• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.58-73
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• 2010

Background : Cancer is a disease that not only places a significant burden on patients clinically but also requires significant expense for diagnosis and treatment. Although the cancer coverage of health insurance has recently been expended, the need for financial assistance among cancer patients and their families is still expected to be significant. In this study, cancer patients' need for financial assistance in Korea was examined and its influence factors were analyzed. Methods : Target study subjects were those who are over 18 years of age and were diagnosed with cancer more than four months prior at the National Cancer Center and 9 Regional Cancer Centers in Korea during the period from July to August of 2008. Quarter sampling was conducted according to the ratio of the type of each cancer. A face to face interview survey was conducted. A total of 2,661 cancer patients finished the survey. Medical charts were reviewed in order to obtain the cancer type and SEER stage of cancer patients. An ordered logistic regression model was used to examine the level of need for financial assistance according to the demographical, clinical, and socio-economic variables of cancer patients. Result : The percentage of cancer patients who needed financial assistance was 69.0%, and 36.9% needed significant financial assistance. The need for financial assistance was perceived to be greater in males, younger age group, low income group, low education group, medical aid recipients, those who were diagnosed recently, those with a low level of quality of life measured through EQ5D, and those with decreased income after cancer diagnosis. Conclusion : In spite of the current policy to increase health insurance coverage, the majority of cancer patients and their families in Korea still need financial assistance due to cancer. In particular, there were more vulnerable groups, such as the low income, or low education group. In the future, policies that focus on the disadvantaged, which strengthen social security, should be considered for achievement of a substantially better quality of life for cancer patients and their families.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.801-803
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• 2013

Intraduction: There is known to be a relationship between vitamin D level and more aggresive breast cancer subtypes, especially triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It was reported that sunlight exposure has an effect on the prognosis of patients with cancer, possibly related to the conversion of vitamin D to its active form with sunlight. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sunlight exposure on patients with TNBC. Materials-Methods: A total of 1,167 patients with breast cancer from two different regions of Turkey (Antalya and Kayseri, regions having different climate and sunlight exposure intensity over the year) were analysed retrospectively. The ratio of patients with TNBC was identified in those two regions. Results: The ratio of patients with TNBC was 8% and 12% for Kayseri and Antalya regions, respectively, and this difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.021). Discussion: Sunlight exposure may be associated with more prevalent TNBC. This finding should be investigated with a prospective study.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.13-19
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• 2008

Objectives To investigate the therapeutic effects of intravenous cultivated wild ginseng(Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) pharmacopuncture(CWGP) in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Design Prospective case series. Setting This study was conducted at the East-West Cancer Center of Dunsan Oriental Hospital, Daejeon University. Patients Two non-small cell lung cancer patients. Intervention Two non-small cell lung cancer patients were injected CWGP(20mL/day) mixed with 0.9% normal saline(100mL) intravenously. Each patient received a total of 16 and 9 cycles, respectively. One cycle is composed of 14 days. Outcome Measures The effect of intravenous CWGP was measured by scanning with computed tomography(CT) after every 2 cycle and Positron emission tomography- computed tomography(PET/CT) after every 6 cycles. Response and progression was evaluated using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(RECIST) Committee classification of complete response(CR), partial response(PR), progressive disease(PD) and stable disease(SD). Results They were treated with intravenous CWGP for 8 and 5 months respectively. time later, each tumor remains stable disease(SD). Conclusion These cases may give us a possibility that intravenous CWGP offers potential benefits for non-small cell lung cancer patients.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.155-165
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• 2000

