• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3593-3599
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• 2014

Background: Efficacy of childhood cancer treatment in low-income countries may be impacted by parents' and health-care providers' perspectives on chemotherapy-related side-effects. This study explores prevalence and severity of side-effects in childhood cancer, and compares health beliefs about side-effects between parents and health-care providers, and between nurses and doctors in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: Semi-structured questionnaires were filled in by 40 parents and 207 health-care providers in an academic hospital. Results: Parents exporessed a desire to receive more information about side-effects (98%) and worried about this aspect of treatment (90%), although side-effects were less severe than expected (66%). The most frequent was behavior alteration (98%) and the most severe was hair loss. Only 26% of parents consulted doctors about side-effects. More parents, compared to health-care providers, believed that medicines work better when side-effects are more severe (p<0.001), and accepted severe side-effects (p=0.021). More health-care providers, compared to parents, believed that chemotherapy can be stopped or the dosage altered when there are side-effects (p=0.011). More nurses, compared to doctors, stated that side-effects were unbearable (p=0.004) and made them doubt efficacy of treatment (p<0.001). Conclusions: Behavior alteration is the most frequent and hair loss the most severe side-effect. Apparent discrepancies in health beliefs about side-effects exist between parents and health-care providers. A sustainable parental education program about side-effects is recommended. Health-care providers need to update and improve their knowledge and communication skills in order to give appropriate information. Suchmeasures may improve outcome of childhood cancer treatment in low-income countries, where adherence to therapy is a major issue.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.253-259
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• 2011

Purpose: Long-term survivors of childhood cancer appear to have an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome, subsequent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adulthood compared to healthy children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of the metabolic syndrome and associated factors in childhood cancer survivors at a single center in Korea. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of medical records of 98 childhood cancer survivors who were diagnosed and completed anticancer treatment at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea between Jan. 1996 and Dec. 2007. Parameters of metabolic syndrome were evaluated between Jan. 2008 and Dec. 2009. Clinical and biochemical findings including body fat percentage were analyzed. Results: A total of 19 (19.4%) patients had the metabolic syndrome. The median body fat percentage was 31.5%. The body mass index and waist circumference were positively correlated with the cranial irradiation dose (r=0.38, P<0.001 and r=0.44, P<0.00, respectively). Sixty-one (62.2%) patients had at least one abnormal lipid value. The triglyceride showed significant positive correlation with the body fat percentage (r=0.26, P=0.03). The high density lipoprotein cholesterol showed significant negative correlation with the percent body fat (r=- 0.26, P=0.03). Conclusion: Childhood cancer survivors should have thorough metabolic evaluation including measurement of body fat percentage even if they are not obese. A better understanding of the determinants of the metabolic syndrome during adolescence might provide preventive interventions for improving health outcomes in adulthood.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.290-302
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the attributes of social adjustment among adolescent cancer survivors using concept analysis and to propose a definition of the concept. Methods: In accordance with the hybrid model of concept analysis, this study employed a three-phase circular process comprising theoretical, fieldwork, and final analysis phases. A thorough literature review was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and Korean databases, followed by qualitative fieldwork with seven participants. The results derived from the theoretical and fieldwork phases were integrated into the final analysis phase. Results: Four attributes of social adjustment were found in adolescent cancer survivors: having harmonious relationships with friends, having harmonious relationships with boy/girlfriends, fulfilling their present roles, and planning for and expecting future roles. The following definition of social adjustment of adolescent cancer survivors is proposed: "the conquering of difficulties arising from the continuum of childhood cancer and the achievement of the developmental tasks of typical adolescents." Conclusion: Social adjustment of childhood cancer survivors is crucial for integrating them into society. The findings of this study provide a basis for developing an instrument to measure the social adjustment of adolescent cancer survivors and for developing of interventions that target this group.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4445-4450
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• 2016

