• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.138-149
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to identify the level of quality of life in patients with woman cancer across treatment phases. Methods: The research method was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data was collected by questionnaires from 226 female, who were in- and out-patients. They were diagnosed with breast and uterine cancer from three university hospitals and two general hospitals. The instruments used for this study included, "the Quality Of Life Scale(QOL)". The collected data were analyzed using Frequency, Percentage, ANOVA, Two-Way ANOVA. Results: Quality of life of women cancer patients was significantly different according to three treatment phases. Quality of life of women cancer patients was not significantly different according to areas of disease in the three treatment phases. Quality of life of women cancer patients was significantly different according to level of fatigue in the three treatment phases. Quality of life of women cancer patients was significantly different according to level of perceived health status in the three treatment phases(F=60.14, p=0.000). Quality of life of women cancer patients was significantly different according to education level(F=3.70, p=0.027) & occupation(F=5.67, p=0.018) in three treatment phases. Conclusion: Strategies for intervention are needed to improve the quality of life in women cancer patients across the treatment phases. The significant several characteristics of affecting on quality of life across treatment phases should be considered in sociopsychological nursing intervention.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.719-730
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was done to identify the influencing factors of spiritual health in patients suffering from women cancers. Methods: The subjects were 130 in woman patients who were diagnosed with women cancer(breast Ca & uterine Ca) at three university hospitals and one general hospital. Data collection was conducted by using 4 questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, stepwise multiple regression. Results: Spiritual health score was middle. There were a significant correlation between spiritual health and depression, pain, fatigue and effects of religion. There were significant differences in spiritual health according to the education level, monthly income, meaning of religion or god, Frequency of attendance at worship. The most powerful predictor of spiritual health was depression(27.2%). Altogether depression, effects of religion, pain, and education level explained 46.1% of spiritual health of women cancer patients. Conclusion: It suggested that concepts of depression, effects of religion, pain, and education level should be considered in developing spiritual health promoting program for women cancer patients.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.23-32
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the level of the cognitive function, and to identify the influencing factors on cognitive function in women cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. This study attempted to provide basic data useful to development of nursing intervention and improve the quality of life in women cancer patients. Methods : As a cross-sectional descriptive study, women with receiving chemotherapy above one cycle were recruited. One hundred and twenty-five women cancer patients who met the study criteria agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire set consisted of cognitive function, quality of life, depression, anxiety and information on demographic and clinical characteristics. Results : There was no statistically significant difference in clinical characteristics according to the cognitive function. The cognitive function was higher the more low age (F=9.937, p<.001), and the more high education level (F=12.332, p<.001). Multiple regression analysis showed the predictors were significantly related to cognitive function. age, education, and the number of chemotherapy explained 31.8% of the cognitive function. Conclusions : This result of this study provides basic information about factors influencing cognitive function, although study findings are insufficient in explaining related variables among women cancer patients. Even though women cancer patients were receiving chemotherapy, this study showed that the level of cognitive function was high. In order to receive better results and findings the period decreasing cognitive function, further studies are need to measure cognitive function according to the passage of time during or after chemotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2531-2535
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer diagnosed in young women may be more aggressive, with higher rates of local and distant recurrence compared to the disease in older women. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that Korean women have a lower incidence of breast cancer than women in the United States, but that they present at a younger age than their American counterparts. We sought to compare risk factors and management of young women with breast cancer in Boston, Massachusetts (US) with those in Seoul, South Korea (KR). Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients less than 35 years old with a diagnosis of breast cancer at academic cancer centers in the US and KR from 2000-2005. Patient data were obtained by chart review. Demographic, tumor and treatment characteristics were compared utilizing Pearson's chisquare or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests where appropriate. All differences were assessed as significant at the 0.05 level. Results: 205 patients from the US and 309 from KR were analyzed. Patients in US were more likely to have hormone receptor positive breast cancer, while patients in KR had a higher rate of triple negative lesions. Patients in US had a higher mean body mass index and more often reported use of birth control pills, while those in the KR were less likely to have a sentinel node procedure performed or to receive post mastectomy radiation. Conclusions: Patients under 35 diagnosed with breast cancer in the US and KR differ with respect to demographics, tumor characteristics and management. Although rates of breast conservation and mastectomy were similar, US patients were more likely to receive post mastectomy radiation. The lower use of sentinel node biopsy is explained by the later adoption of the technique in KR. Further evaluation is necessary to evaluate recurrence rates and survival in the setting of differing disease subtypes in these patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1953-1956
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• 2012

