Objective: The aim of this review is to analyze the studies using syndrome differentiation questionnaire in cancer patients. Methods: We searched electronic databases including Pubmed, google scholar, Cochrane library, CNKI, KISS, RISS and OASIS. Key words used for searching were cancer, Korean medicine, pattern identification, and questionnaire. Studies using a symptom differentiation questionnaire to cancer patients were selected. Results: 35 studies were enrolled. A total of 17 questionnaires was used. Most of the types of included studies were observational studies, followed by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and validation studies. The purposes of using questionnaires were rrelation analysis, outcome measurement, evaluating adverse events, subgroup analysis, and questionnaire development. The most used questionnaire was Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ), and it was used 8 times, Questionnaire for the Sasang Constitution Classification II (QSCC II) was used 5 times, Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ), TCM-Symptom Complex Differentiation Questionnaire (TCM-SCDQ), Yin Deficiency Questionnaire were used 4 times, and Qi Blood Yin Yang Deficiency Questionnaire was used twice. BCQ is a questionnaire diagnosing and evaluating yang deficiency, yin deficiency, and blood stasis. It has high reliability, validity, and optimal cut-off value. Conclusion: BCQ is the most used syndrome differentiation questionnaire in cancer-related studies. So, BCQ could be recommended in syndrome differentiation-related cancer studies.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate which information of cancer patients should be collected for the Korean medicine cancer registry in order to assess the efficacy and safety of Korean medicine (KM) treatment and to identify Korean medical prognostic predictors. Methods: A total of fifteen Korean medical specialists completed an online survey questionnaire including items about general characteristics of cancer patients and clinical practice patterns. Results: The four main types of cancer at Korean medical hospitals were breast, lung, stomach, and colorectal cancer. The majority of patients with cancer at Korean medical hospitals were in the advanced or metastatic stage (50.0%). The prominent purposes of KM treatment were to alleviate cancer-related symptoms, reduce the side effects of conventional therapy, and improve quality of life. The major options for treatment were traditional herbal medicine (THM), acupuncture, moxibustion, thermotherapy, pharmacoacupuncture, and meditation, with THM being the most frequently used (35.7%). Almost all Korean medical specialists (93.9%) used syndrome differentiation in clinical practice and identified over half the cancer patients as deficiency syndrome (57.2%). Conclusion: Physicians considered the primary goal of KM treatment for cancer patients to be symptom management since advanced or metastatic stage patients were the majority at Korean medical hospitals. THM were the most common treatment option and syndrome differentiation was used by almost all physicians. Further research is needed to monitor and ensure optimal KM treatment for patients with cancer.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine whether heart rate variability (HRV) and pulse wave of cancer patients can be used as indicators of their health status and prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively compared HRV, pulse wave and body mass index (BMI) of cancer patients and healthy individuals who visited W hospital from November of 2020 to October of 2021. Results: As a result of comparing HRV and pulse wave parameters between cancer patients and healthy subjects, among HRV indices, mean heart rate (MHR), standard deviation of normal to normal (SDNN) and total power (TP), very low frequency (VLF) showed significant differences between two groups. Cancer patients' pulse wave parameters showed more rapid and superficial than that of healthy subjects. Also, cancer patients weighed less and had lower BMI. Conclusion: For increased MHR, decreased SDNN, rapid and superficial pulse wave can be indicators of poor prognosis of cancer patients, keep monitoring HRV and pulse wave can help to manage patients efficiently.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report effects and potential of Integrative Cancer Treatment (ICT) on metastatic pancreatic cancer patient. Methods: A 79-year-old pancreatic cancer patient diagnosed with metastasis on liver visited the Daejeon Korean medicine hospital of Daejeon university East West Cancer Center (EWCC) on May 2021. The patient has been received chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus abraxane) and concurrently treated with ICT since May 2021. The clinical outcomes were measured by computed tomography, laboratory findings including tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9) and numeric rating scales (NRS). Laboratory analysis and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE), version 5.0 were used to evaluate the safety of ICT. Results: After treatment, constipation was relieved from NRS 5-6 to 2, both leg numbness was improved from NRS 9 to 2. Tumor size was generally decreased accompanying by reducing the levels of tumor markers. There were no severe adverse events induced by ICT based on NCI CTCAE version 5.0. Conclusion: This case study suggests that ICT in combination with chemotherapy may help in the treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Objective: Insomnia is a very common symptom of cancer and has a substantial effect on the patients' quality of life. This study aimed to identify the effects of foot reflexology on insomnia in cancer patients. Methods: The study employed a before-after test design on a single group of 13 cancer patients with insomnia, selected by convenience sampling in Daegu. The foot reflexology treatment comprised 30-min sessions twice a week over four weeks. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were measured at the baseline, at 2 and 4 weeks, and after 4 weeks post treatment completion. Brief Fatigue Inventory-Korean (BFI-K), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 4 weeks after completing treatments. Results: Thirteen patients (mean age 44.77 ± 6.70 years), with thyroid, breast or cervical cancer, were included in the study. Post-treatment, PSQI (from 12.33 ± 3.17 to 8.54 ± 3.43, p<0.001), ISI (from 20.33 ± 3.88 to 13.38 ± 4.23, p<0.001), FACT-G (from 49.6 ± 13.27 to 61.35 ± 14.45, p<0.001), and BFI (from 6.46 ± 0.91 to 5.00 ± 2.02, p<0.001) scores improved significantly over those at the baseline. Conclusion: Foot reflexology can be a good alternative treatment to improve insomnia, fatigue, and quality of life in cancer patients