Cancer nursing
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Reduces Resting Pain in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Pilot Study.
Individuals receiving radiation for head and neck cancer (HNC) often develop painful oral mucositis that impairs function, possibly leading to feeding tubes, hospitalization, and treatment delays. Although pharmacologic medications provide some relief, many report inadequate analgesia and adverse effects. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a safe, nonpharmacologic intervention; it decreases pain and analgesics and improves function, yet no studies examined TENS for HNC. ⋯ Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation may be a viable tool for radiation-induced HNC pain to complement pharmacologic approaches. This nonpharmacologic intervention could decrease the debilitating effects of radiation and analgesics, and improve quality of life. Clinical trials should examine the effects and safety of repeated, daily TENS in HNC patients receiving radiation.
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Meta Analysis
Patient Information Needs and Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.
Although many women benefit from breast reconstruction after mastectomy, several studies report women's dissatisfaction with the level of information they were provided with before reconstruction. ⋯ In an attempt to better address women's information needs, healthcare practitioners should discover women's initial expectations of reconstruction as a starting point in the consultation. In addition, the research revealed the importance of the nurse navigator in terms of assisting women through the recovery process.
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Comparative Study
The Unmet Supportive Care Needs of Arab Australian and Arab Jordanian Cancer Survivors: An International Comparative Survey.
Research exploring the unmet supportive care needs of Arab cancer survivors is limited, with most conducted with immigrant groups. No study has compared the unmet supportive care needs of immigrant Arab cancer survivors with Arab cancer survivors living in their native country. ⋯ Greater attention is needed to ensure the supportive care needs are met for immigrant patients with cancer. Additional strategies to address physical and psychological needs are particularly needed in this group.
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Cancer screening uptake among South Asian ethnic minorities is reported to be relatively low. An outreach program, led by community health workers (CHWs), may increase the minority group's awareness of the importance of cancer screening. ⋯ The theoretical framework of our CHW training program and the incorporated cultural components could be useful for the development of future programs for training South Asian CHWs in delivering interventions on cancer prevention.
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The rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) in women with unilateral mastectomy is increasing with no plateau. ⋯ The large majority who are choosing CPM are doing so regardless of the lack of clinical efficacy, yet there are few articles in the nursing literature preparing nurses to understand and counsel these women who may be asking for advice. Nurses are well situated to provide unbiased and fact-based information to help women making potentially life-altering decisions in response to a cancer diagnosis.