Background: This study explored perspectives of health-care providers on childhood cancer treatment in Kenya. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 104 health-care providers in January and February 2013. Results: Seventy six percent of the health-care providers believed cancer to be curable. More doctors than other health-care providers had this positive opinion (p=0.037). The majority of health-care providers (92%) believed that most children with cancer will not be able to finish their treatment due to financial difficulties. They considered that prosperous highly-educated parents adhere better with treatment (88%) and that doctors adhere better with treatment for prosperous highly-educated parents (79%). According to 74% of health-care providers, quality of care is better for prosperous highly-educated parents (74%). Most health-care providers reported giving more explanation (71%), work with greater accuracy (70%) and use less difficult vocabulary (55%) to prosperous more educated families. Only 34% of health-care providers reported they feel more empathy towards patients from prosperous families. Reasons for non-adherence with the protocol according to health-care providers are: family refuses drugs (85%), inadequate supply of drugs at pharmacy (79%), child looks ill (75%), and financial difficulties of parents (69%). Conclusions: Health-care providers' health beliefs and attitudes differ for patients with families having high versus low socio-economic backgrounds.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1717-1723
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• 2016

Background: This study assessed parental experiences with chemotherapy-induced alopecia among children with cancer treated at an Indonesian academic hospital. Materials and Methods: Fifty parents of childhood cancer patients were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Results: The moment that hair fell out was the moment that parents (84%) had to admit their child had cancer. Alopecia was a traumatizing painful experience (46%). Active strategies to hide alopecia, mainly hats, were used by 66% of children, while 34% never covered their bald head. If money had not been an issue, 40% would use another strategy. Alopecia made children limit outdoor daily activities (78%) and engagement with others (60%). Significantly more children from high-educated (95%) than low-educated (60%) parents received sympathy from other people (P=0.012). Significantly more Christian (29%) than Muslim (0%) families confirmed that alopecia lowered the quality of life (P=0.046). Most parents (82%) had no prior plans about alopecia management, yet for significantly more girls (26%) than boys (0%) such plans existed (P=0.044). Parents received most information about alopecia from other parents (66%). Parents (92%) needed more alopecia education from doctors. Of all school-attending children, 53% were bullied and 47% did not want to attend school due to alopecia. Significantly more high-educated than low-educated families received pity from teachers and pupils (94% vs. 0%, P=0.004), and acceptance by pupils (81% vs. 0%, P=0.021). Conclusions: Alopecia is a severe, far-stretching side-effect of chemotherapy with physical, psychological and social consequences for children and parents. Parents should be better informed about occurrence and impact of alopecia. Extra attention is required to facilitate children's return to school. Healthcare providers should facilitate optimal supportive care through open dialogue and provision of educational m aterials for parents, children and their community.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.606-612
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• 2007

Since the introduction of chemotherapy for the treatment of childhood leukemia more than 50 years ago, the results of childhood cancer have improved dramatically. The 5-year survival rate of disease, many of which were uniformly fatal in the prechemotherapy era, reached to more than 75%. This remarkable improvement in survival is a direct result of the incorporation of chemotherapeutics into treatment regimens that previously relied only on surgery or radiotherapy for the primary tumor. The multimodality approach, which integrates surgery and radiotherapy to control local disease with chemotherapy to eradicate systemic or metastatic disease, has become the standard approach to treating most childhood cancers. The overall improvement in outcomes in childhood solid tumors has been related to the development of multidisplinary cooperative studies that has permitted the development of well-designed tumor treatment protocols characterized by uniform staging criteria, sharing informations in pathologic classification, uniform methods for tumor markers, oncogenes, and other biologic and genetic factors. Important advances in the biologic study of cancer and its genetic basis led to a number of observations that impact directly on the management of childhood solid tumors. Identification of specific genes, oncogenes, tumor markers, and other biologic and pathologic factors plays an important role in both staging and clarifying the risk categorization of individual patients. Treatment of the patient is influenced by the recognition of specific risk factors. This knowledge has resulted in a change in the approach to care based not only on staging criteria, but also on risk-based management. This concept uses various risk factors of outcomes. Risk-based management allows for each patient to maximize survival, minimize long-term morbidity and improve the quality of life, especially for children's growth and development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3959-3962
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• 2016

