• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.266-270
• /
• 2006

A case of an epidural abscess, a rare but possibly devastating complication of epidural instrumentation and catheterization, which occurred in a cancer pain patient with an epidural port connected to the epidural catheter, is described. Although cases of a catheter related epidural abscess have been intermittently reported, those following epidural port implantation are very rare, with no case having been reported in Korea. Herein, the case of a 31-year-old man, who developed an epidural abscess 54 days after subcutaneous implantation of an epidural port connected to an epidural catheter, is reported. Methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus was detected in a culture of the purulent discharge. Magnetic resonance imaging was essential, not only for the diagnosis of the epidural abscess, but also for determining the extent of spread. The patient refused further evaluation and treatment, and expired 22 days later.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.288-298
• /
• 2024

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic protein that has crucial roles in survival, growth and differentiation. It is expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. NGF exerts its effects via two types of receptors including the high affinity receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A and the low affinity receptor p75 neurotrophin receptor highlighting the complex signaling pathways that underlie the roles of NGF. In pain perception and transmission, multiple studies shed light on the effects of NGF on different types of pain including inflammatory, neuropathic, cancer and visceral pain. Also, the binding of NGF to its receptors increases the availability of many nociceptive receptors such as transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, and P2X purinoceptor 3 as well as nociceptive transmitters such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide. The role of NGF in pain has been documented in pre-clinical and clinical studies. This review aims to shed light on the role of NGF and its signaling in different types of pain.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.169-178
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study was to identify the relationship between depression and spiritual health in patients suffering from female cancer. Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive study design. Data was collected by questionnaires from 106 female patients who were diagnosed with cancer of female organs at three university hospitals and one general hospital. The instruments used in this study included, "the Depression Scale" developed by Zung(1965) and "Spirituality Health Inventory" developed by Highfield(1992) and amended by Kim. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: There was significantly negative correlation between spiritual health and depression in female cancer patients (r= -.65, p< .0001). There were significant differences in spiritual health according to the monthly income (F=4.30, p= .016), the degree of pain (F=2.85, p= .041), the degree of fatigue (F=3.42, p= .020), the frequency of attendance at worship services (F=3.26, p= .014), the effect of religion on personal life (F=9.41, p= .000). There were significant differences in depression, according to the residence type (F= .75, p= .012), the cancer insurance (t=7.86, p= .006), the degree of pain (F=2.78, p= .045). Conclusions: There is a necessity to develop strategies to improve the spiritual health and to reduce depression in female cancer patients. The significant several characteristics related to depression and spiritual health should be considered in psychsocial nursing intervention of female cancer patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.38
• /
• pp.6.1-6.8
• /
• 2016

Background: Intravenous bisphosphonates have been used in metastatic breast cancer patients to reduce pathologic bone fracture and bone pain. However, necrosis of the jaw has been reported in those who received intravenous bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is caused by dental extraction, dental implant surgery, and denture wearing; however, it occurs spontaneously. The purpose of this study was to report BRONJ in metastatic breast cancer patients. Methods: Consecutive 25 female patients were referred from the Department of Oncology from 2008 to 2014 for jaw bone discomfort. Staging of breast cancer, history of bisphosphonate infusion, etiology of BRONJ, and treatment results were reviewed. Average age of the patients was 55.4 years old (38-74). Twelve maxillae and 16 mandibles were involved. Conservative treatments such as irrigation, antibiotic medication, analgesics, and oral gargle were applied for all patients for the initial treatment. Patients who had sequestrum underwent debridement and primary closure. Results: The etiologies of BRONJ were dental extraction (19 cases), dental implant (2 cases), and endodontic treatment (1 case). However, three patients did not have any risk factors to cause BRONJ. Three patients died of progression of metastasis during follow-up periods. Surgical debridement was performed in 21 patients with success in 18 patients. Three patients showed recurred bone exposure and infection after operation. Conclusions: Prevention of the BRONJ is critical in metastatic breast cancer patients. Conservative treatment to reduce pain, discomfort, and infection is recommended for the initial therapy. However, if there is a sequestrum, surgical debridement and primary closure is the key to treat the BRONJ.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.1327-1334
• /
• 2015

Cancer pain is a very important factor in cancer patients refractory to drop the quality of life of cancer patients. The worldwide trend is an integrated effort by both the western medicine and korean traditional medicine of treatment increases to reduce cancer pain. There are many studies related to cancer pain through an integrated medicine approach. Many study was reported that acupuncture treatment is effective for fatigue, xerostomia, insomnia, anxiety and quality of life. However, despite the practical clinical effects and various case reports of acupuncture, many still disagree about the significance of an integrated treatment of pain reduction with acupuncture. Therefore, we has identified that reduce effect of comprehensive and integrative treatment using acupuncture for cancer pain through publication review. And we evaluated effect of comprehensive and integrative treatment using acupuncture through summary of values in each publication.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.4053-4056
• /
• 2013

