer patients in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial about the effectiveness of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. Surveys were examined before Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. The questionnaire consisted of demographic research, patient history and accompanying symptoms. The symptoms part consisted of 4 questions on general symptoms (vertigo, hot flush, rash, insomnia), 2 questions on digestion symptoms (anorexia, dyspepsia), 2 questions on excretions (diarrhea, constipation), and 5 questions on symptoms in different body parts (headache, dryness of lips, chest pain, aphthous ulcer, nose bleeding). The questionnaire was used to research presence of symptoms and relationships between the occurrence of symptoms. Results: A total of 48 patients took part in this survey. Dizziness was the most frequent subjective symptom patients had (64.58%), followed by dry mouth (43.75%), headache (43.75%), insomnia (41.67%), anorexia (37.5%) and chest discomfort (37.5%). The presence of these subjective symptoms was partially related to the patient's history details - type of cancer, method of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy), termination of treatment, presence of pain, fatigue and recurrence, etc. Factor analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. It suggested 5 factors as a result, but there was a limitation that only a low level of correlation was shown among them. Conclusions: We were able to analyze the occurrences and the relationships among them for accompanying subjective symptoms in cancer patients. However the results of the study are limited in that only 48 patients participated. The symptoms in cancer patients showed a tendency for clustering, occurring simultaneously or continuously rather than occurring alone. The study of these symptom clusters is worth further study, for it is similar to the Symptom Differentiation System in Traditional Korean Medicine. For effective approach to the treatment of cancer in Traditional Korean Medicine, further research on the Korean traditional view of cancer patients should be done based on this research, regarding various symptoms and those relationships on a larger scale.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.571-575
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• 2014

This study was aimed to obtain epidemiological information of cancer patients treated with Oriental medicine. 58 breast and gynecological cancer patients treated in Cancer Center of Daeguhanny Oriental Hospital from August 2012 to August 2013 were reviewed. Careful investigations were done by categorizing these patients by their origin, stage, treatment, conventional treatment type, chief complaint, etc. In tumor origin, breast cancer showed the largest proportion in total patients(74.1%) and inpatients(81.8%). 63.8% of the patients' tumors were stage III and IV. 48.3% of patients visited Oriental hospital for combination treatment with conventional medicine. 91.4% of the patients have under 5 years of cancer duration. Their cheif complaints are general weakness, postoperative pain and abdominal discomfort in general. This study presented the characteristics of breast and gynecological cancer patients treated by Oriental medical therapies, and thus would be valuable for futher studies of Oriental medical cancer treatments.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.116-122
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• 2014

Objectives: Rectal cancer bleeding occurs approximately 20% of overall rectal cancer patients. The current standard treatments cannot cover minor bleeding enough. Failures of the local or systemic approaches to stop bleeding are frequently reported. Methods: we reported a case of male rectal cancer patient who was treated with herbal decoction and significantly improved on symptoms, such as, loose stools and rectal bleeding. Previous to first visiting to our clinic, he was prescribed to use oral tranexamic acids, which failed to relieve his symptoms. He was administered with an herbal decoction, Inhyungtang, clinically known to have hemostastic effect in hematochezia. Results & Conclusion: The prescription showed significant improvement on his symptom, in particular, his bleeding. Thus, we report his case and we expect further experiences and experimental studies to support efficacy of Inhyungtang.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.667-674
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• 2010

Objective : To investigate the therapeutic effects of Hang-Am-Dan(HAD) on gallbladder cancer patients. Method : We prescribed HAD three times a day(3,000-6,000 mg/day) during a treatment period of 8 and 34 months respectively. Computed tomography(CT) was taken to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy. Results : Two patients diagnosed with gallbladder cancer were recommended to go through chemotherapy. However, they refused the standard regimen due to their old age and the fear of side effects, and chose to go with Oriental medicine treatments instead. The patients were treated for 8 and 34 months respectively. Each patient showed stable disease(SD) state during the treatment period. Conclusion : According to these cases, it could be concluded that HAD may offer potential benefits in treating gallbladder cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2591-2600
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• 2015

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide among women and the second most common cancer. Approximately 15-23% of breast cancers over-express human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2), a 185-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is mainly found at the cell surface of tumor cells. HER2-positive breast cancer, featuring amplification of HER2/neu and negative expression of ER and PR, has the three following characteristics: rapid tumor growth, lower survival rate, and better response to adjuvant therapies. Clinically, it is notable for its role in a pathogenesis that is associated with increased disease recurrence and acts as a worse prognosis. At the same time, it represents a good target for anti-cancer immunotherapy despite the prevalence of drug resistance. New treatments are a major topic of research, and a brighter future can be expected. This review discusses the role of HER2 in breast cancer, therapeutic modalities available and prognostic factors.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.662-669
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• 2007

Objectives : The aim of the present study is to derive further studies evaluating the effectiveness of oriental medical treatment on colon cancer patients. We present a case of a patient diagnosed with colon cancer with colon cancer with liver metastasis who has survived more than 8 years. Methods : We followed all of treatments and examination. We prescribed the patient to take HangAm-dan(HAD) three times a day for 5 years and 1 month from January, 2000 to February, 2005. Abdominal computed tomography(CT) was performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and measuring concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) in blood serum was also performed to monitor therapeutic response. Results : The patient was diagnosed with liver metastasis in September of 1999 but has survived for over 8 years since. Abdomen CT show no interval change. Conclusions : This case may give us a possibility that oriental medical treatment offers potential benefits for patients with colon cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.79-89
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• 2004

Saussurea lappa and Taraxacum mongolicum have been used for herbal medicinal treatments against cancers in East Asia. We performed this study to understand the molecular basis underlying the anti-tumor effects of two herbs and analyzed the effects of these medicinal herbs on proliferation and on expression of cell growth/apoptosis related molecules by using an AGS gastric cancer cell line. The treatments of Saussurea lappa dramatically reduced cell viabilities in a dose and time-dependent manner, but Taraxacum mongolicum did not. FACS analysis and Annexin V staining assay also showed that Saussurea lappa induces apoptotic cell death of AGS. Expression analyses via RT-PCR and Western blots revealed that Saussurea lappa increased expression of the p53 and its downstream effector p21/sup Waf1/, and that the both increased expression of apoptosis related Bax and cleavage of active caspase-3 protein. We also confirmed the translocation of Bax to mitochondria Collectively, our data demonstrate that Saussurea lappa induces growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells, and these effects are correlated with down- and up-regulation of growth-regulating apoptotic and tumor suppressor genes, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2023

Objectives: To report the reduction of adverse effects of chemotherapy and improvement in the quality of life in recurrent liver metastasis by Korean medicine treatments. Methods: In 2018, a 75-year-old male patient underwent surgery for primary cancer in the ampulla of Vater. In 2021, he was diagnosed with recurrent liver metastasis. Following the failure of tumor treatment with gemcitabine/cisplatin and the development of severe side effects, he decided to discontinue chemotherapy. Subsequently, with a significantly enlarged liver tumor, he resumed capecitabine/oxaliplatin treatment, alongside moxibustion, acupuncture, and herbal prescriptions from August 2021 to August 2023. The changes of chief complaints, abdominal CT, and laboratory findings were investigated. Results: After combined treatment of Korean traditional medicine and chemotherapy, the mass was decreased. Laboratory findings, and chief complaints of hand-foot syndrome, fatigue, abdominal distension, nausea and anorexia were improved. Conclustions: This case study suggests that Korean traditional medicine is effective in enhancing anticancer effects, suppressing the side effects of chemotherapy, and improving general conditions.