Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialBupropion for control of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors: a prospective, double-blind, randomized, crossover, pilot phase II trial.
Hot flashes (HFs) and sexual dysfunction often affect breast cancer (BC) survivors and compromise their quality of life. Bupropion is an antidepressive medication used for smoking cessation and also has been previously studied for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. ⋯ Compared with placebo, bupropion did not control HFs in this group of BC survivors.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialChanges over time in occurrence, severity, and distress of common symptoms during and after radiation therapy for breast cancer.
Little is known about changes over time in multiple dimensions of the symptom experience in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy (RT). ⋯ Findings from this study provide a more complete picture of the symptom experience of women who undergo RT for breast cancer. These findings can be used to identify patients at higher risk for more severe symptoms before, during, and after RT.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Clinical Trial"All my tears were gone": suffering and cancer pain in Southwest American Indians.
Although minority patients with cancer are more likely to be undermedicated for cancer pain than non-Hispanic whites, little is known about the experience of cancer pain in American Indians (AIs). ⋯ Results revealed new knowledge about the cancer pain experience in AIs. The observation of the close relationship between treatment compliance and the patient's ability to participate in ceremonial and spiritual activities provides new insight into the problem of incomplete cancer treatment in this population. The finding that AI patients have a multidimensional conceptualization of pain will assist clinicians with obtaining more detailed and informative pain assessments.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Comparative StudyAssociation between body image dissatisfaction and weight loss among patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers: a preliminary report.
No prospective studies have dealt with the impact of cachexia-related weight loss on patients' body image as well as the impact of patients' body image changes on the level of patient and family distress. ⋯ Body image dissatisfaction was strongly associated with patients' weight loss and with psychosocial distress among patients and their caregivers. More research is necessary to better understand the association between the severity of body image dissatisfaction and the severity of other problems in patients with cancer.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2013
Clinical TrialAppropriateness and reliability testing of the modified Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale in Spanish patients with advanced cancer.
A tool to quantify agitation severity and sedation level in patients with advanced cancer is needed. ⋯ These data support the use of the RASS in Spanish patients with advanced cancer.