Background The factors associated with sleep disorder are controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sleep disorder and the factors associated with sleep disorder among Korean adult cancer survivors.
Methods In this cross-sectional study, we collected data on sleep problems as outcome variables, and sociodemographic and clinical information as predictor variables from cancer survivors at two university-affiliated hospitals. Sleep disorder was defined as “a difficulty in sleep initiation or sleep maintenance at least 3 times a week that started after a cancer diagnosis.” Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) to evaluate the factors associated with sleep disorder.
Results The participants were 1,893 Korean cancer survivors (mean age, 58.1 years; females 68.0%). The prevalence of sleep disorder among male and female cancer survivors were 16.5% and 20.3%, respectively. An increase of age by 1-year was associated with a 1.04 (95% CI, 1.01–1.07; P=0.011) times higher risk of sleep disorder in males, while an inverse association was found in females. In female survivors, high fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), high anxiety, menopause, and high EuroQol Visual Analog Scale were associated with 1.45 (95% CI, 1.06–1.98; P=0.020), 1.78 (95% CI, 1.25–2.55; P=0.002), 1.70 (95% CI, 1.08–2.67; P=0.022), and 0.59 (95% CI, 0.43–0.82; P=0.002) times higher risk of sleep disorder, respectively. In male survivors, living with a spouse/or partner was associated with 57% (95% CI, 0.20–0.95; P=0.036) lower risk of sleep disorder. Analyses of cancer sites showed that the factors associated with sleep disorder varied across cancer sites.
Conclusion One-fifth of adult cancer survivors had sleep disorder. Age, menopausal status, FCR, anxiety, living with a spouse or partner, and quality of life were independently associated with sleep disorder in Korean cancer survivors.
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Background This study aimed to evaluate the association between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) among breast cancer survivors, using a validated multidimensional FCR-assessing instrument. Despite the debate over its medical effects, the use of CAM in breast cancer survivors is increasing.
Methods We recruited 326 breast cancer survivors who had completed the primary cancer treatment. Information on CAM use was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire, and FCR was assessed using the Korean version of the FCR Inventory (FCRI). Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between CAM use and FCR.
Results CAM users had higher total FCR scores than CAM non-users after covariate adjustment (CAM users: 74.6 vs. CAM non-users: 68.7; P=0.047). Among the FCRI subscales, CAM users showed higher coping strategy scores (CAM users: 22.3 vs. CAM non-users: 20.6; P=0.034) in the multivariable adjusted analysis. The use of multiple types of CAM was associated with increased FCR in a dose-dependent manner (P=0.002).
Conclusion Breast cancer survivors who used CAM had a higher FCR than CAM non-users. The dose-response relationship between the use of multiple types of CAM and FCR suggests that breast cancer survivors who use multiple types of CAM should be provided with appropriate psychological interventions to decrease FCR.
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Background Dietary supplements (DS) use is known to be common among cancer survivors. However, detailed information on the factors influencing DS use seems insufficient, including cancer-related and psychological factors.
Methods Study subjects were 1,852 Korean adult cancer survivors recruited from cancer survivor clinic of two university-affiliated hospitals. Data were collected retrospectively through review of medical records and self-administered questionnaires. Psychological factors were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form. Factors associated the DS use were evaluated by multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for covariates.
Results The prevalence of long-term DS use was 15.7% in overall (17.5% in female and 11.6% in male). Female survivors were 3.14 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.89–5.22) more likely to use DS than male. In male cancer survivors, ever-smoking and previous radiotherapy were positively associated with DS use. In females, breast cancer survivors were 0.32 times less likely to use DS compared with stomach cancer survivors, and survivors with family history of cancer were 1.39 times more likely to use DS than those without. After adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors, survivors with anxiety (HADS ≥8) used DS 1.38 times (95% CI, 1.01–1.91) more frequently, compared with those without anxiety.
Conclusion Diverse factors such as female sex, cancer treatment modality, smoking history, family history and anxiety status were associated with DS use in Korean cancer survivors. Targeted strategies with consideration of these factors are needed for counseling DS use for cancer survivors.
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Background This study aimed to investigate trends in the prevalence of current smokers and motivation to quit among Korean male cancer survivors.
Methods Out of 20,012 men who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (2010–2012), VI (2013–2015), and VII (2016–2017), 742 cancer survivors were included. A cancer survivor was defined as a person who concurred to the item, “The cancer has been diagnosed by a doctor” in the health questionnaire. Smoking status was classified as current, former, and never smokers. Regarding motivation to quit smoking, we defined those who had a willingness to quit within 6 months as the willing group. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine trends in the prevalence of current smokers and the proportion of the willing group among current smokers.
Results Overall, 3.7% of Korean men who participated in the study were cancer survivors. Current smokers constituted 19.5%, 19.1%, and 15.3% of cancer survivors in phases V, VI, and VII respectively which did not show significant changes (P for trend=0.33). However, the proportion of current smokers in the non-cancer group was significantly reduced to 46.6%, 41.2%, and 38.9% in phases V, VI, and VII, respectively (P for trend <0.001). The proportion of those with a motivation to quit smoking did not show a significant trend in the cancer survivors (P for trend=0.964) and non-cancer group (P for trend=0.884).
Conclusion Prevalence of current smokers and motivation to quit in Korean male cancer survivors did not show significant trends.
