Oncology nursing forum
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Oncology nursing forum · Nov 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyAnalyzing symptom management trials: the value of both intention-to-treat and per-protocol approaches.
Two analytical approaches are described for a randomized trial testing interventions for symptom management. ⋯ Each analytical strategy serves a purpose. Intention-to-treat defines the success of a trial. Per-protocol analyses allow nurses to pose clinical questions about response and dose of the intervention. Nurses should participate in analyses of interventions to understand the conditions where interventions are successful.
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To review trastuzumab-related cardiotoxic effects in the breast cancer adjuvant setting, present a system for pretreatment screening for cardiovascular risk factors, describe monitoring recommendations, provide a tool to facilitate adherence to monitoring guidelines, and discuss implications for patient education. ⋯ Nurses are instrumental in assessing, monitoring, and treating women receiving trastuzumab. Implementing guidelines to promote adherence to recommended monitoring is important in the early detection of cardiotoxicity in this population. Educating women about their treatment and side effects is an important aspect of care.
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Oncology nursing forum · Nov 2009
Increasing stringency in symptom cluster research: a methodological exploration of symptom clusters in patients with inoperable lung cancer.
To inductively explore the existence of symptom clusters among a homogenous group of patients with inoperable lung cancer close to diagnosis and to explore if the symptom clusters are consistent when examined with different instruments and analytical methods. ⋯ The symptom cluster consistency for patients with lung cancer is an important finding because the relevance of symptom cluster research is questionable if consistency is lacking across data collection and analysis approaches. Achieving consistency is possible in symptom cluster research across instruments and analysis methods if instrument items are comparable.