Quality of Life Differences between Younger and Older Breast Cancer Patients / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate quality of life (QOL) differences between younger ( or =50 years) breast cancer survivors and to determine the unique effect of age on QOL after adjusting age-correlated variables. METHODS: One thousand two hundred fifty patients were enrolled. Clinicopatholgical and social parameters were reviewed and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast cancer instrument (FACT-B) and the Ladder of Life scale were used to measure the QOL. Among 1,250 eligible patients, 1,094 patients completed the questionnaire and were used for analysis. Chi-square test, t-test and a series of multiple regression analyses were conducted to verify age-related differences in QOL between two groups and to evaluate the unique contribution of age variable on QOL of breast cancer patients. RESULTS: Significant socio-demographic and clinical differences existed based on age categories, including education, job, time since surgery, chemotherapy and daily activity. Also, there were significant age-related differences in FACT-B total, physical well-being, social/family well-being, functional well-being and breast cancer subscale and in subjective QOL. Older patients > or =50 years showed significantly lower QOL than younger patients <50 years. However, after controlling for age-correlated variables including job, education, time since surgery, chemotherapy, and daily activity, there was no unique age difference in QOL among breast cancer survivors. CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that older women with breast carcinoma suffered significantly lower QOL, even though the unique age effect was not found. Therefore, various interventions for enhancing QOL for women with breast carcinoma should be provided to older age group.

Factors of Occurrence of Amenorrhea and Climacteric Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients Underwent Chemotherapy / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the factors of occurrence of amenorrhea and the severity of climacteric symptoms in breast cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy. METHOD: Women diagnosed with breast cancer without metastasis or recurrence, had surgery followed by chemotherapy, and had menses at the time of surgery were recruited from S hospital located in Seoul. A total of 99 women aged 31 thru 55 years participated and filled out a structured questionnaire including the Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast plus Endocrine Symptom when they visited the clinic for follow-up. RESULT: In 88 women amenorrhea occurred within an average of 2 months since beginning chemotherapy, and menstruation was resumed in only 11 women. About 98% of women aged over 40 experienced a cessation in menses thus age was an apparent factor of amenorrhea (Exp(B)=.76, p<.05). Presence of chronic disease (beta=.25, p<.05) and body weight change (beta=.30, p<.01) were significant factors influencing the severity of climacteric symptoms. CONCLUSION: Nurses need to have clinical evidences of menstrual changes due to breast cancer treatment. Information about premature menopause and climacteric symptoms should be provided according to women's health conditions so that they cope better during their survival.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax associated with Thoracic Endometriosis: Report of a case / 대한흉부외과학회지

Pneumothorax associated with thoracic endometriosis is a rare clinical entity and it is called catamenial pneumothorax if the recurrence of pneumothorax is related to the period of menstruation. Several hypotheses about its pathogenesis are suggested including spontaneous rupture of the bulla, endometrial implants of the visceral pleura, and passage of air from the genital tract through endometrial fenestration of the diaphragm. Pneumothorax is associated with chest pain and dyspnea within 72 hours of the onset of menses in young women and developed usually at right side. We report a case of 32-year-old woman who had bilateral pneumothorax and thoracic endometriosis confirmed histopathologically in the visceral pleura by thoracotomy.

A study on CT stage of cervix cancer

CT findings and comparison between clinical and CT staging were reviewed in 45 consecutive patients withbiopsy proven carcinoma of the cervix. CT was done for staging of primary untreted cercial cancer in 36 patientsand for diagnosis of recurrent cervical cancer or follow-up study 14 times in 9 patients . The results are asfollows; 1. As comparing with clinical staging in 36 cases, CT agreed with clinical stage in 19 cases (52.8%),upstaged in 10 cases(27.8%) and downstaged inn 7 cases (19.4%). 2. The main upstaged CT findings are detection ofunsuspected bladder or rectal invasion and paraaortic lymph node metastasis. Inadequate delineation ofintravaginal tumor was the leading causes of understage of CT than clinical one. 3. CT detected all 10 cases ofthe hydronephrosis shown by IVP and detected unsuspected bladder invasion in 3 cases. 4. CT was valuable in thediagnosis of recurrent tumor and follow-up study after treatment. 5. CT offeres distinct advantages over clinicalstaging and can be integrated into the present FIGO classification of uterine cervix carcinoma. CT can served asan initial radiological staging work-up of primary of recurrent cervical carcinoma.

A study on ultrasonographic analysis of jaundiced patients

In 101 jaundiced patients, gray scale ultrasonography of longitudinal scan in RAO position demonstrated themeasurable extrahepatic biliary system in 73 patient; 17 cases (50%) of those with nonobstructive jaundice and 56cases (84%) of those with obstructive jaundice. The size of the internal diameter of extrahepatic biliary systemindicated that obstructive jaundice was best differentiated from non-obstructive jaundice when diameter above 7mm served as abnormal extrahepatic duct in jaundiced patients, giving sensitivity 85.5% specificity 97% anddiagnostic accuracy 89.5% by decision matrix analysis. The overall etiological diagnostic accuracy in obstructivejaundice was 40% which had higher one in choledocholithiasis and pancreas head carcinoma than other diseases. Thesonography should be imaging procedure of choice in differential diagnosis of jaundiced patients, which is simple, safe, noninvasive and has high diagnostic accuracy in differentiation between the two.