• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2021

Background: With an increase in the number of breast cancer survivors, greater importance is attached to health-related quality of life, particularly pain and symptom control. This study aimed to identify the factors that are associated with pain in cancer patients based on the patterns of prescribing opioid, non-opioid, and adjuvant analgesics. Methods: This analysis included new patients who had developed breast cancer between 2003 and 2012. The degree of pain was analyzed based on the socio-demographic (age, income quintile, number of hospitalizations, and duration of disease), indicator (Body Mass Index; BMI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; CCI, Cumulative Analgesic Consumption Score; CACS), operation (mastectomy, lymph node dissection), and therapy (chemotherapy, radiation therapy), as well as complication-related variable (lymphedema). Results: As for the patterns of prescribing analgesics by stages, non-opioid and opioid analgesics constituted 30.7 and 69.3%, respectively. The mean value and variance of CACS were 5.596 and 12.567, respectively. The factors that significantly affected the degree of pain were age (≥50; IRR: 1.848, 95% CI 1.564-2.184, p=0.000), income quintile (IRR: 0.964, 95% CI 0.938-0.991, p=0.008), BMI (≥ 25; IRR: 1.479, 95% CI 1.222-1.795, p=0.000), CCI (≥ 4; IRR: 1.649, 95% CI 1.344-2.036, p=0.000), and lymphedema (yes; IRR: 1.267, 95% CI 1.006-1.610, p=0.047). Conclusions: It is necessary to develop systematic and comprehensive pain control measures to improve the quality of life for breast cancer survivors, especially for those who are 50 years or older, lie in the lower-income quintile, have BMI of ≥25 and CCI score ≥ 4, or have lymphedema.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.641-646
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• 2015

Breast cancer (BC) is potentially a traumatic stressor which may be associated with negative outcomes, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or positive changes, such as post-traumatic growth (PTG). This study aims to identify the core issues of BC related PTSD, PTG and psychological distress by interrogating the literature in BC survivors. We have also highlighted issues related to the assessment, diagnosis and clinical management of PTSD and PTG. The authors systematically reviewed studies published from 1985 to 2014 pertaining to PTSD, psychological distress and PTG in BC survivors with particular attention paid to incidence rates and causative factors. Multiple studies intimated that women with BC have evidence of PTSD at the initial stages of diagnosis, whereas PTG develops once patients undergo treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment of PTSD/PTG is paramount from literature review but the previously mentioned relationship between PTSD and PTG in BC patients could not be verified. It is evident from the literature that a small percentage of BC patients experience PTSD, while the majority experience PTG after BC diagnosis and treatment. Future research should include prospective studies focusing on high-risk patients, causative factors and the development of psychological interventions.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an individual education program on breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy. Methods: The quasi-experimental design was employed with a nonequivalent control group pre-post test. The study was performed from January 1 to July 30, 2010 for the patients who were firstly treated by A C (Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy in a university hospital. Control group was recruited first to prevent treatment diffusion. The experimental group was recruited and received an individual education during 30 minutes. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 version. ${\chi}^2$-test, t-test, and the Pearson correlation were implemented in order to examine the effect of the individual education among the patients who are treated by chemotherapy. Results: The experimental group had a greater improvement in self-care knowledge (t=-5.236, p=.001), and self-care performance (t=-6.543, p=.004) than did control group. Moreover, the experimental group had significantly positive correlation between self-care knowledge and self-care performance (r=.494, p=.006) as compared to the control group. Conclusion: The individual education program on cancer patients who were treated by chemotherapy could be utilized as an effective nursing intervention.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.165-178
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• 2018

Objectives: To determine the current status of the treatment of breast cancer patients by Korean Medicine doctors (KMDs) and to examine the need for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the supportive care of these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were asked about their experience in treating breast cancer patients; the number of breast cancer patients they currently treat; the main complaints expressed by, diagnoses of, and treatments used for such patients; and their opinions about Korean Medicine (KM) as the basis for providing supportive care for breast cancer. Results: The data for this study were collected from 322 respondents. 84 of whom reported having ever treated patients with breast cancer. Most breast cancer patients who visited the KM clinic were classified as stage I or II, and their major complaints were fatigue, general weakness and musculoskeletal pain. The major diagnostic strategies were syndrome differentiation and pulse diagnosis. The major treatments administered were herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. KMDs cited a need for medical information, such as CPGs, as their most important concern with regard to the treatment of breast cancer patients. Conclusions: This survey determined the prevalence of the use of KM for Korean breast cancer patients. Our results underscore the need for clinical practice guidelines for using of KM as the basis of supportive care for breast cancer and for informing clinicians and patients about this approach.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.398-404
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of osteoporosis prevention education on Korean breast cancer patients' knowledge and health promoting behavior. Methods: The participants in this study included breast cancer patients who were registered at a self-help group organized by the Breast Cancer Center of a university hospital in Seoul, Korea. The intervention group received 60 minutes' didactic instruction followed by 30 minutes' interactive session, and reinforcement education with leaflets was given three weeks after the group intervention. In order to measure the effects of the intervention, this study used valid and reliable scales on the knowledge of osteoporosis and health promoting behavior for preventing osteoporosis. A post-test was conducted 12 weeks after the intervention. Results: The results showed significant improvement in three of the five factors of osteoporosis knowledge including bone physiology, the characteristics of osteoporosis, and preventive behaviors in the intervention group. Overall health promoting behavior for preventing osteoporosis had significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Osteoporosis preventive education improved breast cancer patients' knowledge of osteoporosis and health promoting behavior for preventing osteoporosis by inducing their voluntary participation in self-care activities.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.18 no.1 s.99
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• pp.31-41
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• 1979

