• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 2003

This study was designed to assess the level of family function between cancer patient's families and normal families, and to seek better quality family-Mcentered nursing care. The subjects for this study were 95 ca patient's families who were selected from th university hospitals and 95 normal families who selected from 1 university hospital. The instrument used for this study was McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) developed by Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop (1983). The scale consisted of 53 items covering 7 areas: 'problem solving', 'communication', 'roles', 'affective responsiveness', 'affective involvement', 'behavior control', and 'general functioning'. As for data analyses, descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2-test$, t-test, ANOVA were adopted using SAS program. The result of this study was as follows: There there was no significant difference between cancer patient's family function and normal family function. Also there was no significant difference on cancer patient's family function with regard to family characteristics, disease's characteristics, and clinical stage of cancer.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2015

In order to establish the quality control on patient safety following the guideline presented by American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) TG-100 committee, we aim to analyze the modes based on errors occurred during treatment of patients at the radiation oncology department at Yeungnam University Hospital and establish a quality control guideline for patient safety when patient-centered radiation treatment is conducted. We aim to analyze the errors that can occur during radiation treatment at the radiation department, and assess the frequency of error, the severity of error affecting patients, and probability of proceeding without noticing error, with scores. The places where errors can take place were divided into CT simulation treatment room, treatment planning room, and treatment room for the analysis. In CT simulation treatment room, an error from using the immobilization device showed the highest Risk Priority Number (RPN) value of 60, and an error from simulation treatment information input showed the lowest of 6. In treatment planning room, an error from selecting the radiation dose calculation model showed the highest RPN value of 168, and an error of patient treatment start date showed the lowest of 36. In treatment room, a Table Bar error showed the highest RPN value of 252, a weight change error showed 190, and a Pillow error showed the lowest of 24.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2022

Background: This study was aimed at comparing and analyzing the results of FractionLab (Varian/Mobius Medical System) with those of portal dosimetry that uses an electronic portal imaging device. Portal dosimetry is extensively used for patient-specific quality assurance (QA) in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods: The study includes 29 patients who underwent IMRT on a Novalis-Tx linear accelerator (Varian Medical System and Brain-LAB) between June 2019 and March 2021. We analyzed the multileaf collimator DynaLog files generated after portal dosimetry to evaluate the same condition using FractionLab. The results of the recently launched FractionLab at various gamma indices (0.1%/0.1 mm-1%/1 mm) are analyzed and compared with those of portal dosimetry (3%/3 mm). Results: The average gamma passing rates of portal dosimetry (3%/3 mm) and FractionLab are 98.1% (95.5%-100%) and 97.5% (92.3%-99.7%) at 0.6%/0.6 mm, respectively. The results of portal dosimetry (3%/3 mm) are statistically comparable with the QA results of FractionLab (0.6%/0.6 mm-0.9%/0.9 mm). Conclusion: This paper presents the clinical performance of FractionLab by the comparison of the QA results of FractionLab using portal dosimetry with various gamma indexes when performing patient-specific QA in IMRT treatment. Further, the appropriate gamma index when performing patient-specific QA with FractionLab is provided.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.107-115
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical quality assurance results of portal dosimetry using an electronic portal imaging device, a method that is extensively used for patient-specific quality assurance, and the newly released Mobius3D for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Methods: This retrospective study includes data from 122 patients who underwent IMRT and VMAT on the Novalis Tx and VitalBeam linear accelerators between April and June 2020. We used a paired t-test to compare portal dosimetry using an electronic portal imaging device and the average gamma passing rates of MobiusFX using log files regenerated after patient treatment. Results: The average gamma passing rates of portal dosimetry (3%/3 mm) and MobiusFX (5%/3 mm) were 99.43%±1.02% and 99.32%±1.87% in VitalBeam and 97.53%±3.34% and 96.45%±13.94% in Novalis Tx, respectively. Comparison of the gamma passing rate results of portal dosimetry (3%/3 mm) and MobiusFX (5%/3 mm as per the manufacturer's manual) does not show any statistically significant difference. Conclusions: Log file-based patient-specific quality assurance, including independent dose calculation, can be appropriately used in clinical practice as a second-check dosimetry, and it is considered comparable with primary quality assurance such as portal dosimetry.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.321-331
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of customer experience management on nursing service satisfaction of cancer patients and their intent to revisit the hospital and also to identify empathy ability of oncology nurses. Methods: Participants were 376 cancer patients and 190 oncology nurses from a tertiary hospital in Korea. Cancer patients' satisfaction with nursing care and intent to continue using the hospital were measured and empathy of oncology nurses was measured using Empathy Construct Rating Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, t-test, one-way ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Patient satisfaction with nursing care and intent to continue using the hospital were higher in patients who received the customer experience management program than those who did not. Oncology nurses' ability to empathize was high. Clinical career, participate in customer experience management and education level together explained 20% of variance in empathy ability of oncology nurses. Conclusion: Findings from this study confirm that customer experience management affects patient satisfaction with nursing service and intent to continue using the hospital. Further research is necessary to reaffirm the empathy ability of the oncology nurses and to identify the related various factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2225-2229
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• 2014

