Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · May 2002
The impact of a palliative medicine consultation service in medical oncology.
This prospective study of consecutive patients describes the palliative medicine consult service in a tertiary level cancer center and its impact on patient care. All inpatients/outpatients referred to the Palliative Medicine Program in a 4-month period were enrolled. Data were collected at the initial consultation using standardized forms with spaces for: reason for the consultation, referring service, demographics and history, ECOG performance status, symptoms, prognosis and diagnostic tests, treatment, and care plan. ⋯ Plan of care foresaw outpatient follow-up for 40%, inpatient follow-up for 32%, and transfer to palliative medicine for 27%. In 39% of cases the consults were considered late referrals. New medications suggested were opioids for 46% of patients, antiemetics for 28%, a bowel regimen for 24%, steroids for 15%, and others for 51%. (1) Palliative medicine consultation involves common complex medical, psychological, and social problems. (2) Complex symptomatology in this population is confirmed. (3) Multiple interventions were suggested even at the initial consultation. (4) Important issues such as DNR (do not resuscitate) status, support system, treatment goals, and eligibility for hospice care had often not been addressed.
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Support Care Cancer · May 2002
Education / training in supportive and palliative care in central and eastern Europe. Results of a questionnaire survey.
During the totalitarian era terminal care was excluded from the health care system, and oncology, including education in the field, was rather neglected. The political and economic reforms that started in the 1990s in the countries of eastern and central Europe enhanced the development of palliative care and improvements in cancer treatment standards. This survey was performed to assess the current status of education and training in supportive and palliative care. ⋯ Access to professional literature should be improved, and the creation of national literatures should be encouraged. The role of local leaders, NGOs and professional associations must be emphasized. The main goals are: improvement of education, and better quality and availability of palliative and supportive care, not only for patients with cancer but also in other progressive life-threatening diseases.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2002
ReviewConsultation audio-tapes: an information aid, and a quality assurance and research tool.
Facilities for audio-taping medical consultations are widely available, and an increasing proportion of cancer patients request and/or appreciate the offer of an audio-tape after an oncology consultation. We have examined the usefulness to patients and their families of audio-tapes of initial and follow-up consultations. We have used consultation audio-tapes as a research tool investigating doctor-patient communication. ⋯ Consultation audio-tapes have a role in providing feedback concerning oncologist performance. Oncologists should consider installing audio-tape-recording facilities and offer new and follow-up patients a taped consultation. Audio-tapes are a valuable tool in the investigation of oncologist-patient interactions.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialA double-blind, randomised, parallel group, multinational, multicentre study comparing a single dose of ondansetron 24 mg p.o. with placebo and metoclopramide 10 mg t.d.s. p.o. in the treatment of opioid-induced nausea and emesis in cancer patients.
Nausea and emesis are common side effects of opioid drugs administered for pain relief in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-emetic efficacy and safety of ondansetron, placebo and metoclopramide in the treatment of opioid-induced nausea and emesis (OIE) in cancer patients. This was a multinational, multicentre, double-blind, parallel group study in which cancer patients who were receiving a full opioid agonist for cancer pain were randomised to receive one of oral ondansetron 24 mg once daily, metoclopramide 10 mg three times daily, or placebo. ⋯ Rescue anti-emetics were required in 8 of 33 patients on metoclopramide, 4 of 29 on ondansetron, and 3 of 30 on placebo. The incidence of adverse events was very low and similar in all treatment groups. Neither ondansetron 24 mg once daily nor metoclopromide 10 mg t.d.s. given orally was significantly more effective than placebo in the control of OIE in cancer patients.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialThe effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Chinese breast cancer patients: a randomised controlled trial.
This study was a randomised controlled trial designed to assess the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training (PMRT) in the clinical management of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting as an adjuvant intervention to accompany pharmacological antiemetic treatment (metoclopramide and dexamethasone i.v.). Seventy-one chemotherapy-naive breast cancer patients of an outpatient oncology unit of a university hospital in Hong Kong participated, with 38 subjects randomised to the experimental group and 33 to the control group. The intervention included the use of PMRT 1 h before chemotherapy was administered and daily thereafter for another 5 days (for a total of six PMRT sessions). ⋯ The significant effects were mainly evident on the first 4 post-chemotherapy days, when differences were statistically significant. Although there was a significantly less severe overall mood disturbance in the experimental group over time ( P<0.05), this did not apply in the case of anxiety. Such findings suggest that PMRT is a useful adjuvant technique to complement antiemetics for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and that incorporation of such interventions in the care plan can enhance the standards of care of cancer patients who experience side effects of chemotherapy.