• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.814-822
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• 2023

Objective: This case report details the successful management of bowel perforation through traditional Korean medicine. Often, emergency surgery is required due to potential complications, such as peritonitis. In this case, the patient had previously undergone a total colectomy, making surgical treatment complicated. Methods: The patient revealed persistent abdominal pain and over 20 instances of diarrhea per day. During the course of treatment, which included two hospitalizations and one outpatient visit, acupuncture treatment and herbal medicine were administered. Throughout the treatment period, the intensity of abdominal pain and the frequency of diarrhea gradually decreased. Results: At the end of treatment, a follow-up abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed no evidence of perforation. Additionally, blood tests revealed no abnormalities in liver or kidney function, confirming the safety of the treatments.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2022

The Randomized Control Trial (RCT) is the most well-established and widely used statistical methodology in clinical research; however, applying thorough RCT to cancer patients presents challenges such as ethical concerns, high costs, short clinical periods, and limitations in collecting various side effects. To address this issue, the propensity score matching method, which takes advantage of the benefits of observational research while compensating for the drawbacks of randomized control trials, is used in a variety of fields. In recent years, 28 studies on the effectiveness of Korean medicine on tumors have been conducted abroad using the Propensity Score Matching Method, but none have been conducted in Korea. The majority of studies have focused on liver cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and stomach cancer, with endpoints such as survival time, incidence rate, quality of life, and treatment outcomes revealing statistical differences in how Korean medicine intervention affects treatment outcomes. As a result, well-established studies using the propensity matching score methodology should be useful in evaluating the impact of Korean medicine in oncology treatments.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2005

Objectives: The purpose is to advertise the protocol of Best Case Series Programme of National Cancer Institute of USA to korean oriental medical oncologists and researchers Method: We reviewed the submission packet of NCI and related Website and articles. Result and Conclusion: BCS programme is the first step to evaluate the efficacy of complementary and alternative treatment, and to launch the clinical research funded by NCI.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this report is to evaluate antitumor efficacy of Rhus vernifciflua STOKES decoction (Chijong-tang). Methods : One advanced gastric cancer patient with peritoneal seeding and mesenteric metastasis visited Hana integrative Clinic of Korean medicine in Aug 2012 and was treated with Chijong-tang for 14 months. Results : Chijong-tang showed no side effect during its treatment (Aug 2012 ~ Oct 2013) and the patient showed no disease progression. Conclusion : This case report suggests that Rhus vernifciflua Stokes decoction (Chijong-tang) can be a potent anticancer agent for gastric cancer, but it still required further scientific and clinical evidence.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.47-54
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• 2008

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the disease burden of cancer, to investigate how many cancer patients use CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies with or without conventional medicine, to know reasons for use of cancer CAM therapies, and finally to discuss viewpoints on treating cancer with traditional Korean medicine (TKM). Method: In order to know the disease burden of cancer, the prevalence and mortality of cancer patients of Korean, American, and WHO reports were investigated, and the usage of cancer CAM therapies was investigated in several reports. The viewpoints about cancer treatment with TKM were suggested with the characteristics of TKM. Results: One hundred thousand Korean people were diagnosed [in time period] as new cancer patients, and cancer patients are gradually increasing every year. Cancer is a leading cause of deaths in Korea and worldwide. From 21% to 63% of Korean cancer patients, 80% of American cancer patients, and 35.9% of European cancer patients used CAM therapies, and the most common therapy was an herbal therapy. Conclusions: TKM has been used to treat cancer since initial use of acupuncture and herbs with basic viewpoints on human health and disease. First, TKM regards occurrence of cancer as an environmental problem of the whole human being. Second, the pathologic concept centered on antipathogenic Qi (Zheong Qi) can reinforce the functioning of the patient's own natural vitality to overcome cancer. Third, TKM deals with cancer patients through mind, body, and spirit based on the monoism of mind and body.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