This paper is based on the records of researching the patients with cancer in the Chunnam National University Hospital from January 1990 to December 1999 and referred to the Korea Cancer Center Hospital's annual report. The results are as the following : 1. Along the total O.P.D 5,680,284, the patients of therapeutic radiology are 201,367 in $3.55\%$ 2. Among the 12,404 cancer patients, stomach cancer patients are $2,048(16.51\%),\;liver\;cancer\;patients\;are\;1,490(12.01\%),\;lung\;cancer\;patients\;are\;1,418(11.43\%)\;cervix\;and\;uterus\;cancer\;patients\;are\;1,102(8.88\%)$ and sexual ratio of male to female appeared 1.38 : 1 Therefore, male cancer patients are more than female patients. 3. The age distribution of cancer was $2,791(22.50\%)\;by\;55{\sim}64\;age,\;2,582(20.82\%)\;by\;45{\sim}54\;age,\;and\;2,530(20.40\%)\;by\;65{\sim}74\;age.\;Therefore,\;the\;60\%\;of\;all\;cancer\;patients\;were\;45{\sim}75$ ages. 4. Among the 9,815 therapeutic radiology patients, $1,755(17.89\%)\;are\;in\;the\;uterus\;system,\;1,534(15.63\%)\;are\;in\;the\;head\;and\;neck,\;1,519(15.48\%)$ are in the lung. Therefore, the proportion of three kinds of therapeutic radiology patients is about $50\%$. 5. The occupational distributions of 12,404 cancer patients$(90{\sim}99\;year)\;are\;2,795(22.53\%)\;by\;orderly\;farmers,\;2,763(22.28\%)\;by\;house\;wives,\;586(4.71\%)\;by\;businessmen,\;and\;391(3.15\%)$ by public service personnel. Industrial, miners, forest men, soldiers didn't nearly appear. 6. The number of patients of cancer diagnosis was $9,431(76.03\%)\;by\;the\;biopsy\;of\;primary\;region,\;and\;2,201(17.74\%)$ by clinical examination Therefore, those two kinds of methods took a propertion of about $94\%.\;The\;number\;of\;deceases\;on\;departments\;was\;153(32.42\%)\;in\;PD,\;133(28.18\%)\;in\;GI,\;63(13.35\%)$ in GS. Therefore, those three kinds of deceases took a proportion of about $74\%$.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment result of surgical resection after preoperative chemotherapy in inoperable gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We analyzed 18 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastric resection after preoperative chemotherapy because they showed some clinical response to chemotherapy (15 with distant metastasis and 3 with locally advanced lesions). The mean postoperative follow-up period was $15.3\pm15.5$ ($1\∼56$) months. Results: In 15 patients with distant metastasis, 2 ($13.3\%$) showed complete response (CR), 10 ($66.7\%$) partial response (PR), 2 ($13.3\%$) stable disease (SD), and 1 ($6.7\%$) progressive disease (PD). The clinical response rate was $80.0\%$ Five subtotal gastrectomies, 4 total gastrectomies, and 6 extended total gastrectomies were performed. Two cases of CR were alive without recurrence for 4 and 26 months, respectively. Mean survival period in PR case was 37.7 months, but 2 cases of SD and 1 case of PD died after 11.7, 17.9, and 0.9 months, respectively. Postoperative survival was significantly associated with the response to chemotherapy (P<0.01). The mean survival period of the 10 patients with a complete resection was 44.1 months, which was significantly better than that of the 5 patients with an incomplete resection (9.8 months, P=0.03). Among 3 patients with locally advanced gastric cancer, 2 cases showed PR to chemotherapy, and complete resection was possible only by gastrectomy for those patients. Conclusion: In some selected cases, surgical resection was achievable after preoperative chemotherapy for patients with inoperable metastatic or locally advanced gastric cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1795-1802
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer types in women and is amongst the most devastating and stressful events in the life of women. The external appearance of breast cancer patients usually changes due to the surgical and/or medical therapies used. An association may be found between social support perception and social appearance anxiety in patients with breast cancer in the period after mastectomy. Therefore, this study investigated the social appearance anxiety and social support status in women with breast cancer in our country. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment or follow-up in Medical Oncology and General Surgery departments. Results: The mean age of the participants was $51.13{\pm}8.48$ years (range, 24-74 years) with nearly half of the patients (40.6%) aged 40-50 years. Of the patients, 39.1% had stage 3 breast cancer. The mean score on Cancer Patient's Social Support Scale (CPSSS) was $134.85{\pm}9.35$, and there was a significant difference in CPSSS total scores betweena the age groups, educational levels, self-reported income levels and stage of disease (p<0.05). The mean Social Image Anxiety Scale (SIAS) score was found to be $34.30{\pm}9.35$ (min:16, max:66) in women participating in this study. The CPSSS and SIAS scores of the participants were inversely correlated, and the SIAS score was found to decrease with the increasing CPSSS score but with no statistically significant difference (r=-0.110, p=0.217). Conclusions: Social appearance anxiety is higher in the patients with poor social support.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3619-3623
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• 2014

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the vaginal dose and toxicity in patients of cervical cancer treated with image guided brachytherapy at our institute. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five patients treated with image based brachytherapy for cervical cancer were included. Vaginal contouring was done on MRI at brachytherapy and with CT scans of subsequent brachytherapy fractions. Dose volume parameters (DVH) were reported in accordance with the GEC-ESTRO guidelines. These were correlated with vaginal toxicity (assessed by CTCAE version 3) and quality of sexual life assessed at one year of completion of treatment. Results: Vaginal shortness was observed in 22 out of 30 (62.8%) patients, Nine (25.7%) had vaginal dryness and in 10 (28.5%) patients, there was contact bleeding. No association could be demonstrated between the dose volume parameters and vaginal toxicity in the present study. Conclusions: The lack of association between dose volume parameters of vagina with vaginal morbidity may be due to uncertainties involved in the delineation of vaginal wall and dosimetry. Future research is required to accurately define vaginal dose distribution to study its correlation with vaginal morbidity. Vaginal morbidity needs to be documented in order to improve the sexual outcome in these patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.199-209
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• 2024