Background: Carcinoma of the tongue is the most common intra-oral malignancy in Western countries. Incidence and mortality rates have increased in recent years, and survival has not improved. This study aimed to determine etiologic factors for tongue cancer with age-sex matched case-control data. Materials and Methods: 47 patients with carcinoma of the tongue referred to our oral medicine clinic between years 2005-2006 were analyzed and compared with control group data. The medical records, including family history of cancer, dental trauma, and history of abuse of alcohol and tobacco products was recorded for all subjects. Chi square comparison tests and linear regression analysis were performed using the SPSS program for statistics. Results: Patient and randomly selected control groups each consisted of 30 male and 17 female subjects with mean ages 53.2 (${\pm}12.6$) and 52.6 (${\pm}11.5$) years respectively. Smoking and alcohol abuse proportions were significantly higher in the patient group (p=0.0001, p<0.0001 respectively). Chronic mechanical trauma was observed in 44.7% of the patients and 17.0% of the control group (p=0.004). Similarly, family history of cancer of any type (for the first degree relatives) was found to be more common in the patient group (p=0.009). On regression analysis, alcohol abuse, family history of cancer, smoking, chronic mechanical traumas appeared as significant etiologic factors (p=0.0001). Conclusions: We believe that field cancerization may become evident in oral and oropharyngeal mucosa with multiple steps of molecular changes starting from the first sign of dysplasia with chronic exposure to etiological factors. Chronic trauma cases need particular attention to search for very early signs of cancer.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-22
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• 2012

Background : Sulfasalazine for treating ulcerative colitis has a clinical limitation due to its adverse effects. This case is about a patient with ulcerative colitis who could not tolerate sulfasalazine and was improved by Do-che decoction-based Korean medicine. Method and Results : Purulent and bloody diarrhea more than 20 times a day, mild fever, chilling and tenesmus were main symptoms of this patient who was diagnosed as ulcerative colitis 10 years ago. Do-che decoction-based Korean medicine which was recommended for purulent and bloody diarrhea in Dong-Ui-Bo-Gam, the classic literature of Traditional Korean Medicine was given to the patient for more than 1 month. After treatment, the frequency of purulent and bloody diarrhea, tenesmus and fever was decreased remarkably, and C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count and maximum temperature also dropped to the normal range. Conclusion : Do-che decoction-based Korean medicine has a potential effect and may be a alternative therapeutic option in patients with ulcerative colitis who cannot tolerate sulfasalazine due to its adverse effects.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2011

The author reports a bile duct cancer patient whose stent shifted significantly from right to left over the course of radiotherapy. The 80-year-old female patient had a short stature with thoracic kyphosis and mutiple spinal compression fractures. She was also emaciated and very lean. By comparing the weekly scanned computed tomography images, the author found her stent to have shifted by more than 4 cm from right to left over the course of external beam radiotherapy. The results of this case study suggest that for a very lean and emaciated kyphotic bile duct cancer patient, the possibility of large interfractional movement of the bile duct or stent during radiotherapy should be considered.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of patient education interventions on distress, self-care knowledge and self-care behavior in cancer patients. Methods: A total of 1,102 studies were retrieved from 6 electronic databases in Korea. From these studies, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 850 participants. Two authors independently assessed the methodological quality by Cochrane's Risk of Bias and Methodological Items for Non Randomized Studies. The data were analyzed by the RevMan 5.1 program of Cochrane library. Results: Overall effect size of education interventions on anxiety was -2.12 (95% CI:-3.90, -0.34) (p<.001). The effects on self-care knowledge and self care behavior were -1.08 (95% CI:-1.73, -0.43) (p=.001), and -1.41 (95% CI:-2.13, -0.68) (p<.001), respectively. Publication bias was detected as evaluated by funnel plot, but the fail-safe number was moderate. Conclusion: This study suggests that patient education interventions can relieve anxiety and self-care. Further randomized controlled trials studies are needed to evaluate the effects of patient education intervention on depression.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.230-235
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• 2020

Systemic therapy for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) still remains challenging because there are no targeted agents or endocrine therapies currently available. The present case report documents the successful use of cisplatin monotherapy to manage a heavily pretreated TNBC patient showing poor response to therapy. The patient was a 51-year-old woman who had already undergone several lines of systemic chemotherapy for widespread TNBC. Although the mutation analysis performed on DNA isolated from blood cells and progressed lesion samples confirmed the tumor to be germline BRCA wild-type, cisplatin monotherapy was administered based on the increasing evidence of safety and efficacy of platinum for breast cancer. After three cycles of cisplatin treatment, the patient's metastatic lesions dramatically improved without any major toxicity, and she completed 17 cycles with good response. This case study indicates that patients with heavily pretreated TNBC can potentially achieve a good response to cisplatin monotherapy.