• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.120-129
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the degree of menopause symptoms and associated factors in patients with breast cancer who were receiving hormone therapy. Methods: Data were collected with questionnaires from 150 patients with breast cancer who had been on hormone therapy at a hospital in Seoul. Data were analyzed with the t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient to compare the degree of menopause symptoms by demographic, clinical and psychological factors. Results: The mean menopause symptoms score was $13.39{\pm}7.97$. Most participants reported having hot flushes and sweating (75.3%), physical and mental exhaustion (82.7%) and sexual problems (64.7%). Menopause symptoms and depression were correlated with each other (p<.01). Somato-vegetative symptoms were different significantly by age, menopausal status at time of operation, occupation and tumor. Psychological symptoms were different significantly by marital status, operation type and chemotherapy. Urogenital symptoms were different significantly by prior history of cancer, occupation, operation type and radiation therapy. Conclusion: These findings can be used to provide tailored nursing interventions by identifying high risk groups for menopausal symptom among breast cancer patients receiving hormone therapy.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2015

Purpose: To investigate factors influencing the evaluation of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) at follow-up breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after adjuvant endocrine therapy. Materials and Methods: One hundred twelve women with breast cancer and MRI of the contralateral unaffected breast before and after endocrine therapy were identified. Two readers in consensus performed blinded side-by-side comparison of BPE (minimal, mild, moderate, and marked) before and after therapy with categorical scales. Age, body mass index, menopausal status, treatment regimen (selective estrogen receptor modulator or aromatase inhibitor), chemotherapy, follow-up duration, BPE at baseline MRI, MRI field strength before and after therapy, and recurrence were analyzed for their influences on decreased BPE. Results: Younger age, premenopausal status, treatment with selective estrogen receptor modulator, MRI field strength, and moderate or marked baseline BPE were significantly associated with decreased BPE. In multivariate analysis, MRI field strength and baseline BPE showed a significant association. Conclusion: MRI field strength and baseline BPE before and after therapy .were associated with decreased BPE at post-therapy, follow-up MRI.