Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
-
Support Care Cancer · Jan 2014
Consultation with specialist palliative care services in palliative sedation: considerations of Dutch physicians.
Palliative sedation is considered a normal medical practice by the Royal Dutch Medical Association. Therefore, consultation of an expert is not considered mandatory. The European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) framework for palliative sedation, however, is more stringent: it considers the use of palliative sedation without consulting an expert as injudicious and insists on input from a multi-professional palliative care team. This study investigates the considerations of Dutch physicians concerning consultation about palliative sedation with specialist palliative care services. ⋯ Consultation about palliative sedation with specialist palliative care services is regarded as supportive and helpful when physicians lack expertise. However, Dutch physicians have both practical and theoretical objections against mandatory consultation. Based on the findings in this study, there seems to be little support among Dutch physicians for the EAPC recommendations on obligatory consultation.
-
To enable better psychosocial, informational, and practical support of Chinese patients with cancer, this study was conducted to identify the specific support needs of Chinese immigrant cancer patients. ⋯ In this study, 80 % of the participants expressed interest in programs tailored for Chinese cancer patients. The most frequently preferred topics for potential services were information-based. Findings provide a foundation for future research and the development of culturally and linguistically targeted support programs and interventions for this unique population.
-
Support Care Cancer · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyComparison of peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC) versus subcutaneously implanted port-chamber catheters by complication and cost for patients receiving chemotherapy for non-haematological malignancies.
Indwelling central venous catheters (CVCs) have been increasingly used to enable delivery of intravenous chemotherapy. We aimed to compare the safety and cost of two commonly used CVCs, peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICCs) and ports, in the delivery of chemotherapy in patients with non-haematological malignancies. ⋯ Port devices are associated with a lower risk of complications, with no difference in cost, compared to PICC lines in patients with non-haematological malignancies receiving intravenous chemotherapy.
-
Support Care Cancer · Jan 2014
Diagnostic accuracy of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein for predicting bacteremia/clinical sepsis in children with febrile neutropenia: comparison with interleukin-6, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein.
In febrile neutropenia (FN), no reliable marker has been identified to discriminate between severe infection and other causes of fever early in the clinical course. Since lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) has proven to be an accurate biomarker of bacteremia/clinical sepsis in critically ill non-immunocompromised infants and children, we performed a prospective study to determine the diagnostic accuracy of LBP in children with FN. ⋯ On admission and 24 h later, the LBP concentration is less accurate for predicting bacteremia/clinical sepsis compared to IL-6, PCT, and CRP.
-
Support Care Cancer · Jan 2014
Impact of symptom burden in post-surgical non-small cell lung cancer survivors.
Pain, fatigue, dyspnea, and distress are commonly reported cancer-related symptoms, but few studies have examined the effects of multiple concurrent symptoms in longer-term cancer survivors. We examined the impact of varying degrees of symptom burden on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and performance status in surgically treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors. ⋯ Two or more clinically significant symptoms are identified as the "tipping point" for showing adverse effects on HRQOL and functioning. This highlights the need for incorporating multiple-symptom assessment into routine clinical practice. Comprehensive symptom management remains an important target of intervention for improved post-treatment HRQOL and functioning among lung cancer survivors.