• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.215-224
• /
• 2011

Purpose: This study was to investigate the effect of music therapy as intervention on peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety of gynecologic cancer patients who were undergoing paclitaxel chemotherapy. Methods: Hospitalized 62 patients were assigned to an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=33) in this quasi-experimental study. The experimental group participated in music therapy that includes listening, singing and song writing during 1 hour. The peripheral neuropathic pain, anxiety and depression were examined as pre-intervention evaluation by using pain scale, anxiety scale (20 questions) and depression scale (20 questions) in both groups. There were no further treatments for the control group while the experimental group involved in music therapy. The peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety were evaluated in both groups as post-intervention evaluation. Results: Outcomes were verified through hypothesis testing. The level of peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in the experimental group was decreased, compared to the control group. Conclusion: According to the study, music therapy is a beneficial intervention that reduces peripheral neuropathic pain and anxiety in gynecologic cancer patients. These findings are encouraging and suggest that music therapy can be applied as an effective intervention for minimizing chemotherapy related symptoms.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.1357-1362
• /
• 2016

Metastatic gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is an uncommon cancer. The principal treatment consists of chemotherapy with or without surgery or radiotherapy. We here retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of metastatic GTN treated at our institute between January, 1999 and December, 2013. Sixty-three patients met the criteria. The median age was 30.0 years and almost 90% were referral cases. Nearly 40% of the studied patients presented with vaginal bleeding while 22.2% were asymptomatic. The most common antecedent pregnancy was hydatidiform mole (57.1%) followed by term pregnancy (20.6%). The median interval time from antecedent pregnancy to the development of GTN was three months and the median pretreatment B-hCG was 58,274 mIU/ml. Stage III (74.6%) was the most common staging followed by stage IV (20.6%) and stage II (4.8%). The most frequent surgery was hysterectomy (31.7%). Thoracotomy and craniotomy were performed in three and two patients, respectively. The most common first line chemotherapy regimen was methotrexate and folinic acid (36.5%) followed by EMA (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D) (34.9%), EMACO (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, vincristine) (17.5%) with the remission rate of 66.7%. Nearly one-third of the patients were given a subsequent chemotherapy regimen after failure with the first line therapy and showed a final response rate of 73.0%. However, in stage IV, the response to first line treatment was only 38.5%. In conclusion, the outcomes of metastatic GTN were poor especially with the higher stages.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.2529-2532
• /
• 2013

Background: Pelvic exenteration is a procedure which includes enbloc resection of pelvic organs followed by surgical reconstruction. Aims include both cure and palliation but data for pelvic exenteration in Thailand are very limited. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate characteristics of patients, operative procedure outcomes and complications. Materials and Methods: This retrospective review covered all of the charts of exenteration patients during January 2002 to December 2011. Baseline characteristic of the patients were collected as well as details of clinical results. Results: A total of 13 cases of pelvic exenteration were included. Most underwent total pelvic exenteration (9 cases) and the remainder posterior and anterior exenteration. Their primary cancers were ovarian, cervical and vulva. Mean operative time was 532 minutes (SD 160.2, range 270-750) and estimated blood loss was 2830 ml (1850, 1000-8000). Mean tumor size was 7.33 cm (3.75, 4-15). Mean hospital stay was 35.2 days (29.8, 13-109). The most common post operative complication was urinary tract infection. Overall disease free survival with a negative surgical margin was significantly better than in positive surgical margin patients (p=0.014). Conclusions: Surgical margin was the most significant prognostic factor for disease free survival, in line with earlier studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.12
• /
• pp.6077-6081
• /
• 2012

