Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2020
A cross-sectional audit of current practices and areas for improvement of distress screening and management in Australian cancer services: is there a will and a way to improve?
It is unknown how many distressed patients receive the additional supportive care recommended by Australian evidence-based distress management guidelines. The study identifies the (1) distress screening practices of Australian cancer services; (2) barriers to improving practices; and (3) implementation strategies which are acceptable to service representatives interested in improving screening practices. ⋯ Although critical gaps across all guideline components were reported, there is a broad support for screening and willingness to improve. Potential improvements include additional services to manage problems identified by screening, more staff time for screening, additional staff training, and use of patient-report measures.
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2020
Symptom correlates of dyspnea in advanced cancer patients using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System.
Dyspnea is frequently experienced in advanced cancer patients and is associated with poor prognosis and functional decline. This study used the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) to characterize the relationship between dyspnea and concurrent symptoms experienced by advanced cancer patients. ⋯ The highly interactive relationship between dyspnea and other common cancer symptoms necessitates the development of comprehensive symptom assessments and utilization of multimodal management approaches that consider concurrent symptoms for improved identification and treatment of dyspnea.
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialMinocycline for symptom reduction during radiation therapy for head and neck cancer: a randomized clinical trial.
Local/systemic symptoms during cancer therapy may be exacerbated by dysregulated inflammation and its downstream toxic effects. Minocycline can suppress proinflammatory cytokine release; therefore, we investigated its potential to reduce patient-reported symptom severity during radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). ⋯ Minocycline was feasible, well tolerated, and achieved a positive signal toward reducing patient-reported symptom severity during RT for HNC, particularly for systemic symptoms. This justifies additional study and informs future trial design.
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2020
Usefulness of painDETECT and S-LANSS in identifying the neuropathic component of mixed pain among patients with tumor-related cancer pain.
Tumor-related cancer pain often comprises mixed pain with both nociceptive and neuropathic components. Whether tumor-related cancer pain includes a neuropathic component impacts the therapeutic strategy. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the usefulness of two screening tools for neuropathic pain, painDETECT and Self-Report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS), in identifying the neuropathic component of mixed pain among patients with tumor-related cancer pain. ⋯ painDETECT and S-LANSS could not identify the neuropathic component of mixed pain among patients with tumor-related cancer pain, especially when pain was moderate or severe. Contrarily, these screening tools might be useful for identifying the neuropathic component of mixed pain for mild pain.
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2020
Observational StudyWork adjustments and employment among breast cancer survivors: a French prospective study.
The objective of our study was to assess the rate of work adjustments 1 year after the diagnosis in a population of female breast cancer (BC) survivors, in the context of the French system of social protection. We also characterised these adjustments and their influence on the reduction of professional exclusion of patients 1 year after the diagnosis. ⋯ Referral to occupational health physicians and work adjustments remain limited in the process of RTW or maintenance at work after BC in France, despite their positive impact.