Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
-
Support Care Cancer · May 2012
Delirium in patients with head and neck cancer in the outpatient treatment setting.
Delirium is a common neurocognitive disorder among patients with cancer. In patients with head and neck cancer, delirium has been examined in the postoperative setting. Because no studies have reported on delirium during outpatient cancer treatment, we conducted a prospective study in 69 patients with head and neck cancer to examine neurocognitive function before, during, and after outpatient treatment. We also conducted a retrospective study in a subset of caregivers. In this paper, we report the prevalence and incidence of delirium and subsyndromal delirium (SSD) during outpatient treatment. ⋯ These data suggest that delirium and SSD are frequent in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing outpatient treatment. Delirium was often associated with medical complications. The potential impact of delirium and SSD on treatment outcomes, recovery, and caregiving are significant clinical concerns.
-
Support Care Cancer · May 2012
Knowledge, beliefs, and concerns about opioids, palliative care, and homecare of advanced cancer patients: a nationwide survey in Japan.
Patients' knowledge, beliefs, or concerns about opioids, palliative care, and homecare can be potential barriers to providing quality palliative care. The primary aim of this study was to clarify knowledge about opioids, beliefs about palliative care, and concerns about homecare in advanced cancer patients. ⋯ Advanced cancer patients frequently had incorrect knowledge about opioids, a belief that palliative care is only for terminally ill patients, and concerns about homecare, especially the family burden and responses to sudden changes. Providing appropriate information about the safety of opioids, the availability of palliative care during the entire course of the disease, and realistic information about homecare is of marked importance to promote patients' sense of security.
-
Support Care Cancer · Apr 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyRandomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of ondansetron plus dexamethasone with or without metoclopramide as antiemetic prophylaxis in patients receiving high-dose cisplatin in medical practice.
Ondansetron plus dexamethasone are standard antiemetic agents for highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Metoclopramide is a dopamine antagonist, which may enhance efficacy of ondansetron and dexamethasone. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of metoclopramide added to standard antiemetic regimen for prophylaxis of cisplatin-induced emesis. ⋯ The addition of metoclopramide to ondansetron plus dexamethasone reduced the use of rescue medication, but did not affect complete response rate, quality of life or adverse effects.
-
Support Care Cancer · Apr 2012
EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL quality of life scores in patients with advanced cancer referred for palliative radiotherapy.
Symptom control and improved quality of life (QOL) are primary goals of treatment in palliative oncology. The present study assessed and compared patient demographics, baseline Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and QOL using the QLQ-C15-PAL questionnaire prior to palliative radiotherapy (RT) for bone, brain, or lung disease. Few studies have used this questionnaire, an abbreviated version that was developed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer specifically for patients with advanced cancer to decrease the burden of completing the longer, more time-consuming QLQ-C30. ⋯ As the QLQ-C15-PAL provides detailed and often critical information regarding symptom burden, it may eventually be recognized as a universal core questionnaire to assess QOL in this patient population with advanced cancer while relieving the survey burden.
-
Support Care Cancer · Apr 2012
Comparative StudyQuality of end-of-life care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer in general wards and palliative care units in Japan.
Patients with lung cancer in Japan often receive aggressive care near the end of life and die in an acute care hospital. We describe the differences in end-of-life care for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients between general wards and a palliative care unit (PCU). ⋯ Patients with metastatic NSCLC in general wards receive inappropriate care near the end of life. Further studies are needed to develop interventions for making decisions regarding end-of-life care.