• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2577-2581
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• 2014

Background: Triple negative breast cancer is associated with aggressive behavior and high risk of local and regional failure. Aggressive surgical intervention is considered suitable. This makes role of breast conserving therapy (BCT) debatable in these patients. The objective of this study was to compare outcome of BCT for triple negative versus non-triple negative breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent breast conserving therapy from 1999 to 2009 at Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and had complete receptor status information were extracted. Patients were divided into triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC. Patient characteristics, medical treatment modalities and adverse events were compared. Expected five year locoregional recurrence free, disease free and overall survival was calculated. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify independent predictors of outcome. Results: A total of 194 patients with TNBC and 443 with non-TNBC were compared. Significant difference was present for age at presentation (p<0.0001), family history (p=0.005), grade (p<0.0001) and use of hormonal therapy (p<0.0001). The number of locoregional failures, distant failures and mortalities were not significantly different. No significant difference was present in 5 year locoregional recurrence free (96% vs 92%, p=0.3), disease free (75% vs 74%, p=0.7) and overall survival (78% vs 83%, p=0.2). On multivariate analysis, tumor size, nodal involvement and hormonal treatment were independent predictors of negative events. Conclusions: Breast conserving therapy has comparable outcomes for triple negative and non-triple negative breast cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4711-4714
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• 2015

Background: The incidence of lung cancer increases with age. Approximately 50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are over 70 years old. Because of the increasing elderly population, treatment approaches in this age group continue to be studied similar to groups of young people. Materials and Methods: In the current study, 26 patients who underwent radical surgery and adjuvan chemoradiation at Ataturk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Of 21 patients (81%) were male and the average age was 74.4. Lobectomy was performed in 18 cases, pneumonectomy in 3, sleeve lobectomy in 3 and bilobectomy in 2. There was no perioperative or early period mortality. Overall survival was 24.5 months. Conclusions: From our study, lung cancer surgery and adjuvant therapy can be performed safely with low morbidity in the elderly.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 1994

Purpose: Despite apparently complete resection of cancer of the rectum, local recurrence rate was high. Radiation therapy has been used either alone or in combination with chemotherapy as an adjunct to surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic factors, survival rate and local recurrence rate of the rectal cancer who had received postoperative radiation therapy by retrospective analysis. Method: From 1982 to 1990, 63 patients with cancer of the rectum surgically staged as B2 or C disease received postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy after curative resection of tumor for cure. Postoperative radiation therapy was given to the whole pelvis(mean dose: 5040 cGy in 5-6weets) and perineum was included in irradiated field in case of abdominoperineal resection. Results: Three-year actuarial survival rate was 73.2$ \% $ overall, 87.7$ \% $ in stage B2+3 and 62.9$ \% $ in stage C2+3. Three-year disease-free survival rate was 69.5$ \% $ overall, 87.7$ \% $ in stage B2+3 and 56.8$ \% $ in stage C2+3, Three-year disease-free survival rate in anterior resection was 77.8$ \% $ and 44.4$ \% $ in abdominoperineal resection. The local recurrence rate was 15.9$ \% $ and distant failure rate was 20.6$ \% $. Severe late complication was small bowel obstruction in 6 patients and surgery was required in 4 patients(6.3$ \% $). The prognostic factors were stage(p=0.0221) and method of surgery(p= 0.0414) (anterior resection vs abdominoperineal resection). Conclusion: This study provides evidence supporting the use of postoperative radiation therapy for reducing the local recurrence rate in patients who have had curative resection of rectal cancer with involvement of perirectal fat or regional nodes or both(stage B2 and C).

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.212-227
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to investigate the patterns of alternative therapy and to describe the characteristics of cancer patients used alternative therapy. The sample of this study were 232 consisted of cancer patients who visited at Pusan National University Hospital, Dong-a, Kosin University Hospital. The data were gathered from August, 1 to October, 30 1999 and analyzed by using SPSSWIN program for frequency, percentile and $X^2$-test. The important results of this study are as follows. 1. In population-sociological characteristics, sexual distribution showed female 52.6%, and the male 47.4%, age distribution showed that more than 60year old group are most as 31.5%. 2. In the disease characteristics, colon and rectal cancer patients were most as 19.0%. In the type of pain, the most of subjects were "dully pain" as 25.4%. In the pain level, 134 subjects complained pain, mean maximal pain score was $7.3{\pm}2.29$ in 10 points rating scale. 3. 132 patients (56.9%) among 232 cancer patients had used alternative therapy. The most common type of alternative therapy was dietary and nutritional therapy 44%, the place of use. home 43.2%, duration, less than 3 months, 56.8%. The most common motive was a recommendation by friends or family. The degree of satisfaction after the use of alternative therapy was high for 22.0%. 4. In the relation between general characteristic and utilization of alternative therapy, the only living area was showed a significant statistical differance($X^2$ = 4.070, P= .044). also in the relation between disease characteristic and utilization of alternative therapy, morbidity periods, the size of higher pain, the type of treatment were showed a significant statistical differance($X^2$= 7.964, 7.303, 3.565, P=.044, .026, .042). In conclusions, these findings indicate that cancer patients use various complementary and in alternative therapy. therefore, suggested that medical doctors or nurses verify the true effects or side-effects from the most common complementary or alternative therapies through experiments.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2007