Background: This study was performed to analyze the prognostic implications of pretreatment or preoperative thrombocytosis in women with gynecologic malignancies. Material and Methods: We surveyed 2 medical databases, PubMed and EMBASE, to identified all relevant studies. A total of 14 (n=3,490) that evaluated the link between thrombocytosis and 5-year survival were included. REVMAN version 5.1 was used for our analysis and publication bias was evaluated using the Begg's funnel plot and tested by STATA 11.0. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) generated by the random effect model were used to assess the strength of any association. Results: 709(20.3%) of the 3,490 patients exhibited thrombocytosis (platelet counts > $400{\times}10^9/L$) at primary diagnosis, and their mortality was 1.62-fold higher compared with the others (RR=1.62, 95%CI=[1.28-2.05], p<0.0001). Thrombocytosis failed to have a stronger effect on the survival of advanced patients of stages III to IV in our study (n=478, RR=1.29, 95% CI=[1.13-1.48], p=0.0003), nor in women with cervical cancer in stage IB (n=1371, RR=1.73, 95% CI=[1.71-2.58], p=0.007). In addition, when adjusted for different carcinoma, it was associated with worse prognosis for all except the ones with vulvar cancer (n=201, RR=0.43, 95% CI=[0.14-1.29], p=0.13). Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that thrombocytosis might be associated with a worse prognosis for patients with gynecologic malignancies but without specificity or sensitivity for the ones in advanced stage. When adjusted for different gynecologic malignancies, it showed a significant effect on survival of all except vulvar cancers.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.58-68
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to explore the depression, anxiety, spouse support, and the difference of these variables according to the general characteristics and disease related characteristics in married women who had received gynecologic cancer treatment. The subjects consisted of 62 patients with cervical cancer, 18 patients with ovarian cancer, and 7 patients with endometrial cancer who were admitted to the department of obstetrics and gynecology, 3 education hospital in Seoul from January, 1996 to August, 1999. The data were collected from March 25 to July 25, 2000 by using a mailed questionnaire. The results were as follows : 1. The mean score of depression was 35.1 with the range from 20 to 76. The mean score of the anxiety was 38.6 with the range from 24 to 58. The mean score of the spouse support was 33.8 with the range from 12 to 48. 2. The score of depression was significantly different by the general characteristics: woman's education level(p=.040), economic level(p=.002), and the satisfactory level on married life(p=.009). The score of spouse support was significantly different by the general characteristics: woman's education level(p=.009), spouse's education level(p=.001), spouse's religion (p=.004), economic level(p=.008), and the satisfactory level on married life(p=.000). The scores of depression, anxiety, and spouse support were not significantly different by the disease related characteristics. 3. The score of depression had a positive correlation with anxiety(r=.731), and a negative correlation with spouse support(r=-.425). 4. The main influencing factors on the depression were economic level$(13.4\%)$ and satisfactory level on married life$(4.4\%)$. The main influencing factors on the spouse support were satisfactory level on married life$(23.6\%)$ and spouse's education level$(9.2\%)$. Based upon the above findings, the depression, anxiety, and spouse support of women who had received gynecologic cancer treatment were higher than healthy married women. The score of depression and anxiety had a negative correlation with spouse support. The factors influencing spouse support were satisfactory level on married life and spouse's education level. Therefore it is recommended that nursing intervention for women who had received gynecologic cancer treatment would be focused to improve spouse support for alleviating depression and anxiety level.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• v.42 no.sup1
• /
• pp.110-112
• /
• 2008

Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and which is predominant in postmenopausal women. Clinically many patients are hospitalized in early stage due to clinical sign and symptom such as vaginal bleeding and in this case, patient's prognosis is known to be good. However, considerable number of patients with advanced and relapsed disease reveal poor prognosis. Therefore, exact staging work up is essential for proper treatment as is primary lesion detection. $^{18}F-FDG-PET$ has been widely used for the evaluation of gynecologic malignancies such as cervical carcinoma and ovarian cancer. In contrast, FDG PET application to endometrial carcinoma is limited until now and there is no sufficient data to validate the usefulness of FDG PET for this disease yet. However, several studies showed promising results that FDG PET is sensitive and specific in detection of recurrent or metastatic lesions. Therefore further active investigation in this field can facilitate the use of FDG PET for endometrial carcinoma.

