Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2013
Predictors of high score patient-reported barriers to controlling cancer pain: a preliminary report.
Pain is one of the most common and devastating symptoms in cancer patients, and misunderstandings on the patient's part can cause major obstacles in pain management. ⋯ Depression was associated with high barrier score in patients with cancer pain. Management of cancer pain should include screening for depression, and management of depression could reduce patient-reported barriers to pain management.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2013
Longitudinal prospective assessment of sleep quality: before, during, and after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Cross-sectional data suggest that many individuals with breast cancer experience significant sleep disturbance across the continuum of care. Understanding the longitudinal trajectory of sleep disturbance may help identify factors associated with its onset, severity, or influence on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Study objectives were to observe sleep quality in breast cancer patients prior to, during, and after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy, evaluate its relationship with HRQL and explore correlates over time. ⋯ These findings suggest that early identification of sleep disturbance and ongoing assessment and treatment of contributing factors over the course of care may minimize symptom burden associated with chemotherapy and prevent chronic insomnia in survivorship.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2013
Variation in medication use in cancer patients at the end of life: a cross-sectional analysis.
Despite advances in cancer treatment, patients still die with unnecessary suffering. Therefore, high-quality end-of-life care is needed. Variations in medication use at the end of life may suggest areas for improvement. This study aims to describe the use of medications during the last days of life of cancer patients and to explore the possibility of using it as a quality measure. ⋯ Medication use at the end of life varies widely by setting, both for potentially appropriate and inappropriate medications. Combining experts' opinion and current medication use resulted in the identification of 16 medications that might be used to assess the quality of cancer care at the end of life.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2013
Improving access to specialist multidisciplinary palliative care consultation for rural cancer patients by videoconferencing: report of a pilot project.
Palliative care (PC) and palliative radiotherapy (RT) consultation are integral to the care of patients with advanced cancer. These services are not universally available in rural areas, and travel to urban centers to access them can be burdensome for patients and families. The objectives of our study were to assess the feasibility of using videoconferencing to provide specialist multidisciplinary PC and palliative RT consultation to cancer patients in rural areas and to explore symptom, cost, and satisfaction outcomes. ⋯ Delivery of specialist multidisciplinary PC consultation by videoconferencing is feasible, may improve symptoms, results in cost savings to patients and families, and is satisfactory to users.
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Support Care Cancer · Mar 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialSomatic symptoms in cancer patients trajectory over 12 months and impact on functional status and disability.
Cross-sectional studies have established the prevalence and functional impairment of somatic symptoms in cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the trajectory and adverse consequences of such symptoms over time. ⋯ Somatic symptoms remain burdensome in cancer patients over 12 months and symptom improvement predicts significantly better functional status and less disability.