Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Oct 2013
Developing competencies for multidisciplinary hospice and palliative care professionals in Korea.
Competency-based assessment helps to improve performance and to standardize education programs for hospice and palliative care professionals. This paper aims to report the process and results of developing the hospice and palliative care competencies by multidisciplinary experts in Korea. ⋯ The competencies developed by multidisciplinary professionals are useful to identify the appropriate roles of each hospice and palliative care specialist involved in a team approach to patient care.
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Support Care Cancer · Oct 2013
Administration of intravenous iron complexes on implantable central venous access port in cancer patients in France: the FERPAC survey.
Implantable central venous access port (portacath) is used to provide long-term venous access and to deliver chemotherapy in cancer patients. Intravenous iron complexes are frequently prescribed in this setting, and some physicians use a portacath for their administration. The aim of this survey was to assess the frequency of this practice and the reasons supporting it. ⋯ Intravenous iron complexes (mainly iron sucrose and ferric carboxymaltose) are commonly administered through a portacath in cancer patients in France. The choice for this route of administration is supported by clinical considerations, but further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this practice.
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Support Care Cancer · Oct 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialPilot study on the efficacy of an ondansetron- versus palonosetron-containing antiemetic regimen prior to highly emetogenic chemotherapy.
Nausea and vomiting are among the most feared complications of chemotherapy reported by patients. The objective of this study was to establish the overall complete response (CR; no emesis or use of rescue medication 0-120 h after chemotherapy) with either ondansetron- or palonosetron-containing antiemetic regimens in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). ⋯ While CR rates for aprepitant and dexamethasone plus palonosetron or ondansetron-containing regimens have been published previously, this is the first documentation of CR rates with these regimens in the same patient population. These results may be used to design a larger, adequately powered, prospective study comparing these regimens.
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Support Care Cancer · Oct 2013
Observational StudyDevelopment and preliminary validation of a risk prediction model for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.
A number of risk factors have been implicated in the development of chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting (CINV). Our aim was to develop a risk prediction model and identify patients at high risk for developing CINV before their chemotherapy treatment. ⋯ This model of risk prediction for CINV can be an aid to clinical decision-making and assist clinicians to rationalise antiemetic use with their patients.
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Support Care Cancer · Oct 2013
Cognitive interviewing of bereaved relatives to improve the measurement of health outcomes and care utilisation at the end of life in a mortality followback survey.
The evaluation of end of life care via bereaved relatives is increasingly common. We aimed to improve the measurement of health outcomes and care utilisation at the end of life with this population. ⋯ Cognitive interviewing helped select measures and make changes that improved the measurement of health outcomes and care utilisation at the end of life with bereaved relatives. The use of both generic and specific health measures and cost measurement in bereavement is encouraged.