Breast disease is the most serious because of spreading fast and the breast is common site of cancer in women. Therefore the nurses, who are undertaking nursing, has to be provided themselves of such abilities as knowledge, disease, treatment, complicatio

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2004

Purpose: This study is a descriptive research study to measure the quality of life of those who suffer from breast cancer and take the chemotherapy. Method: The Subjects were 70 breast cancer patients who took the chemotherapy from September 2 to October 31, 2003. Quality of life was measured by Ferrell's measurements. Result: Quality of life indicators were spiritual domain=6.44, physical domain=5.45, social domain=4.15, and mental domain=3. 95. Whole quality of life was 4. 68 out of 10 points. The quality of life of those with a practicing religion was significantly higher than those without(F=3.88, P=0.026). Subjects who were less than 2 months post-operation had higher points in the physical domain than those who were more than 2 months post-operation (t= 2.76, p=0.007). Subjects who had less than 4 treatments of chemotherapy had higher points in the physical domain than those who had more than 4 treatments of chemotherapy (t=2.03, p=0.046). Conclusion: The results of this study serve as a meaningful source to promote quality of life of breast cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy. The results can also be applied to the development of education programs and counseling materials for chemotherapy patients. Health care strategy can also raise the quality of life of brest cancer patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.435-440
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• 2013

Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Malaysia. A diagnosis is very stressful for women, affecting all aspects of their being and quality of life. As such, there is little information on quality of life of women with breast cancer across the different ethnic groups in Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of life in Malay and Chinese women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in Kelantan. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study involved 58 Malays and 15 Chinese women newly diagnosed with breast cancer prior to treatment. Quality of life was measured using the Malay version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its breast-specific module (QLQ-BR23). Socio-demographic and clinical data were also collected. All the data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: Most of the women were married with at least a secondary education and were in late stages of breast cancer. The Malay women had lower incomes (p=0.046) and more children (p=0.001) when compared to the Chinese women. Generally, both the Malay and Chinese women had good functioning quality-of-life scores [mean score range: 60.3-84.8 (Malays); 65.0-91.1 (Chinese)] and global quality of life [mean score 60.3, SD 22.2 (Malays); mean score 65.0, SD 26.6 (Chinese)]. The Malay women experienced more symptoms such as nausea and vomiting (p=0.002), dyspnoea (p=0.004), constipation (p<0.001) and breast-specific symptoms (p=0.041) when compared to the Chinese. Conclusions: Quality of life was satisfactory in both Malays and Chinese women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in Kelantan. However, Malay women had a lower quality of life due to high general as well as breast-specific symptoms. This study finding underlined the importance of measuring quality of life in the newly diagnosed breast cancer patient, as it will provide a broader picture on how a cancer diagnosis impacts multi-ethnic patients. Once health care professionals understand this, they might then be able to determine how to best support and improve the quality of life of these women during the difficult times of their disease and on-going cancer treatments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1999-2004
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• 2013

Asian Americans experience disproportionate incidence and mortality rates of certain cancers, compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Primary care physicians are a critical source for cancer screening recommendations and play a significant role in increasing cancer screening of their patients. This study assessed primary care physicians' perceptions of cancer risk in Asians and screening recommendation practices. Primary care physicians practicing in New Jersey and New York City (n=100) completed a 30-question survey on medical practice characteristics, Asian patient communication, cancer screening guidelines, and Asian cancer risk. Liver cancer and stomach cancer were perceived as higher cancer risks among Asian Americans than among the general population, and breast and prostate cancer were perceived as lower risks. Physicians are integral public health liaisons who can be both influential and resourceful toward educating Asian Americans about specific cancer awareness and screening information.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5571-5575
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• 2014

Background: The ability to predict the survival time of breast cancer patients is important because of the potential high morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. To develop a predictive inference for determining the survival of breast cancer patients, we applied a novel Bayesian method. In this paper, we propose the development of a databased statistical probability model and application of the Bayesian method to predict future survival times for White Hispanic female breast cancer patients, diagnosed in the US during 1973-2009. Materials and Methods: A stratified random sample of White Hispanic female patient survival data was selected from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database to derive statistical probability models. Four were considered to identify the best-fit model. We used three standard model-building criteria, which included Akaike Information Criteria (AIC), Bayesian Information Criteria (BIC), and Deviance Information Criteria (DIC) to measure the goodness of fit. Furthermore, the Bayesian method was used to derive future survival inferences for survival times. Results: The highest number of White Hispanic female breast cancer patients in this sample was from New Mexico and the lowest from Hawaii. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis (years) was 58.2 (14.2). The mean (SD) of survival time (months) for White Hispanic females was 72.7 (32.2). We found that the exponentiated Weibull model best fit the survival times compared to other widely known statistical probability models. The predictive inference for future survival times is presented using the Bayesian method. Conclusions: The findings are significant for treatment planning and health-care cost allocation. They should also contribute to further research on breast cancer survival issues.