Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Jan 2007
Feasibility of integrated home/hospital physiotherapeutic support for children with cancer.
Children suffering from cancer often have to undergo physiotherapy that either extends the duration of in-patient hospitalisation or requires more frequent visits to the outpatient clinic. To improve care and to decrease the length of hospitalisation of children being treated at the Dept. of Haematoloy/Oncology of the Gaslini Children's Hospital, a programme of Home Care was set up in April 2000. ⋯ The physiotherapist was able to start or to continue assistance at home or in the hospital, and to keep up the programme based on the child's needs. Integrated home/hospital physiotherapy for children suffering from cancer is feasible and is useful for maintaining continuity of treatment without lengthening hospitalisation.
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Support Care Cancer · Dec 2006
Measuring the concerns of cancer patients with low platelet counts: the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy--thrombocytopenia (FACT-Th) questionnaire.
The specific concerns of people with low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) have not been characterized well in the literature and as a result proper measurement of patient-reported concerns is lacking. We report on the development and validation of questions specifically targeted to patients with thrombocytopenia that can be added to the more general concerns in the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. ⋯ The FACT-Th is a reliable and valid measure for assessing the impact of thrombocytopenia on patients' lives. It can distinguish cancer patients with and without thrombocytopenia and is responsive to increase in platelet count over time. The FACT-Th may therefore prove useful as a measure of self-reported symptoms and concerns related to thrombocytopenia in clinical trials evaluating new pharmacologic agents and/or platelet transfusion practice.
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Support Care Cancer · Nov 2006
ReviewThe WHO analgesic ladder for cancer pain control, twenty years of use. How much pain relief does one get from using it?
Pain is a major problem in the treatment of patients with cancer. This article reviews studies concerning evaluation of patients with cancer pain treated according to The World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder. ⋯ However, the evidence that they provide is insufficient to grant the effectiveness of the WHO guidelines because a controlled clinical trial of this intervention has never been published.
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Support Care Cancer · Nov 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of vitamin E supplementation for protection against cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy: final results.
A randomized, open label with blind assessment, controlled trial was performed to assess efficacy and adverse-event profile of vitamin E, given as supplementation for prophylaxis against cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). ⋯ Vitamin E effectively and safely protects patients with cancer from occurrence of cisplatin neurotoxicity.
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Support Care Cancer · Nov 2006
Comparative StudySymptom profiles and palliative care in advanced pancreatic cancer: a prospective study.
To describe prospectively the prevalence and severity of disease-related symptoms, quality of life (QOL) and need for palliative care in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. ⋯ Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer develop several distressing symptoms. ESAS was useful for assessment of symptom prevalence and intensity and is a clinically adequate method for symptom control. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary for the best palliation of symptoms at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up.