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Purpose: Bone loss resulting from cancer treatment is an emerging problem among cancer survivors. However, the mechanism and treatment of cancer treatment-induced bone loss (CTIBL) is not fully understood. The purpose of this article was to review the recent advances in CTIBL. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted. Results: Risk factors for CTIBL that are unique to or commonly found in cancer survivors include chemotherapy-induced menopause, anti-estrogen and anti-androgen therapies, gonadotropin-releasing hormone suppression of gonadal function, and use of glucocorticoids. Assessment of CTIBL is performed using dual X-ray absorptiometry testing for measurement of BMD levels, Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, and bone turnover markers. Initial strategies for prevention of CTIBL include lifestyle modifications such as exercise, an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, avoiding tobacco use, and limiting alcohol intake. Pharmacologic therapy should be considered for patients at high risk for bone loss or fracture. Conclusions: Prevention of CTIBL may be the best way to decrease morbidity and financial costs associated with osteoporosis and/or fractures. Oncology nurses should be well prepared to identify cancer survivors at risk of CTIBL, and to provide them with education regarding prevention and treatment of CTIBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Needs Assessment Tool for Case Management (NATCM) for use with Korean medical aid beneficiaries. Methods: Psychometric testing was performed with a sample of 645 Korean medical aid beneficiaries, which included 41 beneficiaries who were selected using proportional sampling method, to examine intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Data were evaluated using item analyses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Cronbach's alpha, and ICC. Results: Through psychometric testing the final version of NATCM was found to consist of two subscales: 1) Appropriateness of Health Care Utilization (5 items) and 2) Self Care Ability (6 items). The two subscale model was validated by CFA (RMSEA=.08, GFI=.97, and CFI=.93). Internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha was .82, and subscale reliability ranged from .79 to .84. The ICC of the NATCM between case managers was .73 and between case managers and health care professionals. .82. Conclusion: This study suggests that the final version of NATCM is a brief, reliable, and valid instrument to measure needs of Korean medical aid beneficiaries. Therefore, the NATCM can be effectively utilized as an important needs assessment as well as outcome evaluation tool for case management programs in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Candida haemulonii, a yeast species that often exhibits antifungal resistance, rarely causes human infection. During 2004-2006, unusual yeast isolates with phenotypic similarity to C. haemulonii were recovered from 23 patients (8 patients with fungemia and 15 patients with chronic otitis media) in 5 hospitals in Korea. Methods. Isolates were characterized using D1/D2 domain and ITS gene sequencing, and the susceptibility of the isolates to 6 antifungal agents was tested in vitro. Results. Gene sequencing of the blood isolates confirmed C. haemulonii group I (in 1 patient) and Candida pseudohaemulonii (in 7 patients), whereas all isolates recovered from the ear were a novel species of which C. haemulonii is its closest relative. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, and voriconazole for all isolates were 0.5-32 μg/mL (MIC50, 1 μg/mL), 2-128 μg/mL (MIC50, 4 μg/mL), 0.125-4 μg/mL (MIC50, 0.25 μg/mL), and 0.03-2 μg/mL (MIC50, 0.06 μg/mL), respectively. All isolates were susceptible to caspofungin (MIC, 0.125-0.25 μg/mL) and micafungin (MIC, 0.03-0.06 μg/mL). All cases of fungemia occurred in patients with severe underlying diseases who had central venous catheters. Three patients developed breakthrough fungemia while receiving antifungal therapy, and amphotericin B therapeutic failure, which was associated with a high MIC of amphotericin B (32 μg/mL), was observed in 2 patients. Conclusions. Candida species that are closely related to C. haemulonii are emerging sources of infection in Korea. These species show variable patterns of susceptibility to amphotericin B and azole antifungal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL-K) for use with 140 palliative care patients in Korea. Our results confirmed the suitability of using the 16 questions of the questionnaire clustered into four domains (physical, psychological, existential and support) as in the original version of the MQOL, although the distribution of items among the domains differed somewhat from the original. The MQOL-K demonstrated moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's α, 0.62–0.90), convergent validity without scaling error, and a good concurrent validity with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, sense of dignity, and general health perception. In addition, we tested the clinical validity of the MQOL-K using a known group comparison to quantify sensitivity. Regression results indicated that the existential and psychological domains had independent effects on the overall quality of life of patients in Korea. Therefore, the MQOL-K is deemed suitable for assessing the quality of life in a Korean palliative care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "p53 codon 72 polymorphism in patients with gastric and colorectal cancer in a Korean population," by Hye-Rim Song and colleagues is presented.