European journal of cancer : official journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Cost comparison study of two different follow-up protocols after surgery for oesophageal cancer.
Costs of follow-up strategies in patients after surgery for oesophageal cancer have not been evaluated. We therefore randomised 109 patients to standard outpatient clinic follow-up by a surgeon (n=55) or home visits by a specialist nurse (n=54) and compared costs between these two strategies. ⋯ Nurse-led follow-up of patients after oesophageal cancer surgery is likely to be cost effective and may even generate cost savings. The results of this study further support a specific role of nurses in the medical care of patients with malignant diseases.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
LDH correlation with survival in advanced melanoma from two large, randomised trials (Oblimersen GM301 and EORTC 18951).
In a randomised study (GM301; dacarbazine with/without oblimersen), patients with advanced melanoma were stratified based on performance status, metastatic site and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Progression-free survival and response and durable response rates showed a highly significant difference favouring dacarbazine-oblimersen and a nearly significant survival difference. All efficacy parameters significantly favoured dacarbazine-oblimersen in patients with normal baseline LDH [1.1xupper limit of normal (ULN)]. Each stratification factor was assessed for an interaction with treatment on survival and an interaction was detected only for LDH. ⋯ In designing studies, LDH should be considered, regardless of tumour size or disease site.
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To investigate if a cancer patient's unrelieved symptoms during the last 3 months of life increase the risk of long-term psychological morbidity in the surviving widower. ⋯ The unrelieved patients' end-of-life problems increase the risk of widowers' long-term mental suffering. Efficient and effective diagnoses and treatment of pain and anxiety in terminally ill cancer patients are critical for both patients and their surviving widowers.