Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2011
Case ReportsHigh doses of oxycodone-naloxone combination may provide poor analgesia.
Several studies have shown that an oxycodone/naloxone combination (ratio 2:1) provides analgesia and less constipation in non-cancer patients receiving relatively low doses of this formulation. A case report of a cancer patient who was receiving increasing doses of oxycodone with an unexpected declining analgesia is presented. The substitution with the same doses (240 mg/day) of regular controlled-release oxycodone was effective in regaining adequate analgesia.
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Support Care Cancer · Sep 2011
Individualized pharmacological treatment of oral mucositis pain in patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy.
Pain is a prominent symptom in radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM). This study assesses the effect of pharmacological treatment in head and neck cancer patients with OM-induced pain and swallowing difficulties. ⋯ The answers to the questionnaire showed that the individualized pain treatment with systemic analgesics exploited to the highest degree was insufficient. Future development of pharmacological possibilities for treatment of OM-related pain is urgent. In addition, development of structured nursing care and patient self-care can contribute to improved pain relief.
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Support Care Cancer · Aug 2011
Multicenter StudyPalonosetron plus 3-day aprepitant and dexamethasone to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.
The combination of a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, dexamethasone, and a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist is currently the standard antiemetic treatment in patients receiving cisplatin-based high emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of palonosetron, a unique second-generation 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, aprepitant, the only approved neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, and dexamethasone as antiemetic prophylaxis in patients receiving HEC (cisplatin ≥50 mg/mq). ⋯ This study shows that palonosetron in combination with aprepitant and dexamethasone is effective to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients treated with cisplatin-based HEC.
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Support Care Cancer · Aug 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPalonosetron in combination with 1-day versus 3-day dexamethasone for prevention of nausea and vomiting following moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: a randomized, multicenter, phase III trial.
A phase III trial assessed the efficacy of palonosetron plus dexamethasone given once in preventing acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) following a broad range of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) regimens. ⋯ Palonosetron plus single-dose dexamethasone administered before common MEC regimens provide protection against acute and delayed CINV which is non-inferior to that of palonosetron plus dexamethasone for 3 days. However, the major benefit of the single-day regimen occurs in patients receiving non-AC MEC regimens.
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Support Care Cancer · Aug 2011
ReviewFacilitating the implementation of empirically valid interventions in psychosocial oncology and supportive care.
Over the past two decades, the fields of psychosocial oncology and supportive care have seen clinically effective tools as underutilized despite proven benefits to cancer patients and their families. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons for the failure of psychosocial and supportive care interventions in oncology to realize broad clinical implementation and to demonstrate how a knowledge management framework offers several advantages for increasing the probability of successful implementation. ⋯ The successful implementation of empirically promising interventions requires research networks and practice groups to work together in a concerted, theory-guided effort to identify and address the contextual factors most relevant to any particular intervention. The growing support of knowledge implementation activities by research funders, policy-makers, opinion leaders, and advocates of psychosocial and supportive care interventions is a positive move in this direction.