• 한국자연치유학회지
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.62-67
• /
• 2022

개요: 21세기 '지금 여기' 우리는 covid-19처럼 감염병이 삶 속 깊숙이 침투하고 있는 이 상황에서 무엇을 고민해야 하는가? 바로 이 지점에서 필자는 '치유인문학'을 힐데가르트의 보석치료를 통해 소개하고자 한다. 목적: 그동안 인문학이 교양교육으로서 '소통과 융합'을 슬로건으로 내세우며 그 가치를 강조했다면, 이제 인문학은 잠재적 능력을 발현시킬 수 있는 실천적 방안을 모색해야 할 것이다. 다시 말해서 인문학적 가치의 실천적 발현이라는 쟁점을 우리는 '치유 인문학으로 드러내고자 한다. 방법: 연구방법은 문헌 중심으로 논의되었다. 이 논의는 중세시대 빙엔의 힐데가르트가 강조했던 자연치료 중 한 유형인, 보석치료를 중심으로 진행된다. 결과: 힐데가르트는 인간의 질병과 건강을 잘못된 생활습관과 생활방식 그리고 자연과 소통되지 않는 상황에서 발생한다고 강조한다. 결론: 오늘날 의학기술에 치중되어 있는 인간의 건강과 질병 개념에 대한 새로운 접근의 필요성이 요구되며, 그 과정에서 힐데가르트의 보석치료가 인문학적 치유의 한 가능성으로 제시되었다.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
• /
• 제10권2호
• /
• pp.65-73
• /
• 2022

A breakthrough in immunotherapy has changed the outlook for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment as the immune surveillance evasion mechanism of tumor cells has been continuously elucidated. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), such as pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and ipilimumab, which block immune checkpoint receptors or ligands have been approved for the treatment of mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) mCRC based on numerous clinical studies. However, 50% of dMMR/MSI-H mCRC and most mismatch repair proficient/microsatellite stable mCRC remained unresponsive to current immunotherapy. Clinical trials on combination therapy that adds various treatments, such as target agents, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy to ICI, have been actively conducted to overcome this immunotherapy limitation. Further studies on safety and efficacy are needed although several trials presented promising data. Additionally, dMMR/MSI-H, tumor mutation burden, and programmed cell death ligand-1 expression have been studied as biomarkers for predicting the treatment response to immunotherapy, but the discovery and validation of more sensitively predictable biomarkers remained necessary. Thus, this study aimed to review recent studies on immunotherapy in mCRC, summarize the efficacy and limitation of immunotherapy, and describe the biomarkers that predict treatment response.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 2012

Development of antiviral resistance to lamivudine is the most important factor for the treatment failure. It is necessary to establish proper guidelines to overcome drug resistance for children with chronic hepatitis B. Primary treatment with lamivudine should be considered if patients are in immune-clearance phase and have persistently elevated ALT levels more than twice the upper limit of normal value. Before initiating the therapy, careful consideration of the patient's status is required to exclude abnormal liver function tests due to other causes. The treatment option should be carefully decided to suppress the viral replication effectively. To obtain good compliance, clinicians should educate patients and their parents. Appropriate monitoring for virologic breakthrough and genotypic resistance is important in deciding to change the treatment plan. Sequential monotherapy should be avoided and a combination of drugs in other categories is recommended. New antiviral agents, such as entecavir and tenofovir, which have high potency and high genetic barrier, are soon expected to be available for use with children.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제13권6호
• /
• pp.2445-2452
• /
• 2012

RNA interference has created a breakthrough in gene silencing technology and there is now much debate on the successful usage of RNAi based methods in treating a number of debilitating diseases. Cancer is often regarded as a result of mutations in genomic DNA resulting in faulty gene expression. The occurrence of cancer can also be influenced by epigenetic irregularities in the chromatin structure which leads to alterations and mutations in DNA resulting in cancer cell formation. A number of therapeutic approaches have been put forth to treat cancer. Anti cancer therapy often involves chemotherapy targeting all the cells in common, whereby both cancer cells as well as normal cells get affected. Hence RNAi technology has potential to be a better therapeutic agent as it is possible to deactivate molecular targets like specific mutant genes. This review highlights the successful use of RNAi inducers against different types of cancer, thereby paving the way for specific therapeutic medicines.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제42권6호
• /
• pp.427-435
• /
• 2007

Recently, intracranial atherosclerosis has become a major cause of ischemic stroke, appearing more frequently in Koreans than Caucasians. Symptomatic or asymptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis is a disease that could recur readily even during the treatment with anti-platelet agents. When the symptoms develop, ischemic stroke can not be recovered readily. Therefore, aggressive treatments such as endovascular therapy and bypass surgery are required in addition to medical treatment for the intracranial artery stenosis. Recent intracranial stenting and drug eluting stenting have shown as very advanced effective therapeutic modalities. Nevertheless, until now, a randomized controlled study has not been conducted. Regarding bypass surgery, since the failed EC-IC bypass surgery study performed 20 years ago, extensive studies on its efficacy has not been conducted yet, and thus it has to be performed strictly only in hemodynamically compromised patients. Unless breakthrough drugs that suppress the progression of intracranial atherosclerosis and the formation of thrombi, and facilitate the regression of the arterial stenosis, the treatment concept of the recovery of the blood flow of stenotic arterial territory by mechanical recanalization or bypass surgery would be remained for the prevention as well as treatment of ischemic stroke caused by intracranial atherosclerosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권22호
• /
• pp.9587-9592
• /
• 2014

Nausea and vomiting are common adverse events in chemotherapy. In spite of the serious effects on the quality of life and further treatment, they remain overlooked by physicians, and no standard treatment has been developed. Neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonists and palonosetron are the major agents in the standard regimen for treating moderately and highly emetogenic chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). However, NK-1 receptor antagonists first became commercially available at the end of 2013 and palonosetron has not been extensively applied in China. Olanzapine was recommended as a therapy for moderate and severe CINV in antiemesis-clinical practice guidelines in oncology in 2014 for the first time. It is an atypical antipsychotic agent, which can block multiple receptors on neurotransmitters. During more than 10 years, olanzapine has demonstrated significant effects in preventing CINV and treating breakthrough and refractor CINV, which was observed in case reports, precise retrospective studies, and phase I, II and III clinical trials, with no grade 3 to 4 adverse events. In particular, it is superior to aprepitant and dexamethasone in delayed nausea and vomiting. Therefore, this compound is worthy of further investigation.