Objective: The purpose of this study was to correlate the histological diagnosis made during intraoperative frozen section (FS) examination of hysterectomy samples with complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia (CAEH) diagnosed with definitive paraffin block histology. Methods: FS pathology results of 125 patients with a preoperative biopsy showing CAEH were compared retrospectively with paraffin block pathology findings. Results: Paraffin block results were consistent with FS in 78 of 125 patients (62.4%). The FS sensitivity and specificity of detecting cancer were 81.1% and 97.9%, with negative and positive predictive values of 76.7%, and 98.4%, respectively. Paraffin block results were reported as endometrial cancer in 77 of 125 (61.6%) patients. Final pathology was endometrial cancer in 45.3% patients diagnosed at our center and 76.9% for patients who had their diagnosis at other clinics (p=0.018). Paraffin block results were consistent with FS in 62.4% of all cases Consistence was 98.4% in patients who had endometrial cancer in FS. Conclusion: FS does not exclude the possibility of endometrial cancer in patients with the preoperative diagnosis of CAEH. In addition, sufficient endometrial sampling is important for an accurate diagnosis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.237-242
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to compare food intakes between Korean breast cancer patients and a healthy control group. We compared the intake of nutrients of 117 food items between Korean breast cancer patients (n=97) and age matched healthy controls (n=97). Nutrient intake was estimated using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The mean caloric intake of breast cancer patients and healthy controls was not significantly different. Breast cancer patients consumed significantly less fat and antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin A, retinol, ${\beta}-carotene$, vitamin C and vitamin E when compared to the control subjects. Among the food items, the intake of eggs (p<0.01), legumes (p<0.05), vegetables (p<0.05), seasonings (p<0.001), and oils and fats (p<0.01) in breast cancer patients was significantly lower than that in the controls. These results suggest that Korean breast cancer patients consumed less amount of soy and vegetables, which are rich source of antioxidant nutrients and phytosterols. Thus, dietary guidance to increase intake of these foods may be beneficial in the prevention of breast cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5095-5099
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• 2013

Background: The overall incidence of breast cancer in South Asian countries, including Nepal, is low compared to Western countries. However, the incidence of breast cancer among young women is relatively high. Breast cancer in such cases is characterized by a relatively unfavorable prognosis and unusual pathological features. The aim of this study was to investigate clinico-pathological and biological characteristics in younger breast cancer patients (<40 years) and compare these with their older counterparts. Materials and Methods: Nine hundred and forty four consecutive female breast cancer patients, admitted to the Department of Surgery, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal between November 1997 and October 2012, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Out of the 944 female breast cancer patients, 263 (27.9%) were <40 years. The mean age was $34.6{\pm}5.0$ years among younger patients compared to $54.1{\pm}9.9$ for those ${\geq}40$ years. The mean age at menarche was also significantly lower ($13.5{\pm}1.5$ vs $14.2{\pm}1.5$ years p=0.001) while the mean duration of symptoms was significantly longer (7.6 vs 6.5 months p=0.004). Family history of breast cancer was evident in 3.0% of the young women versus 0.3% in the older one. Mammography was performed less frequently in younger patients (59.7%), compared to older (74.4%), and was of diagnostic benefit in only 20% of younger patients compared to 85% of older ones. At diagnosis, the mean tumor diameter was significantly larger in young women ($5.0{\pm}2.5$ vs $4.5{\pm}2.4cm$, p=0.005). Axillary lymph nodes were positive in 73% of younger patients and 59% of older patients. In the younger group, the proportion of stage III or IV disease was higher (55.1% vs 47.1%, $p{\leq}0.05$). The proportion of breast conserving surgery was higher in young patients (25.1% vs 8.7%) and a higher proportion of younger patients receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy (9.9% vs 2.8%). The most common histological type was ductal carcinoma (93.1% vs 86%). The proportion of histological grade II or III was higher in younger patients (55.9% vs 24.5%). Similarly, in the younger group, lymphatic and vascular invasion was more common (63.2% vs 34.3% and 39.8% vs 25.4%, respectively). Patients in the younger age group exhibited lower estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positivity (34.7% vs 49.8%). Although statistically not significant, the proportion of triple negative tumors in younger age group was higher (22.4% vs 13.6%). Conclusions: Breast cancer in young Nepalese women represents over one quarter of all female breast cancers, many being diagnosed at an advanced stage. Tumors in young women exhibit more aggressive biological features. Hence, breast cancer in young women is worth special attention for earlier detection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.15
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• pp.6411-6414
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• 2014

