Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialRandomized pilot trial of yoga versus strengthening exercises in breast cancer survivors with cancer-related fatigue.
Fatigue is one of the most common and bothersome refractory symptoms experienced by cancer survivors. Mindful exercise interventions such as yoga improve cancer-related fatigue; however, studies of yoga have included heterogeneous survivorship populations, and the effect of yoga on fatigued survivors remains unclear. ⋯ Both DVD-based yoga and strengthening exercises designed for cancer survivors may be good options to address fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Both have reasonable uptake, are convenient and reproducible, and may be helpful in decreasing fatigue and improving quality of life in the first year post-diagnosis in breast cancer patients with cancer-related fatigue.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2016
International field testing of the psychometric properties of an EORTC quality of life module for oral health: the EORTC QLQ-OH15.
This international EORTC validation study (phase IV) is aimed at testing the psychometric properties of a quality of life (QoL) module related to oral health problems in cancer patients. ⋯ The EORTC module QLQ-OH15 is a short, well-accepted assessment tool focusing on oral problems and QoL to improve clinical management.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2016
Appraisals, perceived dyadic communication, and quality of life over time among couples coping with prostate cancer.
Little research has examined how prostate cancer patients' and their spouses' appraisals of illness and quality of life (QOL) interact with one another. This study examined the interdependent relationships between their appraisals of illness and QOL and if their perceived dyadic communication mediated these relationships. ⋯ Patients' and spouses' appraisals of the illness and their dyadic communication were associated with their long-term QOL. Interventions that reduce negative appraisals of illness and promote dyadic communication may improve QOL for both patients with prostate cancer and their spouses.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2016
What are the barriers faced by medical oncologists in initiating discussion of palliative care? A qualitative study in Flanders, Belgium.
Before referring patients to a palliative care service, oncologists need to inform them about disease stage and discuss prognosis, treatment options and possible advantages of specialized palliative care (SPC). They often find this a complex and emotionally difficult task. As a result, they may refer their patients to SPC too late in the disease course or even not at all. This study reports findings from interviews with Belgian medical oncologists identifying the barriers they experience to introduce palliative care to their patients with advanced cancer. ⋯ These findings provide an explanation for the possible reasons why medical oncologists feel hampered in initiating palliative care and consequently discuss it rather late in the disease trajectory. The exploration and description of these barriers may serve as a starting point for revising the medical education of oncologists. They are also a reminder to hospital management and policy makers to be aware of the impact of these barriers on the daily practice of oncology.
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Evaluation of the quality of care is a key element that healthcare providers now take into consideration to meet patients' needs, expectations, and values. The FAMCARE scale is one of the most important instruments available to assess the level of satisfaction about care received by patients and families. We describe the validation process used to develop an Italian version (IF) of the original FAMCARE scale for caregivers. ⋯ IF is a valid translation of the FAMCARE scale and can be used to assess caregiver satisfaction within the Italian context of cancer palliative care.