• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제39권4호
• /
• pp.814-821
• /
• 2018

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers in Korea, and thyroidectomy is the first-line treatment. Hypoparathyroidism is a common complication of thyroidectomy and can cause symptoms such as numbness, spasm, and anxiety, but these issues have seldom been reported in the Korean medical literature. The present case was a 53-year-old thyroid cancer patient who complained of numbness caused by hypoparathyroidism, general weakness, fatigue, and postoperative pain after total thyroidectomy. The patient was treated with Korean medicine treatment, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, cupping, and moxibustion, and her changes in clinical symptoms were measured with a numeric rating scale (NRS), the Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). After treatment, her clinical symptoms were improved, leading to an improvement in her quality of life. Therefore, Korean medicine may be effective in the treatment of thyroid cancer patients who experience numbness caused by hypoparathyroidism, general weakness and fatigue after total thyroidectomy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권18호
• /
• pp.8265-8270
• /
• 2016

Purpose: A cost-utility analysis was performed to assess the cost-utility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens containing doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) versus paclitaxel and gemcitabine (PG) for locally advanced breast cancer patients in Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study in Namazi hospital in Shiraz, in the south of Iran covered 64 breast cancer patients. According to the random numbers, the patients were divided into two groups, 32 receiving AC and 32 PG. Costs were identified and measured from a community perspective. These items included medical and non-medical direct and indirect costs. In this study, a data collection form was used. To assess the utility of the two regimens, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was applied. Using a decision tree, we calculated the expected costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) for both methods; also, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was assessed. Results: The results of the decision tree showed that in the AC arm, the expected cost was 39,170 US$ and the expected QALY was 3.39 and in the PG arm, the expected cost was 43,336 dollars and the expected QALY was 2.64. Sensitivity analysis showed the cost effectiveness of the AC and ICER=-5535 US$. Conclusions: Overall, the results showed that AC to be superior to PG in treatment of patients with breast cancer, being less costly and more effective.

• 종양간호연구
• /
• 제11권3호
• /
• pp.237-246
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between stigma, distress, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with lung cancer. Methods: The subjects of the study were 123 lung cancer patients who visited the outpatient department of S hospital in Seoul from July 21st to August 29th, 2011. To measure stigma, distress, and QOL, Cataldo Lung Cancer Stigma Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and EORTC QLQ-C30 (Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30) were used in this study. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, average, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation with SPSS WIN 19.0. Results: Stigma showed positive correlations with anxiety, depression, and symptom (r=.37, p<.001; r=.44, p<.001; r=.23 p=.012), while it showed negative correlations with global QOL and function (r=-.26, p=.003; r=-.40, p<.001). Anxiety and depression also positively correlated with symptoms (r=.43, p<.001; r=.58, p<.001) while anxiety and depression negatively correlated with global QOL (r=-.40, p<.001; r=-.56, p<.001) and function (r=-.64, p<.001; r=-.66, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated that lung cancer patients experienced stigma and distress that had a negative influence on the subjects' QOL. Thus the study's findings can be useful in developing psychosocial nursing strategies to improve QOL of lung cancer patients in the future.

• 종양간호연구
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.84-91
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between quality of sleep, symptom cluster, depression, environmental disorder, and quality of life among hospitalized cancer patients. Methods: The subjects were 114 patients who underwent chemotherapy for colon cancer, gastric cancer, gynecologic cancer and breast cancer. They were recruited from the cancer center of a university hospital. Data were collected from August 4th to 30th, 2011. The questionnaires included the Korean sleep scale A (quality of sleep), MDASI-K (symptom cluster), the environmental sleep disturbing scale, Zung's depression scale, and the Korean version of EORTC QLQ-C30. The collected data was analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis using the SPSS 19.0 program. Results: Functional QOL was negatively associated with symptom QOL (r=-.798, p<.001). Symptom cluster, depression, & spouse (46.3%) were the most powerful predictors for functional QOL (46.3%) and symptom QOL (53.4%). Conclusion: It is evident that oncology nurses need to evaluate two dimensions of quality of life for cancer patients, for example, functional and symptom QOL. We recommend nurses develop specific protocols for relieving physical symptoms and alleviating depression, and furthermore test the effectiveness of them.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권11호
• /
• pp.5741-5746
• /
• 2012

