• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3799-3803
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• 2015

Background: The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Breast (FACT-B) scale is widely used to measure health-related quality of life in cancer patients. The aim of the present study is to validate the FACT-B in a sample of Iranian women with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 300 women selected through non-random convenient sampling procedure from oncology hospitals and clinics in Kermanshah and Shiraz cities. They were asked to fill in the Persian versions of the FACT-B scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life EORTC QLQ30. Confirmatory factorial analysis of the methods, concurrent validity and discriminant, and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency were applied. Results: Internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha was 0.63 to 0.93 for the subscales and 0.92 for the total scale. Significant correlations between FACT-B and other measures indicate that this scale had concurrent and discriminant validity. The values of fit indices were satisfactory. Conclusions: The Persian version of the FACT-B scale is valid and reliable and, therefore, the scale can be used in research and clinical settings to assess health-related quality of life in Iranian patients with breast cancer.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze nursing research trends on the complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) for the cancer patients in Korea. Method: Thirty eight articles published in 17 nursing-related journal from 1987 to 2008 were analyzed. Results: Nursing Researches on CAT for the cancer patients have increased since 2000. Among the 38 studies, 34 studies used Quasi-experimental design and 13 studies (33%) were conducted for the breast cancer patients. Mind-body therapy (53%), manual healing therapy (42%), and pharmacologic and biological therapy (5%) were the often used CAT types. Nausea, vomiting, vital signs, immune cell, pain, and fatigue were measured as physiologic outcome variables; anxiety, depression, and hope as psychological outcome variables; and quality of life as social outcome variables. Conclusion: More CAM studies are needed targeting the patients with various cancer types and home-based cancer patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.393-401
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• 2015

Radiation therapy for lung cancer is an effective treatment during monotherapy or combination therapy. Studies have reported that the optimum utilization rate of radiation therapy is estimated at 61% to 74%. Radiation therapy in Korea has been investigated to be low; further studies are needed. This study was intended to assess the appropriateness of the use of radiation and to reveal the use of radiation therapy-related factors by examining radiation therapy in lung cancer patients of Busan and South Gyeongnam Province. This study was aimed at the population diagnosed with lung cancer in Busan and South Gyeongnam Province. To conduct the study, 1036 patients enrolled in two hospitals were collected and 897 appropriate as subjects were selected. We compared the optimum utilization rate and actual rate of radiation therapy, and revealed the adequacy and related factors for use of radiotherapy. Of 897 patients, 503 (56%) were treated with medical therapy and 394 (44%) were given radiotherapy. The radiotherapy utilization rate of all lung cancer patients was 42%. The proportion of non-small cell lung cancer by histologic type was 33% and that of small cell lung cancer was 90%. Factors related to radiation therapy used in cancer were age, histological type, clinical stage, doctor refereed to, and clinical examination. Compared to radiation utilization by region (site), curative chest therapy was 42%; palliative treatment was 26%. In the comparison of histologic types, utilization of small-cell lung cancer is lower; the lowest especially in the stage III. Utilization of radiation therapy in Busan and South Gyeongnam Province was lower than the reasonable one. Utilization difference could be explained by patient factors, tumor factors, and health service factors. To improve utilization,development ofoutreach service programs and activation of the multidisciplinary team are required.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-159
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• 2016

Although carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 is a useful tumor marker for pancreatic cancer, it can also become elevated from a variety of benign and malignant conditions. Herein we describe an unusual presentation of elevated CA 19-9 in an asymptomatic patient who had previously undergone adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy for resected early stage pancreatic cancer. The rise in CA 19-9 might be due to delayed radiation-induced inflammation related to previous intra-abdominal radiation therapy with or without radiation recall induced by gemcitabine. After treatment with corticosteroids the CA 19-9 level decreased to normal, and the patient has not developed any evidence of recurrent cancer to date.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2014