Purpose: Long-term outcomes of patients with positive lateral margins (pLMs) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). This study aimed to evaluate the remnant cancer and survival rates of patients with pLMs compared with those who underwent curative resection. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive patients with pLMs as the only non-curative factor of expanded indication who underwent ESD for EGC with a follow-up duration of 5 years or more. The rates of remnant cancer, recurrence, and survival were analyzed and compared to those of control patients who underwent curative resection by propensity score matching. Results: Among 3,515 patients treated with ESD between 2005 and 2018, 123 non-curative EGCs were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 108 patients were followed up without endoscopic or surgical resection for 8.2 years. The control group was matched in a 1:1 ratio with patients with EGC who underwent curative resection after ESD. The observation group with pLMs had a higher incidence of remnant cancer (25.9%; 28/108) compared to that in the curative resection group (0/108; P=0.000). The remaining tumors were treated with surgical or endoscopic resection, and no additional recurrences were observed. The overall survival analysis demonstrated no significant difference between the observation and curative resection groups (P=0.577). Conclusions: No difference was observed in the overall survival rate between observation and curative resection groups. Therefore, observation may be a possible option for incomplete ESD with pLMs if continuous follow-up is performed.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2002

The role of PET in the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer is discussed. The major role of F-18 FDG PET is on patients with discordant negative I-131 scan and a positive serum thyroglobulin values. F-18 FDG PET scan localized metastatic sites in I-131 scan-negative thyroid carcinoma patients with high accuracy. F-18 PET is also valuable in medullary thyroid cancer with high calcitonin level. Focal thyroid uptake in patients with non-thyroidal diseas has high likelihood of thyroid cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6705-6709
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• 2015

Background: Venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) constitute a group of diseases including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). They regarded as the second leading cause of death in cancer patients and several studies have confirmed that VTEs have a negative impact on survival and recurrent rate in both ovarian and endometrial cancer cases. The incidence of VTEs differs worldwide and depends on several risk factors including race, underlying disease, lifestyle, body weight, BMI and genetic risk factors. There is heterogeneity of DVT rates between Asian and Western countries. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the character and incidence of VTEs in gynecologic oncology patients in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital over a 10 year period. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed with VTEs defined as objective diagnosis of acute DVT or PE with typical symptoms and signs. Diagnoses were approved byan internist and/or confirmed with imaging studies. Data from both outpatient and inpatient sessions of the affected cases from January 2004 to December 2013 were extracted. General characteristics of the patients were collected with details of the diseases, types of cancer, stage, date of diagnosis of cancer, operative data, treatment outcome, progression free survival and overall survival. Results: Thirty cases of VTEs were identified in a total 2,316 gynecologic oncology cases. The incidence of symptomatic VTEs in total gynecologic oncology patients in our institution is 1.295%. The incidence of VTEs in ovarian cancer patients in our institution was 5.9%. Duration for VTE detection ranged from 13 months before diagnosis of cancer to 33 months after diagnosis of cancer. Most of the VTE cases were detected in ovarian cancer patients (60%). The most common cell type was adenocarcinoma (moderately to poorly differentiated) which accounted for 26.7% of the cases. The second most common cell type was clear cell carcinoma with 23.3% of the cases. Thirty percent of VTE cases developed before cancer was diagnosed, 20% were diagnosed at the same time as cancer detection and fifty percent developed after cancer was diagnosed. Median disease free survival of the gynecologic oncology patients with VTE was 7.5 months. Median overall survival (OS) was 12 months. Median progession free survivals of DVT and PE groups were 11.5 and 5.5 months, respectively. OS of DVT and PE was 12.0 and 11.5 months respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of VTE in Asian countries is believed to be lower than in European or Western countries. From our retrospective review, the incidence of VTEs in all types of gynecologic oncology was 1.295%, much lower than reported in the West. The reason for the lower incidence may genetic differences. Another factor is that VTE in this review was symptomatic, which is less than asymptomatic VTE. More than half of VTEs in this study developed in ovarian cancer patients. The results are compatible with earlier reports that among gynecologic malignancies, the incidence of VTE is highest in ovarian cancer.