Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyTHE BURDEN OF OPIOID ADVERSE EVENTS AND THE INFLUENCE ON CANCER PATIENTS' SYMPTOMATOLOGY.
Opioids are frequently used for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain and their use may produce a number of unwanted adverse events (AEs). ⋯ Opioid introduction induces various AEs that persist over time and worse patients' symptomatology. Moreover, there seems to be a different expression of the opioid toxicity among patients, and a possible interaction between AEs and the analgesic response. The balance between the opioids analgesic effect and induced toxicity is fundamental in deciding the best management for pain in cancer patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2019
ReviewThe association between benzodiazepines and survival in patients with cancer: a systematic review.
Patients with cancer often experience distressing symptoms such as anxiety or dyspnea, which can be managed with benzodiazepines; however, concerns regarding the impact of these drugs on survival may dissuade prescribing and compliance. ⋯ Existing evidence shows no association between benzodiazepine use in patients with cancer and decreased survival. None of the studies evaluated the association between benzodiazepine use and survival in earlier stages of cancer, and the quality of studies retrieved signifies a need for further robust studies to draw more definitive conclusions. Further investigation in patients with cancer using well-designed, high-quality research with survival as a primary outcome should be conducted.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2019
A prospective cohort study of factors associated with place of death among patients with late stage cancer in southern Africa.
Identifying factors that affect terminally ill patients' preferences for and actual place of death may assist patients to die wherever they wish. ⋯ Most patients preferred to die at home, but most died in hospital and fewer than half died in their preferred setting. Further research on modifiable factors, such as effective communication, access to palliative care and morphine, may ensure that more cancer patients in South Africa die wherever they wish.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2019
Letter Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyChallenges in Recruiting Patients to a Controlled Feasibility Study of a Drug for Opioid-Induced Constipation: Lessons From the Population With Advanced Cancer.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · May 2019
Stability of Symptom Clusters in Patients With Lung Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy.
Patients with lung cancer who undergo chemotherapy (CTX) experience multiple symptoms. Evaluation of how these symptoms cluster together and how these symptom clusters change over time are salient questions in symptom clusters research. ⋯ Findings provide insights into the most common symptom clusters in patients with lung cancer undergoing CTX. Most common symptoms within each cluster appear to be relatively stable across the two dimensions, as well as across time.