PURPOSE
This exploratory study was to identify the use of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) in women with breast cancer and to analyze which factor influence CAM use.
METHODS
114 patients with breast cancer were identified and approached. The instrument used to gather data were the common types, main reasons and effects as well as stress, mood states and fatigue.
RESULTS
42.7% of all participants reported the use of CAM. The most common types of CAM used were Phellinus linteus, elm tree, and vitamin C. The main reasons for CAM use were to boost the immune system and to prevent recurrence. Prayer, massage, Shitake mushroom, and Ganoderma lucidum were, identified as being more effective than others. 93.6% of the respondents informed their physicians of their use of CAM. Logistic regression analysis determined that stress, mood states, and duration after diagnosis were factors significantly associated with CAM use.
CONCLUSION
CAM use is increasing among patients with breast cancer. Health care professionals are in the main position to identify what treatments patients are using and implement CAM therapies that can be helpful to relieve patient symptoms related to treatment and psychological distress.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to study complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) used among cancer patients in Korea.
METHOD
This study was a descriptive survey. Study participants were 1,150 cancer patients selected from 28 representative hospitals in Korea. Data were collected between December 1, 2004 and March 30, 2005.
RESULTS
Their diagnosis were as follows : 20.0% for breast cancer, 15.6% for stomach cancer, 14.4% for liver cancer, 10.8% for lung cancer, 10.0% for colon cancer, and 10.0% for uterine cancer. 75.0% of cancer patients had used CAM. The most popular categories of CAM use were diet with 153.2%, non-prescription of oriental medical doctor 47.9% and mind-body control 20.3%. CAM use gender, age, cancer type, cancer treatment method, and current treatment type was significantly different in.
CONCLUSION
CAM use among cancer patients in Korea was very popular (75.0%) and so systemic guidelines of CAM use are needed.

PUPPOSE: This study was to evaluate the importance of liver cancer patient's diet and to provide guideline materials for proper nursing intervention.
METHOD
The hermeneutic phenomenological method of van Manen was applied for the in-depth interview of liver cancer patients and the cultural background studies including linguistic, literary and art works to enhance the insight and understanding, from which the meaning of the cognition and lesson of the experiences were extracted. The participants for this study were five male patients, who had been diagnosed with liver cancer, 5-15 years ago and had been treated with Transcatheter Arterial Embolization without chemotherapy. The repeated interview and close observation were carried out for nine months starting from January 2001 in Seoul, Korea.
RESULT
Eight essential themes were emerged ; (1) confliction(frustration) with hospital treatment (2) trial of every possible remedies (3) liking unpolluted natural foods(4) faithful tolerance (5) experiencing diet effectiveness (6) discovering personal control methods (7) deepen their faith in God (8) searching for healthy new life.
CONCLUSION
The alternative diet therapy influenced their life beyond the physical overcoming of cancer toward psychological and spiritual healing. The study evidenced the necessity for scientific research and education on the effectiveness and application of complementary and alternative diet therapy for the treatment of cancer in hospital practices.