Clinical oncology : a journal of the Royal College of Radiologists
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Apr 2002
Spinal cord compression--a personal and palliative care perspective.
Malignant spinal cord compression is recognized as an oncological emergency. In spite of this, treatment in the U. ⋯ Palliative care physicians and clinical nurse specialists working in the community are trained in the recognition of cord compression and are able to improve the early diagnosis and referral of these patients. In addition, they have an essential role in the follow-up of those who remain paraplegic.
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Jan 2001
ReviewHow accurate are physicians' clinical predictions of survival and the available prognostic tools in estimating survival times in terminally ill cancer patients? A systematic review.
The purpose of this review was to examine the accuracy of physicians' clinical predictions of survival and the available prognostic tools in estimating survival times in terminally ill cancer patients. A MEDLINE search for English language articles published between 1966 and March 2000 was performed using the following keywords: forecasting/clinical prediction, prognosis/prognostic factors, survival and neoplasm metastasis. Searches in CancerLit, EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and reference sections of articles were performed. ⋯ Performance status combined with clinical symptoms and the clinician's estimate helps to guide an accurate prediction, as reviewed in an Italian series. There is fair evidence to support using performance status, and clinical and biochemical parameters, in addition to clinicians' judgement to aid survival prediction. However, there is weak evidence to support that clinicians' estimates alone could be specifically employed for survival prediction.
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Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · Jan 2001
ReviewThe management of menopausal sequelae in patients with breast cancer.
The use of chemotherapy and tamoxifen for young women with breast cancer results in premature menopause in a significant number of patients. Early menopause has serious vasomotor, psychological, genitourinary, cardiac and skeletal effects. Psychopharmacological and herbal preparations are widely used for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms. ⋯ The available data suggests an increase of 5% of breast cancer related events when hormone replacement therapy is given to women with breast cancer. However, in certain situations, this could be given after a detailed explanation and documentation. The patient and physician should balance the severity of symptoms against the increased breast cancer related events and the final decision should be left to the patient.