Objectives: This research was aimed 1) to find out various subjective symptoms cancer patients had, 2) to find out the quantitative difference of symptoms occurring according to the area of cancer, current treatment methods, and relapse of the cancer and 3) to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. Methods: This study was a survey about the various subjective symptoms cancer patients had. The subjects were 48 cancer patients in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial about the effectiveness of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. Surveys were examined before Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) treatments. The questionnaire consisted of demographic research, patient history and accompanying symptoms. The symptoms part consisted of 4 questions on general symptoms (vertigo, hot flush, rash, insomnia), 2 questions on digestion symptoms (anorexia, dyspepsia), 2 questions on excretions (diarrhea, constipation), and 5 questions on symptoms in different body parts (headache, dryness of lips, chest pain, aphthous ulcer, nose bleeding). The questionnaire was used to research presence of symptoms and relationships between the occurrence of symptoms. Results: A total of 48 patients took part in this survey. Dizziness was the most frequent subjective symptom patients had (64.58%), followed by dry mouth (43.75%), headache (43.75%), insomnia (41.67%), anorexia (37.5%) and chest discomfort (37.5%). The presence of these subjective symptoms was partially related to the patient's history details - type of cancer, method of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy), termination of treatment, presence of pain, fatigue and recurrence, etc. Factor analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms. It suggested 5 factors as a result, but there was a limitation that only a low level of correlation was shown among them. Conclusions: We were able to analyze the occurrences and the relationships among them for accompanying subjective symptoms in cancer patients. However the results of the study are limited in that only 48 patients participated. The symptoms in cancer patients showed a tendency for clustering, occurring simultaneously or continuously rather than occurring alone. The study of these symptom clusters is worth further study, for it is similar to the Symptom Differentiation System in Traditional Korean Medicine. For effective approach to the treatment of cancer in Traditional Korean Medicine, further research on the Korean traditional view of cancer patients should be done based on this research, regarding various symptoms and those relationships on a larger scale.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Nobongsangki-Jeong on skin rash caused by Olmutinib. Methods: A female Non-Small cell lung carcinoma patient (Adenocarcinoma, Stage IV, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor positive) suffered from skin rash due to the side effect of Olmutinib administration. She was treated with Nobongsangki-Jeong for the symptom management for 14 days. The clinical outcomes were measured by numeric rating scale (NRS) and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) version 4.03. Results: After treatment, skin rash was improved from NRS 5 to 1. Pruritus and pain of skin were improved from NCI-CTCAE grade 2 to 1. Conclusion: This case study suggests that Nobongsangki-Jeong may have the efficacy for the treatment of skin rash caused by Olmutinib.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.105-110
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• 2010

Objective: This study reports one case of polycythemia vera patient treated with oriental medicine in conjunction with conventional medicine. Methods: One patient who was diagnosed with polycythemia vera was treated using different modalities of herbs, acupuncture, and pharmacopuncture. An herbal formula, Yongdamsagan-tang was given three times a day with daily acupuncture treatment session, in addition to Soyeom and Jahageo pharmacopuncture injection which were administered three times a week. After treatment, patient's symptoms and blood test results were observed and analyzed. Results: After ten days of treatment, the patient had shown improvements in symptoms of headache, dizziness, tinnitus, and itchiness. Two months later, laboratory findings continued to be kept within the normal range and the intervals of phlebotomy therapy has extended to three months. Conclusions: This case study shows minimum evidence of safety and efficacy of oriental medicine for managing symptoms of polycythemia vera. Considering this is only a short term, single case study, further research is needed to confirm these results.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.157-175
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Hangamdan(抗癌丹). The clinical study was carried out 320 cases of patients with cancer treated by Hangamdan(抗癌丹) from May 1st 1998 to September 1st 1999. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The effects of improvement in the symptoms with traditional oriental cancer therapy(47.6%) were higher than combined treatment of western and oriental therapy(37.4%). 2. In the analysis of hematology, maintenance and increasing of WBC(86.2%), Hgb(87.2%), P1atelet(97.6%) RBC(81.1%) were observed. In the analyses of tumor marker, maintenance and decreasing of CEA(76%), CA19-9(88.8%), AFP(69.2%) were observed. 3. In the analysis of safety, maintenance and decreasing of AST(93.1%), ALT(95%), BUN(92.2%), Creatinine(93.6%) were observed. 4. In the analysis of QOL attached by cancer, combined treatment of western and oriental therapy(maintenance and improvement; 91.8%) was higher than traditional oriental cancer therapy(maintenance and improvement; 79.3%) 5. In the analysis of survival in patients with terminal cancer, above 6 months(46.3%), 12 months(19.2%). 6. In the analysis of antitumor effects, combined treatment of western and oriental therapy(maintenance 71.6% improvement 12.8%) was higher than traditional oriental therapy (maintenance 66.7% improvement 9.5%). 7. In the analysis of curative evaluation, combined treatment of western and oriental therapy(maintenance 40.4% improvement 41.8%) was higher than traditional oriental therapy (maintenance 23.8% improvement 46.1%). 8. In the analysis of IL-12 and IFN-$\gamma$ attached by cancer, increasing of IL-12(32.3%), IFN-$\gamma$(41.5%) were observed. From the above results, it is suggested that Hangamdan has significant effects of antitumor and immune activity, also could be usefully applied for cancer patients by combination with western therapy or alone.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.841-850
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• 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the effects of traditional Korean medicine as a treatment for the pain of a compression fracture in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer. Methods: A 60-year-old male patient with a compression fracture was treated with herbal medicines, acupuncture, and pharmacopuncture for 25 days. His chief complaints were severe low back pain, pain and numbness in both legs, and right groin pain. The effect of treatment was evaluated by the numerical rating scale (NRS) score for pain, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, and blood test results (CBC-diff count, CRP, ESR, etc.). Results: After 25 days of inpatient treatment, the patient's pain was controlled. The NRS and ODI scores were lower and most pathological symptoms had decreased. Conclusions: Traditional Korean medicine can be a solution for patients with compression fractures arising from metastasis of prostate cancer to the spine.