Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2013
Predictors of response to palliative care intervention for chronic nausea in advanced cancer outpatients.
Nausea is a frequent and distressing symptom in advanced cancer patients. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine predictors of response to palliative care consultation for chronic nausea in advanced cancer outpatients. ⋯ Baseline nausea was associated with all the ESAS symptom and improvement of fatigue and lack of appetite predicted a lower frequency of nausea at follow-up. More research is necessary to better understand the association between nausea severity and other symptoms and to predict which interventions will yield the best outcomes depending on the mix and severity of symptoms.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2013
Clinical TrialEfficacy and tolerability of two scalp cooling systems for the prevention of alopecia associated with docetaxel treatment.
Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is very distressing for a patient and may have an impact on treatment decisions. On docetaxel-based therapy, alopecia occurs in a substantial proportion of patients. We aimed to investigate whether two different methods of scalp cooling can prevent hair loss. ⋯ In this first comparison published to date, both PAX and CC offer efficacious protection against hair loss, in particular when docetaxel is administered in a 3-weekly interval.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2013
A survey of Canadian cancer patients' perspectives on the characteristics and treatment of breakthrough pain.
Breakthrough pain is defined as a transient exacerbation of pain that occurs spontaneously or in response to a trigger despite stable and controlled background pain. The purpose of this study was to explore Canadian patients' awareness of and experience with breakthrough pain in cancer (BTPc). ⋯ Breakthrough cancer pain in Canadian cancer patients greatly impacts their daily lives. There is room for improvement in the management of BTPc, and the majority of patients would be willing to try new treatments.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2013
Insights into Chinese perspectives on do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders from an examination of DNR order form completeness for cancer patients.
Discussing end-of-life care with patients is often considered taboo, and signing a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is difficult for most patients, especially in Chinese culture. This study investigated distributions and details related to the signing of DNR orders, as well as the completeness of various DNR order forms. ⋯ Almost all the cancer patients had a signed DNR order, but for the majority of them, the order was signed by a surrogate. Negative attitudes of discussing death from medical professionals and/or the family members of patients may account for the higher number of signed DNR-S orders than DNR-P orders. Moreover, early obtainment of signed DNR orders should be sought, as getting the orders earlier could promote the quality of end-of-life care, especially in non-oncology wards.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2013
Unmet needs in immigrant cancer survivors: a cross-sectional population-based study.
Social suffering, language difficulties, and cultural factors may all make the cancer experience more difficult for immigrants. This study aimed to document unmet needs, and variables associated with these, in a population-based sample of first-generation immigrants and Anglo-Australians who had survived cancer. ⋯ Immigrant cancer survivors, several years after initial diagnosis, are more likely to have an unmet need for information or for help with a physical problem than Anglo-Australians. They strongly desire information and support in their own language.