The ten-eleven-translocation-2 (TET2) gene is a novel tumor suppressor gene involved in several hematological malignancies of myeloid and lymphoid origin. Besides loss-of-function mutations and deletions, hypermethylation of the CpG island at the TET2 promoter has been found in human cancers. The TET2 encoded protein regulates DNA methylation. The present study aimed to examine DNA promoter methylation of TET2 in 100 childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases and 120 healthy children in southeast Iran. In addition, mRNA expression levels were assessed in 30 new cases of ALL and 32 controls. Our ndings indicated that promoter methylation of TET2 signi cantly increases the risk of ALL (OR=2.60, 95% CI=1.31-5.12, p=0.0060) in comparison with absent methylation. Furthermore, the TET2 gene was signi cantly downregulated in childhood ALL compared to healthy children (p=0.0235). The results revealed that hypermethylation and downregulation of TET2 gene may play a role in predisposition to childhood ALL. Further studies with larger sample sizes and different ethnicities are needed to con rm our ndings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.621-623
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• 2012

To estimate the genetic susceptibility for childhood lymphoma, we conducted an association study for 23 cases and 148 controls. Total 1536 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected in 138 candidate gene regions related to immune responses, apoptosis, the cell cycle, and DNA repair. Twelve SNPs were significantly associated with the risk of lymphoma ($P_{trend}$ <0.05) in six genes ($IL1RN$, $IL2$, $IL12RB1$, $JAK3$, $TNFRSF13B$, and $XRCC3$). The most significant association was seen for $IL2$ variant rs2069762 ($OR_{TG+GG}$ vs. TT=3.43 (1.29-9.11), $P_{trend}$=0.002, min$P$=0.005). These findings suggest that common genetic variants in $IL2$ might play a role in the pathogenesis of childhood lymphoma.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 2024

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity has increased and exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, both in Korea and globally. Childhood and adolescent obesity poses significant risks for premature morbidity and mortality. The development of serious comorbidities depends not only on the duration of obesity but also on the age of onset. Obesity in children and adolescents affects almost all organ systems, including the endocrine, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, nervous, and immune systems. Obesity in children and adolescents affects growth, cognitive function, and psychosocial interactions during development, in addition to aggravating known adult comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer. Childhood and adolescent obesity are highly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in later life can be considerably decreased by even a small weight loss before the onset of puberty. Childhood and adolescent obesity is a disease that requires treatment and is associated with many comorbidities and disease burdens. Therefore, early detection and therapeutic intervention are crucial.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.4985-4989
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• 2016

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel class of non-protein coding RNAs that are involved in a wide variety of biological processes. There are limited data regarding the impact of lnc-LAMC2-1:1 rs2147578 as well as CASC8 rs10505477 T>C polymorphisms on cancer development. Here we examined for the first time whether rs2147578 and rs10505477 polymorphisms are associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in a total of 110 cases and 120 healthy controls. Genotyping was achieved by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The rs2147578 variant increased the risk of ALL in codominant (OR=4.33, 95%CI=2.00-9.37, p<0.0001, CG vs CC, and OR=5.81, 95%CI=2.30-14.69, p=0.0002, GG vs CC), dominant (OR=4.63, 95%CI=2.18-9.86, p<0.0001, CG+GG vs CC), overdominant (OR=1.74, 95%CI=1.02-2.97, p=0.0444, CG vs CC+GG) and allele (OR=1.91, 95%CI=1.32-2.77, p=0.0008, G vs C) inheritance models tested. No significant association was found between the CASC8 rs10505477 T>C variant and risk of childhood ALL. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the lnc-LAMC2-1:1 rs2147578 polymorphism may be a risk factor for developing childhood ALL. Further studies with larger sample sizes with different ethnicities are now required to confirm our findings.