Aim: Although preoperative chemoradiatherapy (CRT) has proven its benefits in terms of decreased toxicity, there is still a considerable amount of cases that do not receive postoperative CRT. Oncologists at different geographic locations still need to know the long-term effects of this treatment in order to manage patients successfully. The current paper reports on long-term quality of life (QOL) and late side effects after adjuvant CRT in rectal cancer patients from 5 centers in Anatolia. Methods: Rectal cancer patients treated with postoperative CRT with minimum 1-year follow-up and were in complete remission, were evaluated according to RTOG and LENT-SOMA scales. They were also asked to complete Turkish version of EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire and the CR-38 module. Each center participated with the required clinical data. Results: Two hundred and thirty patients with median age of 55 years participated and completed the study. Median follow-up time was 5 years. All patients received RT concomitant with chemotherapy. Common parameters that both increased functional health scales and yielded better symptom scores were long term interval after treatment and sphincter-saving surgery. In addition, surgery type and follow-up time were determined to be predictors of QOL scores and late toxicity grade. Conclusion: Postoperative CRT was found to have a great impact on the long term QOL and side effects in rectal cancer survivors. The factors that adversely affect these are abdominoperineal resection and shorter interval. The findings may encourage life-long follow-up and cooperation with patients, which should be mentioned during the initial counseling.

• 대한간호학회지
• /
• 제42권3호
• /
• pp.385-395
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Self-Efficacy Scale for Self-Management of Breast Cancer (SESSM-B). Methods: The SESSM-B was developed and validated as follows: Item generation, pilot study, and tests of validity and reliability. Twenty-one items were developed through evaluation by 10 experts and 13 items were finally confirmed through item analysis and factor analysis. Psychometric testing was performed with a convenience sample of 303 women with breast cancer. Data were analyzed using factor analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha. Results: Five factors evolved from the factor analysis, which explained 69.8% of the total variance. The first factor 'coping with psycho-informational demand' explained 17.2%, 2nd factor 'maintenance of healthy lifestyle' 14.5%. 3rd factor 'management of side-effects' 13.3%, 4th factor 'therapeutic compliance' 12.8%, and 5th factor 'sexual life' 11.9%. SESSM-B also demonstrated a concurrent validity with health-related quality of life scale, EORTC QLQ-C30 & BR23. The internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha, was .78, and reliability of the subscales ranged from .61 to .79. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the SESSM-B is an easy, reliable, and valid instrument to measure self-efficacy for self-management of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권12호
• /
• pp.7749-7755
• /
• 2013

Nutritional status and dietary intake play a significant role in the prognosis of breast cancer and may modify the progression of disease. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of nutritional status on the quality of life of Iranian breast cancer survivors. Cross-sectional data were collected for 100 Iranian breast cancer survivors, aged 32 to 61 years, attending the oncology outpatient clinic at Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran. Nutritional status of subjects was assessed by anthropometric measurements, Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) and three non-consecutive 24-hour diet recalls. The European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life form (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to assess quality of life. Ninety-four percent of the survivors were well-nourished, 6% were moderately malnourished or suspected of being malnourished while none were severely malnourished. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 86%. Overall, participants had an inadequate intake of vitamin D, E, iron and magnesium according to dietary reference intake (DRI) recommendations. Survivors with better nutritional status had better functioning scales and experienced fewer clinical symptoms. It appears important to provide educational and nutritional screening programs to improve cancer survivor quality of life.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권3호
• /
• pp.941-944
• /
• 2012

