Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2014
Psychometric validation of the functional assessment of cancer therapy--brain (FACT-Br) for assessing quality of life in patients with brain metastases.
This study aimed to test the reliability, psychometric, and clinical validity of the use of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy--Brain (FACT-Br) in patients with brain metastases. ⋯ The use of the combined FACT-G and FACT-Br Subscale to assess QoL specifically in patients with brain metastases has successfully undergone psychometric validation. Future clinical trials should use the FACT-G and FACT-Br Subscale to assess QoL in this patient population.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2014
Associations between adjuvant endocrine therapy and onset of physical and emotional concerns among breast cancer survivors.
Breast cancer survivors often receive long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) to reduce recurrence risk. Adherence to AET is suboptimal, which may be due to the experience of symptoms and/or concerns. Few studies have comprehensively assessed self-reported concerns between those who currently, previously or have never received AET. The study objective is to describe self-reported physical and emotional concerns of breast cancer survivors who are current, prior, or never-recipients of AET. ⋯ Breast cancer survivors who received AET were at risk of developing a variety of physical and emotional concerns, many of which persisted after treatment. These findings suggest the importance of developing individualized, supportive resources for breast cancer survivors.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2014
Ideal care and the realities of practice: interdisciplinary relationships in the management of advanced cancer patients in Australian emergency departments.
Over the course of their illness, a person with cancer is likely to see a number of different healthcare professionals, including those in the emergency department (ED). There is limited research examining the interaction and communication between the involved healthcare professionals when such a patient presents to the ED. This study aimed to explore the views and experiences of interdisciplinary interactions of healthcare professionals caring for patients with advanced cancer who present to the ED. ⋯ Participants articulated agreed upon ideals of optimal care for advanced cancer patients across all three services, however there was frequently discord between these ideals and the actual care provided. Service demands and the day-to-day stressors of practice appeared to influence people's actions and engender conflict.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2014
Perception and fulfillment of cancer patients' nursing professional social support needs: from the health care personnel point of view.
This study aimed to (1) explore the needs of cancer patients regarding common nursing professional social support from the perspective of physicians and nurses, (2) identify what type of needs clinical nurses actually fulfill and what remains to be improved, and (3) analyze the potential reasons for the gap between the identified needs and those that are fulfilled. ⋯ Cancer patients' supportive care needs were not always fully provided by nurses, even when these needs were identified by healthcare professionals. Nursing professional social support needs should be assessed quickly and effectively so that the appropriate interventions can be offered to cancer patients.