• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2012

Fertility preservation (FP) is an effort to retain the fertility of cancer patients, and as an emerging discipline, it plays a central role in cancer care. Because of improvement in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, an increasingly large number of patients are surviving with cancer. FP specialists should make an effort to spread the significance of FP among reproductive women with cancer and provide appropriate education both for associated physicians and for cancer patients who wish to preserve their fertility. Physicians who take part in the initial diagnosis and management of cancer should consider the importance of early referral of young cancer patients to FP specialists and take care of those patients by providing timely information and appropriate counseling. Individualized treatment strategies should be delivered depending on the patient's situation with appropriate team approach.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.8-20
• /
• 2017

Objectives: Traditional oriental herbal medicine is used in cancer care to alleviate symptoms. Anorexia is a symptom which is frequently observed in patients with cancer and impairs their quality of life. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize current available evidence to evaluate the effect of traditional oriental herbal medicine on anorexia in cancer patients. Methods: The review evaluated randomized controlled trials (RCTs) measuring the effect of any types of herbal medicine on anorexia in cancer patients within 4 electronic databases and manual search up to December 2015. The Cochrane risk of bias tool (ROB) was used to assess the quality of RCTs. Results: In total, 11 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies reported the rate or severity of anorexia improved after treatment in herbal-conventional medicine combined group compared to conventional medicine group. 7 of 11 studies showed between-group statistical differences. The methodological quality of RCTs was insufficient with unclear and high ROB. Conclusions: Traditional oriental herbal medicine may have a potential to improve anorexia in patients with cancer. To confirm the clinical recommendation, further researches with rigorous study design are required to support the effects of herbal medicine.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.153-158
• /
• 2013

This paper reports on part of a large study to identify competencies of oncology nurses in Malaysia. It focuses on oncology nurses' communications-related competency. As an important cancer care team member, oncology nurses need to communicate effectively with cancer patients. Literature shows that poor communication can make patients feel anxious, uncertain and generally not satisfied with their nurses' care. This paper deliberates on the importance of effective communication by oncology nurses in the context of a public hospital. Four focus group discussions were used in this study with 17 oncology/cancer care nurses from Malaysian public hospitals. The main inclusion criterion was that the nurses had to have undergone a post-basic course in oncology, or have work experience as a cancer care nurse. The findings indicated that nurses do communicate with their patients, patients' families and doctors to provide information about the disease, cancer treatment, disease recurrence and side effects. Nurses should have good communication skills in order to build relationships as well as to provide quality services to their patients. The paper concludes by recommending how oncology nursing competencies can be improved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.9
• /
• pp.4089-4094
• /
• 2015

The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of home care service on the quality of life in patients with gynecological cancer. This randomized case control study was carried out in a womans hospital between September 2011 and February 2012. Women undergoing gynecological cancer treatment were separated into intervention and control groups, of 35 patients each. The intervention group was provided with nursing care service through hospital and home visits ($1^{st}$, $12^{th}$ weeks) within the framework of a specifically developed nursing care plan. The control group was monitored without any intervention through the hospital routine protocols ($1^{st}$, $12^{th}$ weeks). Data were collected using An Interview Form, Home Visit Monitoring Form and Quality of Life Scale/Cancer Survivors. Effects of home care service on the quality of life in gynecological cancer patients were investigated using chi-square tests, McNemar's test, independent t-test and ANOVA. This study found that the intervention group receiving home care service had a moderately high quality of life (average mean: $6.01{\pm}0.64$), while the control group had comparatively lower quality (average mean: $4.35{\pm}0.79$) within the 12 week post-discharge period (p<0.05). This study found home care services to be efficient in improving the quality of life in patients with gynecological cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.3425-3428
• /
• 2015

Objective: To explore the association of serum tumor abnormal protein (TAP) with other serological biomarkers e.g. carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and its clinical application in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods: Patients (N=98) were enrolled into this study with histologically or cytologically confirmed CRC. Using a test kit, the level of TAP was determined, while chemiluminescence was used to measure the levels of some other common serological biomarkers e.g. CEA, CA125 and CA19-9. Results: The area of TAP condensed particulate matter decreased after chemotherapy compared with before chemotherapy when CT or MRI scans showed disease control. In contrast, it increased with disease progression (P<0.05). Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was confirmed in monitoring of TAP and common serological biomarkers e.g. CEA and CA19-9 (p<0.05). Conclusions: Detecting TAP in CRC patients has high sensitivity and specificity and can be used as a new independent indicator for clinically monitoring CRC patients in the course of chemotherapy.