Purpose : This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise therapies for breast cancer patients through review analysis of the rehabilitation they had usually received to increase the quality of their lives. Exercise therapy for breast cancer patients has proven to be highly effective, so it is strongly recommended. Method : Focusing on breast cancer-related journal articles published since 1990, an analysis using the Spolit and Medline search engines was undertaken of breast krebs, tumors, cancer, sportaktivitaet, and exercise in patients with breast cancer. Exercise for breast cancer patients has been considered to have positive effects on fatigue, muscle weakness, and the range of motion of upper extremities, as well as on depression. Breast cancer patients have to be divided according to their identifying clinical characteristics, and then have to be prescribed a suitable exercise program. In accordance with previous articles, a varied exercise program was organized in terms of frequency, duration, and intensity. The frequency was more than three times per week. Its duration was about 30 minutes per session. Result : The intensity of exercise was moderate. The types of exercises included recommended strengthening exercises, as well as various aerobic exercises. Based on previous data, a new exercise method for breast cancer patients was introduced in this study. Conclusion : Above all, exercise programs should be planned according to the different characteristics of breast cancer patients, in order to reduce physical impairments and psychological problems.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of laughter therapy on mood, state anxiety, and serum cortisol based on a Stress-Coping Model for preoperative breast cancer patients. Methods: The study used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 40 breast cancer patients who were admitted to one general hospital for surgery in 2009 (experimental group 23, control group 17). The experimental group received one hour laughter therapy consisting of dance, lots of laughter techniques, and meditation. Results: The mean ages were 47 years (experimental group) and 49 years (control group). There were no significant differences in demographic and disease-related characteristics between the two groups. After the intervention, the scores of mood and state-anxiety of experimental group were significantly improved than those of control group. However, no difference was found in serum cortisol. Conclusion: The laughter therapy was partially effective in improving stress response in patients with breast cancer. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate the longer periods of interventions to testify the effects on serum cortisol, and other biochemical variables.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2013

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of complex theraputic exercise on visual analog scale of pain, shoulder' range of motion for middle-aged women with breast cancer related lymphedema. METHODS: The 14 middle-aged women involved voluntary in this study and then they were divided into two groups(n =7 per group). The complex exercise program was implemented over 4 weeks, 60 minutes per day, with 3 types of exercise for stimulation whereas the control group was performed a classical decongestive physiotherapy in a same day. For data analysis, the mean and standard deviation were estimated; 2 way repeated measures ANOVA was carried out. RESULTS: First, The level of VAS was significantly reduced on time, interaction effect in the group. Second, most factors of ROM were significantly increased on time, interaction effect whereas extension was not significantly increased. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, Our results showed that complex therapeutic exercise could improve or maintain VAS and ROM of shoulder joint for middle-aged women with breast cancer related lymphedema.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1463-1469
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• 2015

Background: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combined chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone in elderly patients with esophageal carcinoma to identify the best method of treatment. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixteen patients with esophageal carcinoma aged 70 and older who received definitive radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy entered the study. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and treatment-related toxicities were assessed. Results: The median OS of the overall population was 17.9 months. For patients treated with cCRT, sCRT and radiotherapy alone, the median OS was 22.3 months, 18.0 months and 12.4 months respectively(P=0.044). Median OS for patients treated with radiotherapy dose ${\geq}60Gy$ and <60Gy was 20.2 months and 10.9 months respectively (p=0.017). By univariate analysis, Chemoradiotherapy (include cCRT and sCRT) and radiotherapy dose ${\geq}60Gy$ were found to achieve higher survival rates compared with radiotherapy alone and radiotherapy dose <60Gy (P=0.015, P=0.017). By multivariate analysis, chemoradiotherapy (HR=1.645, P=0.022) and radiotherapy dose ${\geq}60Gy$ (HR=1.642, P=0.025) were identified as independent prognostic factors of OS. Conclusions: Definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy could be considered as a feasible and effective treatment in esophageal carcinoma patients aged 70 and older. Radiotherapy dose 60Gy is an effective treatment option compared with standard dose radiotherapy, while higher doses are not beneficial to improve survival.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.411-417
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• 2002

