Cancer coping self-efficacy, symptoms and their relationship with quality of life among cancer survivors.

Purpose: Cancer coping self-efficacy refers to an individual's confidence in dealing with challenges from cancer-related events, and a positive association with quality of life (QoL) has been demonstrated. Considering unresolved physical and psychological symptoms at the survivorship phase, which are known to worsen QoL, the association between cancer coping self-efficacy and QoL needs to be evaluated controlling for known contributing factors of QoL. This study aimed to describe cancer survivors' cancer coping self-efficacy, symptoms and their relationship with QoL.

Nano-sized drug delivery systems to potentiate the immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Introduction: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is now FDA-approved for the treatment of various tumor types. By removing inhibitory signals for T-cell activation and disrupting the immune escape mechanism of tumor cells, ICB therapy has shown considerable efficacy with complete tumor regression in patients. However, patients respond poorly to this therapy and show limited response rates owing to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ITM) in cold tumors.

Self-efficacy for coping with cancer and quality of life in advanced gastric cancer patients.

Purpose: Coping is one of the most frequently addressed topics in palliative care. Beliefs and expectations about one's own capacity to cope with cancer will lead to actual coping, which is known to contribute to quality of life (QoL). The current study aimed to describe self-efficacy (SE) for coping with cancer and to evaluate its relationship with QoL in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients.

Prevalence and prognostic implications of psychological distress in patients with gastric cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of psychological distress in gastric cancer patients.

Methods: The study population included 229 gastric cancer patients visiting Yonsei Cancer Center between November 2009 and March 2011. The distress was measured by available tools including the Modified Distress Thermometer (MDT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D).

Gaps exist between patients' experience and clinicians' awareness of symptoms after chemotherapy: CINV and accompanying symptoms.

Introduction: Correlating patients' chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) experience with clinicians' understanding of the symptom severity and the patients' and clinicians' symptom management goals would aid in advancing symptom management. Identifying rankings of symptom severity after chemotherapy would help prioritizing symptom management.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare patients' CINV experience and clinicians' awareness of symptoms and symptom management goals.

Controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea requires further improvement: symptom experience and risk factors among Korean patients.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to describe the incidence and intensity of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and patterns of symptom change after chemotherapy among Korean cancer patients for whom antiemetic guidelines were widely utilized and guideline-consistent antiemetics were available. The study also aimed to determine the contribution of known risk factors for CINV to the incidence and intensity of CINV, as well as patterns of symptom change.

Methods: A prospective observational descriptive study was conducted.

Caregiving burden and the quality of life of family caregivers of cancer patients: the relationship and correlates.

Purpose: Family caregivers of cancer patients become responsible for many elements of cancer care, usually without preparation or training in provision of care. Their efforts of care generate caregiving burden, which could deteriorate caregivers' quality of life (QOL).

Method: A secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to describe the influence of caregiving burden on the QOL of family caregivers of cancer patients with consideration of correlates (N = 212).

Caregiving burden and health-promoting behaviors among the family caregivers of cancer patients.

Purpose: The role of family caregivers in cancer care continues to expand, and it has been suggested that the caregiving influences health-promoting behaviors. The purpose was to describe the caregiving burden and health-promoting behaviors of the family caregivers of cancer patients and to determine the relationship between caregiving burden and health-promoting behaviors.

Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted involving 227 family caregivers of adult cancer patients.

Prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among Korean cancer patients.

Objectives: This study primarily aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress among Korean cancer patients. Its secondary objective was to classify mental illnesses among cancer patients with significant psychological distress.

Methods: We administered the Modified Distress Thermometer (MDT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) to consecutive, newly diagnosed cancer patients and conducted subsequent psychiatric interviews.

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as an adjuvant to pharmacotherapy in patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.

Background: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been widely used to treat patients with depressive disorder to prevent relapse. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of newly developed MBCT program as an adjuvant to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.

Methods: Forty-six patients with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder were assigned to either MBCT or an anxiety disorder education (ADE) program for a period of 8 weeks.