- Finding mechanism of cancer treatment induced altered appearance
- Providing evidence-based supportive care for intervene altered appearance
- Improving self-esteem and enhancing quality of life for women with breast cancer

Dermatologic reactions are the most common side effect reported by cancer patients receiving standard adjuvant chemotherapy. A multidisciplinary research team including medical and surgical oncologists, dermatologists at Samsung Medical Center and SKKU (Principle Investigator: Juhee CHO, Project manager: Danbee KANG) conducted a cohort study to evaluate objective changes in skin composition and associated patient-reported symptoms among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. They found water content (-6.5%), sebum (-75.5%), and TEWL (-22.4%) significantly decreased during chemotherapy compared to pre-chemotherapy levels. These parameters did not return to baseline levels after 6 months of follow-ups. Most patients reported dryness (57.9%) and dullness (49.1%) after chemotherapy and patient-reported dryness was significantly associated with decreased sebum content. They also found permanent chemotherapy-induced alopecia, defined as absent or incomplete hair regrowth at ≥6 months post-chemotherapy, was more than 30%. Prof.
CHO received the Faculty Research Fund at SKKU in 2013 for this study. Ms. Danbee KANG received the Best Presenter Award at Global Breast Cancer Conference 2013 and Albert M. KLIGMAN won Travel Fellowship Award from the Society of Investigative Dermatology in 2014. The results of their studies were published in Psycho-Oncology and Breast Cancer Research and Treatment in 2015 which are top-tier journals in the area. The research team are now conducting two clinical trials for improving skin conditions and permanent alopecia due to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.