Background: A dense breast not only reduces the sensitivity of mammography but also is a moderate independent risk factor for breast cancer. The percentage of Western women with fat breast tissue is higher aged 40 years or older. To a certain extent, mammography as a first choice of screening imaging method for Western women of this group is reasonable. Hitherto, the frequency and age distribution of mammographic breast density patterns among Chinese women had not been characterized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and age distribution of mammographic breast density patterns among a group of Chinese screening women and breast cancer patients in order to provide useful information for age-specific guidelines for breast cancer screening in Chinese women. Methods: A retrospective review of a total of 3,394 screening women between August and December 2009 and 2,527 breast cancer patients between July 2011 and June 2012 was conducted. Descriptive analyses were used to examine the association between age and breast density. The significance of differences of breast density between the screening women and the breast cancer patients was examined using nonparametric tests. Results: There was a significant inverse relationship between age and breast density overall (r=-0.37, p< 0.01). Breast density of the breast cancer patients in the subgroups of 40-49 years old was greater compared with that of the screening women, the same in those aged 50-54 years and in those 55 years old or older, less than in the screening group. Conclusions: With regard to the Chinese women younger than 55 years old, the diagnostic efficiency of breast cancer screening imaging examinations may be potentially improved by combining screening mammography with ultrasound.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.204-211
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• 2017

Objectives In this study, we identified the symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and depressed mood in newly diagnosed women breast and thyroid cancer patients. Methods The subjects of this study were 1794 women patients who visited the Ewha Womans University Cancer Center for Women. They included 1119 newly diagnosed primary breast cancer patients and 675 newly diagnosed primary thyroid cancer patients. The patients completed the National Cancer Center Psychological Symptom Inventory (NCC-PSI) during their first follow-up visit after surgery, before starting chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The NCC-PSI is composed of the modified distress thermometer (MDT) and the modified impact thermometer (MIT) for insomnia, anxiety, and depressed mood. Results Anxiety severity was found to be greater in breast cancer patients than in thyroid cancer patients. Significant levels of anxiety, depressed mood and insomnia were present in 28, 24.5, and 20.7% in all the subjects, respectively. Moreover, anxiety symptoms, depressed mood and insomnia interfered with the daily lives of 20, 18.4, and 14.2% of all the subjects, respectively. Dealing with anxiety (18.8%) was found to need the most help, followed by dealing with insomnia (8.9%) and depressed mood (8.7%). Conclusions A significant level of distress was found in about 40% of the total subjects. Nearly 30% of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients reported significant anxiety symptoms and interferences with daily living caused by anxiety, which most commonly needed special care. Early assessment and management of psychological distress, especially anxiety, in breast and thyroid cancer treatment are very important to establish integrated cancer care.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.186-189
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• 2010

Purpose: As many patients often showed the value of menopause although they were women of childbearing age, this study looked into their previous history. According to the findings, they were patients with a mastectomy due to breast cancer and were taking breast cancer treatment Tamoxifen (the women hormone inhibitor) after chemotherapy. This study is conducted to examine changes in FSH and E2 concentration of patients breast cancer patients of childbearing age according to Tamoxifen used to prevent recurrence of breast cancer and proliferation of mammary parenchyma. Materials and Methods: This study aims to investigate similarity in patients treated with surgery who were in their childbearing age and in values of FSH and E2 by dividing test results of FSH and E2 requested at the department of nuclear medicine among patients who visited this hospital from Jan. 2009 to Mar. 2010 into women of childbearing age (n=50), menopausal women (n=50), and patients with breast cancer surgery who take Tamoxifen (n=50) and then comparing the test results. Results: The FSH and E2 test results of 50 patients were compared and analyzed as average${\pm}$standard deviation, and the results showed that the figure of women of childbearingage (n=50) was FSH : $7.14{\pm}6.19$, E2 : $138.76{\pm}85.40$, that of menopausal women (n=50) was FSH : $52.12{\pm}24.43$, E2 : $15.06{\pm}4.43$, and that of patients with breast cancer surgery who were in their childbearing age (n=50) was FSH : $44.21{\pm}21.07$, E2 : $13.53{\pm}4.26$. When these different results of FSH and E2 were compared, the value of patients with breast cancer surgery who were in their childbearing age with Tamoxifen was somewhat similar to that of menopausal women. Conclusion: The test results of FSH and E2 have reportedly found the test values of patients with breast cancer surgery could be similar to that of menopausal women eventhough they were in their childbearing age due to the women hormone inhibitor Tamoxifen. Therefore, if a tester conducts this experiment after understanding the clinical meaning, the reliability of the tester reporting test results would be increased.