Objective To derive further studies evaluating the effectiveness of Cultured Wild Ginseng Pharmacopuncture (CWGP) Therapy on squamous cell carcinoma as a first line. Methods Three cycles (4 weeks/cycle) of CWGP were administered as a dosage of 10 ml per day. Patient was diagnosed with stage IIIB squamous cell carcinoma and refused all therapy of conventional medicine because of old age and cardiac invasion of tumor. Intensive treatment of CWGP for 3 cycles was done on the patient. Computed Topography (CT) was performed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy. Results After the intravenous infusion of 2 cycles of CWGP, chest CT revealed the mass size and pleural invasion sustained stable disease. After the point injection of 1 cycle of CWGP, chest CT revealed progressive disease. The disease free survival rate was 1 month. Conclusion This case may provide us the possibility that CWGP offers potential benefits for patients with squamous cell lung carcinoma. But this is a single case study and further case-series research should be compensated.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 1986

High energy radiation therapy using accelerator or radioioisotope teletherapy unit is now one of the most important modality in the field dealing with human malignant tumor. It's successful technology overcomes incurable disease to change into curable disease not only by the improvement of clinical technique but also by the development of radiation physics and biology. The author presented the principles of radiation therapy by means of basic knowledge of medicine. physics and biology, described the various ways to improve the result of radiation therapy, and reviewed recent status of radiotherapy field in Korea.

• 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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5169-5173
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• 2015

To determine the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel plus cisplatin (Taxol + DDP, TP therapy) for stage IIA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to investigate the expression of RUNX3 in lymph node metastasis-negative esophageal cancer and its relationship with medical prognosis, a retrospective summary of clinical treatment of 143 cases of stage IIA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients was made. The patients were divided into two groups, a surgery alone control group (52 patients) and a chemotherapy group that received postoperative TP therapy (91 patients). The disease-free and 5 year survival rates were compared between the groups and a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was performed. The same analysis was performed for cases classified as RUNX3 positive and negative, with post-operative specimens assessed by immunohistochemistry. Although the disease-free and 5 year survival rates in control and chemotherapy groups did not significantly differ and there was no significance in RUNX3 negative cases, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in the chemotherapy group was shown to improve disease-free and 5 year survival rate compared to the control group in RUNX3 positive cases. On Cox regression multivariate analysis, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (P<0.01) was an independent prognostic factor for RUNX3 positive cases, suggesting that postoperative TP may be effective as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IIA esophageal cancer patients with RUNX3 positive lesions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.503-510
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• 2016

Background: Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is a crisis situation which effects women's lives physically, socially and spiritually. Investigating women's perceptions of this disease is crucially important for treatment decisions. We therefore determined social perceptions and interpretations of women diagnosed with breast cancer during therapy and in the post-treatment period. Materials and Methods: In the study, focus group and in-depth interviews were made with women still undergoing or having completed breast cancer treatment. Some 25 women were included in the research. Content analysis was used in the analysis of the qualitative data obtained after the focus group and in-depth interviews. Results: Some of the women demonstrated positive perceptions towards accepting the disease, whereas others had emotions such as rebellion and anger. The loss of a breast is important with different interpretations. Conclusions: Women's acceptance or rebellion against the disease varies within their social interpretations after the treatment, as at the stage of diagnosis/treatment. All stages of breast cancer negatively affect the social life of the affected individual as much as her body. Nurses assume crucial roles in coping with these negative effects. Thus, it is necessary to know, and sociologically interpret, what is indicated by the information on what the negative effects concerning the disease are and how they are interpreted.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.12-20
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• 2013

Objective: Standard cancer therapy prolongs survival, but can be detrimental to the quality of life, compromise the immune system, and leave residual disease that can cause recurrence years or decades in the future. Tumor dormancy therapy is a novel therapeutic approach that may improve these shortcomings, promote quality of life, and prolong survival. The aim of this study was to analyze studies on dormancy therapy, especially studies using traditional Oriental herbal medicine, so as to evaluate the efficacy of dormancy therapy with traditional oriental herbal medicine. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using Scientific and Technical Information Integration Services (NDSL), PubMed, and RISS. We searched for clinical reports, papers, and books related to tumor metastasis, recurrence, immunotherapy, tumor dormancy, and traditional oriental herbal medicine with anticancer effects. Seventy-nine (79) experimental and clinical articles in both Korean and English were reviewed. This study was conducted from March 1, 2012 to May 31, 2012. Results: This approach, Tumor dormancy therapy, rather than seeking to remove the tumor, includes combination of low-dose chemotherapy, immunotherapy, immunosurveillance, and other methods to stabilize tumor growth and to enhance the host is immunity against disseminated tumor cells and thus to manage cancer as a chronic disease while maintaining quality of life. In particular, integrative use of Oriental herbal medicine has been shown to induce or maintain tumor dormancy, increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy, improve quality of life, and prolong survival. Conclusion: Tumor dormancy therapy is a promising novel therapeutic approach that may be especially effective with Oriental herbal medicine. Further research is needed to determine its potential mechanisms and therapeutic applications.