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Background Cancer survivors experience decreased physical function and reduced muscle strength, which leads to lower quality of life (QOL). The hand grip strength (HGS) can be a predictor of poor health-related QOL as a parameter of sarcopenia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between low HGS and QOL in cancer survivors and healthy controls.
Methods We analyzed 392 cancer survivors and 1,176 healthy controls from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2014–2017. We defined low HGS as 2 standard deviation values for healthy young Korean adults from a previous study. QOL was evaluated using the European Quality of Life Scale-Five Dimensions. A complex sample logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship between each dimension of low HGS and QOL.
Results The odds ratios (ORs) for decreased QOL were significantly higher in male cancer survivors with low HGS on self-care (OR, 8.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69–42.83) and usual activities (OR, 6.63; 95% CI, 1.22–36.03). The ORs for problems in mobility (OR, 5.87; 95% CI, 2.04–16.91), usual activities (OR, 14.46; 95% CI, 3.84–54.44), pain/discomfort (OR, 4.90; 95% CI, 2.00–12.01), and anxiety/depression (OR, 6.43; 95% CI, 2.16–19.12) were significantly high in female cancer survivors with low HGS. However, healthy controls showed no significant relationship between low HGS and QOL.
Conclusion For cancer survivors, low HGS was associated with poor QOL in some domains. Strategies to increase muscle strength must be considered to improve the QOL of cancer survivors.
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Korean J Fam Med 2020;41(4):222-228. Published online April 22, 2020
Background Problem drinking increases the incidence of all-cause mortality and specific cancers, and persistent drinking is associated with cardiovascular disease in certain cancer survivors. This study analyzed the cardiovascular risk factors before and after diagnosis in Korean cancer survivors.
Methods Data for the period between 2002 and 2013 were collected from the National Health Insurance Service Health-Examinee Cohort Database. Among the 27,835 patients included, those with moderate alcohol consumption before and after cancer diagnosis were excluded. Problem drinking was defined as males under 65 years consuming over 14 glasses a week, and males over 65 years or females consuming over seven glasses a week. A t-test, chi-square test, and linear regression analysis were performed for differences in cardiovascular risk factors and differences according to cancer types.
Results There was a difference in the body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol among patients who became moderate drinkers after diagnosis, but fasting blood glucose did not show any significant changes. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease were analyzed in patients with liver, stomach, rectal, and breast cancer with improved drinking behavior, and there were significant differences in body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and total cholesterol in stomach cancer patients.
Conclusion Moderate drinking can lower cardiovascular risk in cancer survivors, and among the many drinking-related cancers, stomach cancer patients demonstrated significantly reduced cardiovascular risk factors.
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With the early detection of cancer and improvement in cancer therapy, the number of cancer survivors is rapidly increasing. This number is expected to reach 2 million by the end of 2019. Cancer survivors struggle with not only cancer-related health problems but also diverse acute and chronic diseases. These health issues make cancer survivorship more complex, and proper care coordination is necessary. This study aimed to summarize the definition of cancer experience and management of cancer survivors, specifically focused on gastric, colorectal, lung, breast, thyroid, prostate, and cervical cancers. Furthermore, it aimed to discuss the role of primary care in cancer survivorship and survivorship care models and the National Policy for Cancer Survivors and Future Challenges.
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Background Few studies have reported on the trends in influenza vaccination rates among cancer survivors in Korea. We investigated these trends over a recent 11-year period (2005–2015).
Methods Data were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) III– VI (2005–2015). After excluding individuals younger than 40 years of age, the participants included 2,210 cancer survivors (861 men and 1,349 women). We categorized these study participants into four groups according to age and sex.
Results The influenza vaccination rate decreased significantly among male cancer survivors, with rates of 74.8, 64.7, 56.2, and 55.2% (β coefficient=-0.257, P for trend <0.001) in KNHANES III, VI, V, and VI, respectively. While influenza vaccination rates decreased significantly among older male cancer survivors (≥65 years) (β coefficient=-0.359, P for trend=0.017), they increased among older female cancer survivors (β coefficient=0.375, P for trend=0.011) from 2005 to 2015.
Conclusion Influenza vaccination rates in older cancer survivors significantly decreased in men but increased in women in successive KNHANES phases. Efforts are needed to improve immunization education and awareness, especially in older male cancer survivors.
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Background Cancer survivors are at a higher risk of primary cancer recurrence and development of second primary cancer. In both cases, early disease detection is crucial. This cross-sectional study assessed cancer screening participation rates according to cancer history.
Methods Data were obtained from the 2010–2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 12,500 participants. Of these, 624 cancer survivors were enrolled in this study. Sampling weights were applied to maintain the representativeness of the Korean adult population.
Results Overall 2-year cancer screening rates prior to the survey in male and female cancer survivors were 59.9% and 73.7%, respectively, while opportunistic cancer screening rates were 33.5% and 52.1%, respectively. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of the overall cancer screening among the cancer survivors, compared to others, were 1.16 (0.79–1.72) in male and 1.78 (1.20–2.63) in female participants, after the adjustment for confounding variables. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for opportunistic cancer screening and National Cancer Screening Program among cancer survivors were 1.56 (1.07–2.27) and 0.80 (0.53–1.21) in males and 2.05 (1.46–2.88) and 0.66 (0.46–0.95) in females.
Conclusion Female cancer survivors showed a higher rate of overall and opportunistic cancer screening than did the male cancer survivors. Further efforts are required to improve cancer screening among male cancer survivors.
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