Objective: The aim of current study was to evaluate the changes of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its clinical, demographic and socioeconomic determinants during chemotherapy and 4 months follow-up in women with breast cancer using a repeated measures framework. Methods and Materials: A double blind cohort study was performed in 100 breast cancer patients given fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (FAC) or docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide (TAC) in south of Iran. HRQoL was assessed at baseline, end of chemotherapy and four months thereafter using the QLQ-C30 questionnaire from European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Generalized estimating equations (GEE) was applied for statistical analysis. Results: The mean of age at baseline was $48.5{\pm}10.6$. 70% and 14% of patients were married and smokers, respectively, and 20% suffered from another disease besides breast cancer. The results of GEE showed that after control for baseline scores, the HRQoL significantly improved over time. Although, the patients in FAC group had higher scores than the TAC group, the differences also diminished over time. Smoking, marital status and having child affected some scales of HRQoL. None of other variables were significantly related to HRQoL. Conclusion: Although patients in TAC groups had lower level of HRQoL over 8 months follow up, they experienced faster improvement than the FAC group. This implies that in long-term, improvements in TAC group are higher than FAC. Having children was positively correlated with HRQoL. Generally, there were no demographic and socio-economic differences in HRQoL in these patients between the chemotherapeutic regimens.

• 임상간호연구
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.76-87
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychological distress related to quality of life (QoL) of patients with colorectal cancer receiving 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy at home with disposable Elastomeric infusion pumps. Methods: In this study, 179 colorectal outpatients were recruited between September 2019 and January 2021. National Cancer Center Psychological Symptom Inventory scores, general self-efficacy, and the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores were measured. Data were analyzed using Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis, and hierarchical multiple linear regression with the SPSS/WIN 26.0 programs. Results: The overall prevalence of psychological distress was 52.0% in colorectal patients. In multiple regression, psychological distress (β=-.20, p=.005), appetite loss (β=-.20, p=.001), chemotherapy cycles (β= .19, p=.002), fatigue (β=-.16, p=.035), physical functioning (β=-.16, p=.024), and emotional functioning (β=-.15, p=.025) were significant factors of QoL, and the final model explained 45.0% of the total variance of QoL. Conclusion: Supporting patients toward decreased psychological distress and increased physical and emotional functioning, especially in the first or second cycle of chemotherapy, could be used to improve their QoL. To consider the thresholds for clinical importance, it is necessary to increase the interpretation of psychological distress in clinical practice and further research.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.118-133
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Exercise intervention after surgery has been found to improve physical fitness and quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effects of a postoperative recovery exercise program developed specifically for gastric cancer patients (PREP-GC) undergoing minimally invasive gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients treated surgically for early gastric cancer were enrolled in the PREP-GC. The exercise program comprised sessions of In-hospital Exercise (1 week), Home Exercise (1 week), and Fitness Improvement Exercise (8 weeks). Adherence and compliance to PREP-GC were evaluated. In addition, body composition, physical fitness, and QOL were assessed during the preoperative period, after the postoperative recovery (2 weeks after surgery), and upon completing the PREP-GC (10 weeks after surgery). Results: Of the 24 enrolled patients, 20 completed the study without any adverse events related to the PREP-GC. Adherence and compliance rates to the Fitness Improvement Exercise were 79.4% and 99.4%, respectively. Upon completing the PREP-GC, patients also exhibited restored cardiopulmonary function and muscular strength, with improved muscular endurance and flexibility (P<0.05). Compared to those in the preoperative period, no differences were found in symptom scale scores measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Stomach Cancer-Specific Module (QLQ-STO22); however, higher scores for global health status and emotional functioning were observed after completing the PREP-GC (P<0.05). Conclusions: In gastric cancer patients undergoing minimally invasive gastrectomy, PREP-GC was found to be feasible and safe, with high adherence and compliance. Although randomized studies evaluating the benefits of exercise intervention during postoperative recovery are needed, surgeons should encourage patients to participate in systematic exercise intervention programs in the early postoperative period (Registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01751880).