• Journal of Gynecologic Oncology
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.89.1-89.8
• /
• 2018

Objective: Highly effective chemotherapy for patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) is associated with almost a 100% cure rate. However, 20%-30% of patients treated with chemotherapy need to change their regimens due to severe adverse events (SAEs) or drug resistance. We examined the treatment outcomes of second-line chemotherapy for patients with low-risk GTN. Methods: Between 1980 and 2015, 281 patients with low-risk GTN were treated. Of these 281 patients, 178 patients were primarily treated with 5-day intramuscular methotrexate (MTX; n=114) or 5-day drip infusion etoposide (ETP; n=64). We examined the remission rates, the drug change rates, and the outcomes of second-line chemotherapy. Results: The primary remission rates and drug resistant rates of 5-day ETP were significantly higher (p<0.001) and significantly lower (p=0.002) than those of 5-day MTX, respectively. Forty-seven patients (26.4%) required a change in their chemotherapy regimen due to the SAEs (n=16) and drug resistance (n=31), respectively. Of these 47 patients failed the first-line regimen, 39 patients (39/47, 82.9%) were re-treated with single-agent chemotherapy, and 35 patients (35/39, 89.7%) achieved remission. Four patients failed second-line, single-agent chemotherapy and eight patients (17.0%) who failed first-line regimens were treated with combined or multi-agent chemotherapy and achieved remission. Conclusions: Patients with low-risk GTN were usually treated with single-agent chemotherapy, while 20%-30% patients had to change their chemotherapy regimen due to SAEs or drug resistance. The second-line regimens of single-agent chemotherapy were effective; however, there were several patients who needed multiple agents and combined chemotherapy to achieve remission.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.387-390
• /
• 2012

A combination of 5-fluorouracil plus actinomycin D (5FU plus Act D) is the regimen that has been commonly administered to Chinese and Japanese gestational trophoblastic neoplasia patients as the first or second line of treatment with an excellent outcome. However, the efficacy of this regimen in a salvage setting was unclear. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 5 FU plus Act D regimen utilized in this condition, all GTN patients resistant to at least three previous chemotherapy regimens who received the 5 FU plus Act D regimen between August 2009 and January 2011 at Chiang Mai University Hospital were reviewed. There were five cases who met the criteria. Four of those patients were in FIGO stage III to IV with a WHO scoring of more than 12. The median number of cycles for each patient was two and only one case achieved remission while four of the cases were unresponsive. The toxicity was evaluated in 12 cycles. Common complications were uncomplicated myelosuppression and mucositis. In conclusion, this regimen revealed modest efficacy in a salvage setting with manageable toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.1145-1148
• /
• 2014

Background: Single pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) is commonly used as a salvage treatment in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma (PPA) with a satisfactory outcome. However, the data for second generation PLD administered in this setting are still limited. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the outcome of patients who received single-agent second generation PLD (LIPO-DOX) after the development of clinical platinum resistance. The study period was between March 2008 and March 2013. LIPO-DOX was administered intravenously 40 $mg/m^2$ every 28 days until disease progression, but for not more than six cycles. The response rate was evaluated using the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (GCIG) criteria while the toxicity was evaluated according to WHO criteria. Twenty-nine patients met the inclusion criteria in the study period with an overall response rate of 13.8%. The median progression free survival and overall survival were three and eleven months, respectively. With the total of 96 cycles of chemotherapy, the patients developed grades 3 and 4 hematologic toxicity as follows: anemia, 0%, leukopenia, 9.6%, neutropenia, 32.3% and thrombocytopenia, 0%. In conclusion, the single agent second generation PLD demonstrated modest efficacy in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and PPA without serious toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.17
• /
• pp.7321-7326
• /
• 2014

Background: Sexual health and function frequently are overlooked by healthcare professionals despite being identified as an essential aspect of patient care. Patients with cancer have identified sexuality issues as being of equal importance to other quality-of-life issues. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the views and attitudes of oncology nurses caring for cancer patients regarding sexual counseling. Participants and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on the web site of the Turkish Oncology Nurses Association. With the participation of 87 nurses from oncology departments, the study determined that most nurses do not evaluate and counsel patients regarding their sexual problems and many difficulties prevent them from focussing on sexual health. The most important reasons for ignoring sexual counseling were the absence of routine regarding sexual counseling in oncology departments, the belief that the patient may become ashamed and the nurses' self-evaluation that they have insufficient skills and education to counsel in this subject. Conclusions: The most important variables in sexual evaluation and counseling are long years of service in the profession and a postgraduate degree.