Purpose: This study was to investigate symptom occurrence related to the disease characteristics of patients with cancer. Method: A total of 301 patients with cancer participated in this study. The participants were recruited from University Hospitals located in Seoul, Wonju, Kwangju, Daegu, and Pusan. Data collection was performed by using a questionnaire on symptom occurrence. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS computer program that included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and t-test. Result: The mean score of fatigue was the highest (3.24), followed by loss of appetite, lack of concentration, change in appearance, pain, insomnia, change in bowel pattern, nausea/vomiting, coughing, and dyspnea. Most symptoms were significantly correlated with each other. The level of symptom occurrence in patients with lung cancer or cervix cancer was significantly higher than the level in patients with stomach cancer. Patients receiving radiation therapy or a combined therapy of radiation therapy and chemotherapy experienced significantly higher level of symptom occurrence than those receiving chemotherapy only. Also, female patients experienced higher level of symptom occurrence than male patients did. Conclusion: The sites of cancer, types of treatment, and gender influence the level of symptom occurrence of patients with cancer. Thus, these variables should be considered when assessing and planing for symptom occurrence of patients with cancer.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2004

Objective : This study was to review on the prostate disease-related studies with Acupuncture therapy in renowned medical internet site of PubMed, and to make master plan of the study, especially, on Bee Venom Acupuncture(BVA) of Prostate disease and then to devise the idealistic therapeutic ways of it. Method : We made the internet search with the key words of bee venom(bee venom therapy, apitoxin, apitherapy, bee sting, bee sting therapy), acupuncture, prostate, prostatitis, prostrate cancer in Pubmed, from June 1st to July 1st,2004. Results : 1.25 papers were found in 19 publised jounals. of which two named'Urology'and Prostate' had three papars, two called 'JUrology' and 'Cancer Immunol Immunother' had two papers, and the others had a paper respectively. 2. In the classification by papers' types, Review papers were 8 and Original were 17 where there were 5 clinical trials, 11 experimental studies and 1 epidemiologic paper. Of 5 clinical trials, 2 belonged to Randomized Control Study, and of 11 experimental studies, 4 belonged to in vitro and 7 belonged to in vivo with in viro studies, and 1 epidemeologic belonged to meta-analysis. 3. In the classification by prostate diseases, 4 were about prostatitis, 3 were about prostate related symptoms, 16 were about prostate cancer, and two were about the others. 4. In the classification by applied treatment methods, 5 were related with Acupuncture, 10 were related with BVA(Bee Venom, Bee), and 10 were related with the others. Of 5 related with Acupuncture, 3 used general acupuncture, 1 used electrical acupuncture, and 1 used general acupuncture and electrical acupuncture at the same time. 5. In 2 RCTs of Clinical trials, Control group was set up to the group using different compatible treatment method or using meridians not related with treating prostate disease. Single or double blind methods couldn't be found. 6. In the clinical trials, IPSS, NIH, CPSI or subjective global assessment were used as the Index of Evaluation. 7. The Leg Greater Yang Bladder Meridian(B), The Leg Lesser Um Kidney Meridian(K) and Conception Vessel Meridian(CV) were used as major meridians, and B10(Taejo, Dazhu), B23(Shinsu, Shenshu), B28(Panggwangsu, Pangguangshu), B35(Hoeyang, Huiyang), B39(Wiyang, Weiyang), B40(Wijung, Weizhong), B54(chilbyon, Zhibian), K1(Yongchon, Yongquan), K10(Umgok, Yingu), CV3(Chungguk, Zhongji), CV4(Kwanwon, Guanyuan),S6(Hyopko, Jiache) were used as acupoints. Electrical acupuncture(EA) was considered to be more important and CV3(Chungguk, Zhongji), CV4(Kwanwon, Guanyuan) were mainly selected as EA applied acupoints. 8. It is mostly said that Acupuncture appeared to be a safe, effective, and durable treatment alternative in improving symptoms of patients with prostate diseases, refractory to conventional medicine. A larger controlled study was required to confirm these encouraging initial results. Conclusion : Papers about BVA of Prostate cancer or Prostatitis were not found, and low permeability of Prostate is concerned, BVA with the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effect can be adopted as a new alternatives of Prostate disease treatment, so it is thought that Study of how to make access to prostate, animal experiment including in vivo and in vitro and more clinical trials with using acupoints on related meridian should be followed.