Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2014
Differential expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and bioenergetics in fatigued prostate cancer men receiving external beam radiation therapy.
This prospective study explored relationships between expression changes of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis/bioenergetics and fatigue in men with prostate cancer receiving external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). ⋯ Genes related to oxidative phosphorylation, energy production, and mitochondrial membrane integrity are associated with worsening fatigue during EBRT. Further investigation of the pathways involved with this association may explain mechanisms behind the development of fatigue in this population.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2014
How do follow-up care instructions and treatment summaries relate to cancer survivors' cancer-related pain?
Cancer-related pain is a problem for many cancer survivors. Treatment summaries (TS) and follow-up care instructions (FCI) provided after cancer treatment could reduce pain for cancer survivors. ⋯ FCI and TS were related to pain but in the opposite direction than predicted. Those who received TS and FCI were more likely to report pain than those who did not receive FCI and TS. This may be explained by the severity of cancer treatment. It is possible that those who undergo more severe cancer treatments are more likely to receive FCI and TS. Testing this relationship is a logical next step.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2014
Family conferences in palliative care: a survey of health care providers in France.
Family conferences are conducted to assist with end-of-life discussions and discharge planning. ⋯ Most HCPs in our study conducted family conferences. However, most of the family conferences had no structured protocol, half of the participants preferred no patient participation, and a significant variation was noted in the primary indications and goals among disciplines.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2014
Complexities in euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide as perceived by Dutch physicians and patients' relatives.
The practice of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EAS) is always complex, but some cases are more complex than others. The nature of these unusually complex cases is not known. ⋯ First, the process toward EAS may be disrupted, causing a complex situation. Second, the course of the process toward EAS is influenced not only by the patient and his/her attending physician but also by the relatives who are involved. Communicating and clarifying expectations throughout the process may help to prevent the occurrence of unusually complex situations.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2014
Cancer symptom clusters: an exploratory analysis of eight statistical techniques.
Statistical methods to identify symptom clusters (SC) have varied between studies. The optimal statistical method to identify SC is unknown. ⋯ Seven SC identified from both prevalence and severity data were consistently present irrespective of the statistical analysis used. There were only minor variations in the number of clusters and their symptom composition between analytical techniques. All seven clusters originally identified were confirmed. Four consistent SC were found in all analyses: aerodigestive, fatigue/anorexia-cachexia, nausea/vomiting, and upper GI. Our results support the clinical importance of the SC concept.