Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
-
Support Care Cancer · Nov 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyCould Kinesio tape replace the bandage in decongestive lymphatic therapy for breast-cancer-related lymphedema? A pilot study.
The purpose of this study is to compare the treatment and retention effects between standard decongestive lymphatic therapy (DLT) combined with pneumatic compression (PC) and modified DLT, in which the use of a short-stretch bandage is replaced with the use of Kinesio tape (K-tape) combined with PC. ⋯ The study results suggest that K-tape could replace the bandage in DLT, and it could be an alternative choice for the breast-cancer-related lymphedema patient with poor short-stretch bandage compliance after 1-month intervention. If the intervention period was prolonged, we might get different conclusion. Moreover, these two treatment protocols are inefficient and cost time in application. More efficient treatment protocol is needed for clinical practice.
-
Support Care Cancer · Nov 2009
Changes in symptom clusters in patients undergoing radiation therapy.
The goals of the study were to determine the occurrence rates for and the severity of symptoms at the middle, end, and 1 month after the completion of radiation therapy (RT), to determine the number and types of symptom clusters at these three time points, and to evaluate for changes over time in these symptom clusters. ⋯ Three relatively stable symptom clusters were found across RT. The majority of the symptom cluster severity scores were significantly higher in patients with breast cancer compared to patients with prostate cancer.
-
Support Care Cancer · Nov 2009
Determinants and implications of cancer patients' psychosocial needs.
Cancer patients often experience distress. However, the majority of newly diagnosed patients gradually adapt to the crisis. When symptoms of distress and anxiety persist over months, patients require psychosocial support. The aim of the present study was to determine the proportion of cancer patients who indicate the need for psychosocial support and to identify sociodemographic, psychological and illness-related factors predicting the need for psychosocial support in a German sample. ⋯ Almost a third of the cancer patient population indicates an unmet need for psychosocial support or is actually using psychosocial services. Emotional functioning is a central predictor of the requirement for psychosocial support. Women are emotionally more affected than men and need more psychosocial support. The prognostic validity of the severity of depression and anxiety is limited.