• Journal of Breast Disease
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Endocrine therapy is the preferred treatment for hormone receptor (HR)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We investigated the efficacy of combined aromatase inhibitor (AI) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist in premenopausal patients with HR-positive MBC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 21 HR-positive premenopausal MBC patients treated with combined AI and LHRH agonist therapy. Results: The median follow-up period was 32.9 months. The overall response rate was 47.6%, with three complete responses (14.3%) and seven partial responses (33.3%). Nine patients (42.9%) achieved stable disease lasting more than 6 months; thus, the clinical benefit rate was 90.4%. The median time to progression was 45.4 months. No patients experienced grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Conclusion: Combined AI and LHRH agonist treatment safely and effectively induced remission or prolonged disease stabilization, suggesting that this could be a promising treatment option for HR-positive premenopausal patients with MBC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.10
• /
• pp.4219-4222
• /
• 2015

Background: Hydronephrosis is frequently encountered in advanced stage cervical cancers, and may be associated with mortality. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate the effect of hydronephrosis on survival in patients with inoperable advanced stage cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: The study data were acquired by retrospective analysis of the patient records belonging to 165 women with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage-IIIB or more advanced cervical cancer, which were not surgical candidates. Parameters including patient age, pathological diagnosis, disease stage, pelvic sidewall extension, presence of hydronephrosis and administration of chemoradiation were analyzed. Further, the effects of these variables on survival were assessed. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The distribution of the study patients according to disease stage was as follows: 131 (79.4%) had stage-IIIB, 18 (10.9%) had stage-IVB and 16 (% 9.7) patients had stage-IVA disease. Hydronephrosis was not evident in 91 (55.2%) of these patients, whereas 41 (24.8%) had unilateral and 33 (20%) patients had bilateral hydronephrosis. When compared to mean survival in patients who did not have hydronephrosis, survival was significantly shortened in patients who had bilateral and unilateral hydronephrosis (p<0.05). There was no significant survival difference between patients with unilateral and bilateral hydronephrosis (p>0.05). Although patient age, pathological type, pelvic involvement, and chemotherapy treatment rates were similar (p>0.05), radiotherapy requirement rate and disease stage were significantly different among the study groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: Hydronephrosis was found to be a significant predictor of poor survival in patients with advanced stage cervical cancer, irrespective of unilateral or bilateral involvement.While waiting for future studies with larger sample sizes, we believe that the FIGO stages in advanced cervical cancer could further be stratified into subgroups according to presence or absence of hydronephrosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.11
• /
• pp.4567-4570
• /
• 2014

Background: This systemic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based chemotherapy in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer as first or second line chemotherapy. Methods: Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based regimens on response and safety for patients with breast cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rate (RR) of treatment were calculated. Results: In first line pemetrexed based regimens, 10 clinical studies which including 513 patients with advanced breast cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. For second line pemetrexed based chemotherapy, 5 clinical studies which including 281 patients with advanced breast cancer were considered eligible. Systemic analysis suggested that, in all patients, pooled RR was 32.6% (167/513) in pemetrexed based first line regimens, and 13.9 % (39/281) in pemetrexed based second line regimens. Major adverse effects were neutropenia, leukopenia, fatigue, and anemia in pemetrexed based first line treatment; and lymphopenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, as well as anemia in second line chemotherapy. One treatment related death occurred with pemetrexed based second line treatment. Conclusion: This systemic analysis suggests that pemetrexed based first line regimens are associated with a reasonable response rate and acceptable toxicity, however with low response rate for treating patients with metastatic breast cancer when is used in the second line.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.667-674
• /
• 2010

Objective : To investigate the therapeutic effects of Hang-Am-Dan(HAD) on gallbladder cancer patients. Method : We prescribed HAD three times a day(3,000-6,000 mg/day) during a treatment period of 8 and 34 months respectively. Computed tomography(CT) was taken to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy. Results : Two patients diagnosed with gallbladder cancer were recommended to go through chemotherapy. However, they refused the standard regimen due to their old age and the fear of side effects, and chose to go with Oriental medicine treatments instead. The patients were treated for 8 and 34 months respectively. Each patient showed stable disease(SD) state during the treatment period. Conclusion : According to these cases, it could be concluded that HAD may offer potential benefits in treating gallbladder cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.17
• /
• pp.7847-7852
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Research carried out with gynecologic cancer patients using CAM was reviewed to provide a source for discussing which CAM method is used for which purpose, patients' perceptions on the effects/side effects occurred during/after using CAM and their sources of information regarding CAM. Materials and Methods: This literature review was carried out for the period between January 2000 and March 2015 using Scopus, Dynamed, Med-Line, Science Dırect, Ulakbim, Research Starters, Ebscohost, Cinahl Complete, Academic Onefile, Directory of Open Access Journals, BMJ Online Journals (2007-2009), Ovid, Oxford Journal, Proquest Hospital Collection, Springer-Kluwer Link, Taylor & Francis, Up To Date, Web Of Science (Citation Index), Wiley Cochrane-Evidence Base, Wiley Online Library, and Pub-Med search databases with "complementary and alternative medicine, gynecologic cancer" as keywords. After searching through these results, a total of 12 full length papers in English were included. Results: CAM use in gynecologic cancer patients was discussed in 8 studies and CAM use in breast and gynecologic cancer patients in 4. It was determined that the frequency of CAM use varies between 40.3% and 94.7%. As the CAM method, herbal medicines, vitamins/minerals were used most frequently in 8 of the studies. When the reasons why gynecologic cancer patients use CAM are examined, it is determined that they generally use to strengthen the immune system, reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and for physical and psychological relaxation. In this review, most of the gynecologic cancer patients perceived use of CAM as beneficial. Conclusions: In order that the patients obtain adequate reliable information about CAM and avoid practices which may harm the efficiency of medical treatment, it is recommended that "Healthcare Professionals" develop a common language.