Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
-
Support Care Cancer · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA phase II, randomized, double blind trial of calcium aluminosilicate clay versus placebo for the prevention of diarrhea in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with irinotecan.
Calcium aluminosilicate clay (CASAD) is a naturally occurring clay that serves as a cation exchange absorbent. We hypothesized that oral administration of CASAD would reduce the rate of grade 3/4 diarrhea associated with irinotecan use for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) by adsorbing the SN-38 metabolite. ⋯ Compared to placebo, CASAD use was safe but ineffective in preventing diarrhea in metastatic CRC patients treated with irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens. There were no distinct signals in terms of patient symptoms between arms, but there was significantly more patient dropout in the placebo arm. Future CASAD trials will focus on the active treatment of diarrhea.
-
Support Care Cancer · Mar 2015
Attitudes of oncologists towards palliative care and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at an Ontario cancer center in Canada.
Cancer Care Ontario promotes the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) for standardized systematic screening and assessment of symptoms across cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. Attitudes of medical oncologists (MOs), radiation oncologists (ROs), and general practitioners in oncology (GPOs) toward palliative care, and the ESAS were surveyed in Ottawa. ⋯ MOs and GPOs appear more positive than ROs toward regular use of ESAS. There is discordance between what is perceived to be a useful beneficial instrument versus actual use of the instrument in daily practice. The reasons for this gap need to be better understood in future studies.
-
Support Care Cancer · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialRebuilding self-confidence after cancer: a feasibility study of life-coaching.
Cancer survivors often experience decreased self-confidence which impacts negatively on their ability to self-manage the practical, social and emotional problems frequently faced as they emerge from end of treatment. This was a feasibility study of a life-coaching intervention, designed to rebuild confidence of survivors and support transition to life after cancer treatment. ⋯ Life-coaching has a potential to enable cancer survivors to manage the transition to life beyond cancer and effect change on a range of outcomes. The intervention was feasible to deliver and acceptable to survivors at a time when many struggle to make sense of life. It merits further evaluation through a randomised controlled trial.
-
Support Care Cancer · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyComparison of an extended-release formulation of granisetron (APF530) versus palonosetron for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting associated with moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy: results of a prospective, randomized, double-blind, noninferiority phase 3 trial.
Subcutaneous APF530 provides controlled sustained release of granisetron to prevent acute (0-24 h) and delayed (24-120 h) chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). This randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial compared APF530 and palonosetron in preventing acute and delayed CINV after moderately (MEC) or highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). ⋯ A single subcutaneous APF530 injection offers a convenient alternative to palonosetron for preventing acute and delayed CINV after MEC or HEC.
-
Support Care Cancer · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialLong-term safety and efficacy of oxycodone/naloxone prolonged-release tablets in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic cancer pain.
To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of prolonged-release oxycodone/naloxone (OXN PR) and its impact on quality of life (QoL), in patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain. ⋯ In patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain, long-term use of OXN PR is well tolerated and effective, resulting in sustained analgesia, improved bowel function and improved symptoms of constipation.