• 대한한의학회지
• /
• 제24권3호
• /
• pp.138-144
• /
• 2003

Objective : Though modern medicine has made various studies in cancer treatment, the results of the treatments are not satisfactory. Considering this, Oriental medicine can be a breakthrough in treatment of cancer, and therefore, its constant research eagerly needed. According to preceding studies, Hangamjedoktang (Kangaizhidu-tang) with Hagocho appeared to be statistically significant against cancer, and therefore to seek a better medication for cancer, Holotrichia which seemed to be effective against cancer was added to the formula, and herbs which showed an anti-tumor effect in preceding studies composed Hangamyagjaebang. The efficacy of both Hangamjedoktang with Holotrichia (HJJ) and Hangamyagjaebang (Kangaiyaocaijang) (HM) was compared. Methods : To examine the anti-cancer effect of HJJ and HM, inhibitory effect on solid tumor growth in mice induced by Sarcoma-180 (s-180), change of body and organ weight in tumor bearing mice and the activity of machrophages and lymphocytes in the spleen were examined. Results : 1. In the HJJ and HM treated groups, tumor growth was markedly decreased. 2. HJJ and HM increased the activity of ALP which is produced from the splenocytes transplanted with S-180. 3. HJJ and HM increased the ACP activity of the macrophages of the mice transplanted with S-180. Conclusion : These results suggest that HJJ and HM are good candidates for new drugs for cancer therapy.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
• /
• 제50권12호
• /
• pp.10.1-10.11
• /
• 2018

Cancer growth and progression are associated with immune suppression. Cancer cells have the ability to activate different immune checkpoint pathways that harbor immunosuppressive functions. Monoclonal antibodies that target immune checkpoints provided an immense breakthrough in cancer therapeutics. Among the immune checkpoint inhibitors, PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors showed promising therapeutic outcomes, and some have been approved for certain cancer treatments, while others are under clinical trials. Recent reports have shown that patients with various malignancies benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. However, mainstream initiation of immune checkpoint therapy to treat cancers is obstructed by the low response rate and immune-related adverse events in some cancer patients. This has given rise to the need for developing sets of biomarkers that predict the response to immune checkpoint blockade and immune-related adverse events. In this review, we discuss different predictive biomarkers for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 inhibitors, including immune cells, PD-L1 overexpression, neoantigens, and genetic and epigenetic signatures. Potential approaches for further developing highly reliable predictive biomarkers should facilitate patient selection for and decision-making related to immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapies.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제25권1호
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 2015

골다공증은 골밀도(bone mineral density, BMD)가 평균 성인 정점에서 2.5 이상의 표준편차가 감소되는 뼈의 질환으로서 나이가 들어가면서 점차 증가하고 있다. 골다공증은 뼈를 흡수하는 파골세포와 뼈를 형성하는 조골세포로 이루어진 bone remodeling system의 불균형 때문에 발생한다. 이 불균형의 가장 큰 원인은 여성 폐경기 후에 따르는 에스트로겐 결핍 때문이다. 현재 골다공증의 치료에 사용되는 약들로는 호르몬 대체요법(hormone replacement therapy, HRT), biphosphonate, teriparatide 등이 있지만, 여러 가지 부작용 때문에 그들의 안정성과 실용성엔 의문의 여지가 있다. 더 안전한 대안을 찾기 위해 현재 천연물을 사용한 여러 가지 치료법이 연구되고 있다. Lactoferrin, isoflavone 등과 한약재를 이용한 많은 전통 치료법들이 있으며, 이는 뼈 흡수를 막거나, 뼈 동화를 일으킴으로써 골다공증 치료제로서의 가능성을 보여주고 있다. 그러나 대부분의 천연물 치료법은 지난 10여년간 괄목할만한 발전에도 불구하고 그 효능을 증명하기 위한 임상 예비단계에 머물고 있다. 따라서 천연물의 전임상 연구와 후속 임상 연구를 통해 새로운 골다공증 치료법으로 소개될 것이다.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.190-194
• /
• 2007

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which is a syndrome that is defined by pain and sudomotor and/or vasomotor instability, is usually resistant to conventional treatment. Here, a case involving a 30-year-old male patient with CRPS type I who showed severe intractable right shoulder pain with allodynia and hyperalgesia despite being treated with oral medications, nerve blocks including thoracic sympathetic neurolysis, and spinal cord stimulation is described. The patient frequently visited the emergency room due to severe uncontrollable breakthrough pain. Although a favorable effect was observed in response to intermittent ketamine infusion therapies that were performed on an outpatient basis, acute exacerbation of pain occurred frequently during the night and could not be controlled. Therefore, subcutaneous ketamine infusion therapy using a patient-controlled analgesic system was attempted and found to effectively control acute exacerbation of pain during 6 weeks of infusion without serious complications.