Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Mar 2007
ReviewThe pharmacological importance of cytochrome CYP3A4 in the palliation of symptoms: review and recommendations for avoiding adverse drug interactions.
Adverse drug interactions are major causes of morbidity, hospitalizations, and mortality. The greatest risk of drug interactions occurs through in the cytochrome system. CYP3A4, the most prevalent cytochrome, accounts for 30-50% of drugs metabolized through type I enzymes. ⋯ We made some recommendations for drug choices to avoid clinically important drug interaction.
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Support Care Cancer · Mar 2007
Multicenter StudyThe development and validation of a prediction tool for chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer receiving palliative chemotherapy.
In this study, the development and validation of a cycle-based prediction model for severe anemia [i.e., a hemoglobin (Hb) of
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Levorphanol (levo-3-hydroxy-N-methylmorphinan) is a strong opioid that is the only available opioid agonist of the morphinan series. Levorphanol was originally synthesized as a pharmacological alternative to morphine more than 40 years ago. It is considered a step-3 opioid by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has a greater potency than morphine. Analgesia produced by levorphanol is mediated via its interactions with mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors. Levorphanol is also an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. There is evidence that levorphanol may inhibit uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. Similar to morphine, levorphanol undergoes glucuronidation in the liver, and the glucuronidated products are excreted in the kidney. Levorphanol can be given orally, intravenously, and subcutaneously. ⋯ The long half-life of the drug increases the potential for drug accumulation. Levorphanol has clinical efficacy in neuropathic pain.
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Support Care Cancer · Mar 2007
Incident pain and analgesic consumption decrease after samarium infusion: a pilot study.
The aim of this pilot study was to observe the variations of pain intensity on movement and at rest and the variation of analgesic drug consumption in patients with prostate cancer and painful bone metastases treated with a single dose of 1.0 mCi/kg of samarium-153 (153-Sm) lexidronam. ⋯ In patients with bone metastases, pain on movement is a frequent and often difficult clinical problem to treat and the most frequent cause of breakthrough pain. In patients with painful multiple bone metastases due to prostate cancer, the infusion of a single dose of 1.0 mCi/kg of 153-Sm lexidronam may be considered an effective and safe treatment for pain either at rest or during movement.
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Support Care Cancer · Mar 2007
Patients and carer experiences of care provision after a diagnosis of lung cancer in Scotland.
This qualitative study was set out to explore experiences of care provision of 60 patients diagnosed with lung cancer and a carer of their choice ⋯ Data from the study point to the importance of heightening general practitioner awareness of potential signs and symptoms of lung cancer. Findings indicate the need to evaluate the benefits to patients and carers of rapid access to diagnostic tests and results and support the establishment of effective and streamlined supportive care pathways for patients with lung cancer.