Background: Colposcopy is the gold standard procedure for evaluating cervical cytological abnormalities. Although it is essentially a minimally invasive intervention, referral for colposcopy may cause significant distress on patients. In this study, we aimed to determine if pre-procedural anxiety levels have a significant association with procedure related pain and discomfort in women undergoing colposcopy for evaluation of abnormal cervical cytology. We also assessed the impact of various clinical factors on anxiety, pain and discomfort in these patients. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was performed at the gynecologic oncology department of Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital in Ankara, Turkey between January and June 2013. After taking informed consent, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) form and a 14-item questionnaire were filled for women who were admitted to our outpatient colposcopy unit for evaluation of abnormal cervical cytology. STAI scores were calculated for each participant. Immediately after the procedure, visual analog scale (VAS) scores for procedure-related pain and discomfort were obtained. Associations between STAI and VAS scores were investigated using correlation analyses. The effect of various contributing factors on anxiety, pain and discomfort were evaluated with linear regression analysis. The p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 222 women met the inclusion criteria within the study period. Mean patient age was $38.5{\pm}9.6$. Median state and trait anxiety scores were 47 and 46, respectively. Median VAS scores for pain and discomfort were 4 for both variables. State anxiety had a significant correlation with procedure related discomfort (p=0.02). Colposcopy related pain VAS scores were significantly affected by state anxiety level, marital status and prior gynecological examination (p<0.05). Colposcopy related discomfort VAS scores were significantly affected by state anxiety level, marital status, prior gynecological examination and educational status. Conclusions: Additional measures should be implemented in women that carry higher risk for experiencing pain and discomfort. Social, cultural and lifestyle issues may also affect women's experiences during colposcopy, therefore further studies are needed to define specific determining factors in various populations.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.755-765
• /
• 1999

Most people experience fatigue at some point in their lives, and they say the word ‘fatigue’ in their ordinary conversational speech. The ordinary word is used as a military or engineering term and has been studied in various different disciplines, such as ergonomics, physiology, psychology, medicine, and nursing. In spite of its widespread uses, however, fatigue has not been well defined. The term of fatigue Is thus often used with different meanings and is applied in diverse contexts that had led to a confusion of ideas. In people with cancer, fatigue is reported as a major distress. Despite the importance of fatigue in cancer patients, the phenomena of fatigue is poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to analyze the concept of fatigue in people with cancer. The process for the concept analysis was guided by Walker and Avant's conceptual analysis methodology. The identified attributes of fatigue in the present study were subjective feeling, lack of energy, sustenance, and multidimensions. The antecedents were cancer treatment and economic status. The consequences were decreased daily, vocational, leisure, and social activities, uncertainty, and difficulties in adjustment. Symptoms (pain, anorexia, and insomnia) and emotional disturbance were not clear whether they are antecedents or consequences. However, they are related with cancer related fatigue. Even though still in the beginning stage, instruments measuring cancer related fatigue have been developed by some nursing investigators.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.27-33
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the therapeutic possibility of a primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC) patient with Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM). Methods: A 37 years old female patient diagnosed with PPC suffered from operation site pain, neck pain, nausea, headache and fatigue after undergoing operation and chemotherapy (Paclitaxel/Carboplain). The patient was treated with acupuncture, pharmacoacupuncture, moxibution and herbal medicine. Laboratory study and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE), version 5.0 were used to evaluate the safety and adverse events of treatments. The performance status was measured by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale. Results: After treatments, cancer did not show any progression. Related symptoms such as postoperative pain, nausea, fatigue and quality of life have improved. Conclusion: This case study implies that TKM may have therapeutic possibility in treating PPC patient.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.705-717
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer and to investigate the associations among them with functional status and quality of life (QOL). Methods: A convenient sample of 303 patients was recruited from an oncology-specialized hospital. Results: Two distinct clusters were identified: A gastrointestinal- fatigue cluster and a pain cluster. Each cluster significantly influenced functional status and QOL. Based on these two clusters, we identified subgroups of symptom clusters using K-means cluster analysis. Three relatively distinct patient subgroups were identified in each cluster: mild, moderate, and severe group. Disease-related factors (i.e., stage, metastasis, type of surgery, current chemotherapy, and anti-hormone therapy) were associated with these subgroups of symptom clusters. There were significant differences in functional status and QOL among the three subgroups. The subgroup of patients who reported high levels of symptom clusters reported poorer functional status and QOL. Conclusion: Clinicians can anticipate that breast cancer patients with advanced stage, metastasis, and who receive mastectomy, and chemotherapy will have more intense gastrointestinal-fatigue or pain symptoms. In order to enhance functional status and QOL for patients with breast cancer, collective management for symptoms in a cluster may be beneficial.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2006

Bidirectional relationships exist between cancer and depression; the prevalence of depression in cancer patients is higher than in the general population, and depression predicts cancer progression and mortality. The mechanisms through which depression contributes to the progression of cancer are related with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and impairment of immune function. However, depression in cancer patients tends to be underdiagnosed and not appropriately treated. The methods of diagnosis and assessment of depression in cancer patents have been debated because physical symptoms of depression mimic both cancer symptoms per se and the side effects of cancer treatment. Many studies have shown that various psychosocial and/or pharmacological interventions are effective at improving de-pressive symptoms and quality of life in cancer patients. Furthermore, antidepressant treatments are effective for various physical symptoms related to cancer, such as fatigue, anorexia, pain, hot flashes, and itching. This article reviews and discusses current knowledge about depression in cancer patients.