Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Jul 2015
Stopping paclitaxel premedication after two doses in patients not experiencing a previous infusion hypersensitivity reaction.
Paclitaxel-based chemotherapy continues to be an integral component of breast cancer treatment. Prolonged use of paclitaxel may result in repeated doses of premedications that can have unwanted side effects. Infusion hypersensitivity reactions occurring beyond the second dose of paclitaxel are infrequent and not well characterized. We previously published the results of a small, prospective pilot trial demonstrating the safety and feasibility of discontinuing premedications in patients who received the first two doses of paclitaxel-based chemotherapy without experiencing an infusion hypersensitivity reaction. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively characterize the incidence of rescue medication using this abbreviated premedication regimen in our institution following the publication of the pilot study. ⋯ Discontinuation of paclitaxel premedications in breast cancer patients who have not experienced an infusion hypersensitivity reaction with the first two doses of paclitaxel is not associated with increased rate of rescue medication use for infusion hypersensitivity.
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Support Care Cancer · Jul 2015
Opioid-taking self-efficacy affects the quality of life of Taiwanese patients with cancer pain.
Quality of life is an important indicator for evaluating the outcome of treatment for patients with cancer pain. Perceived self-efficacy has been reported to play an important role in controlling quality of life (QOL). Limited studies have focused on opioid-taking self-efficacy effects on the patients' QOL, which is caused by cancer pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how much of the variance in QOL among Taiwanese cancer patients with pain could be accounted for by opioid-taking self-efficacy. ⋯ This study highlights the potential importance of a patient's opioid-taking self-efficacy beliefs in their quality of life, which is relevant to cancer pain.
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Support Care Cancer · Jul 2015
Validation study of the EORTC information questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-INFO25) in Iranian cancer patients.
Developing a tool for measuring patient's needs is a vital step in the process of cancer treatment and research. In recent years, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) made a questionnaire to measure cancer patients' received information. Since validity and reliability of any instrument should be evaluated in the new environment and culture, the aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the EORTC QLQ-INFO25 in Iranian cancer patients. ⋯ The results showed that Persian version of the questionnaire EORTC QLQ-INFO25 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the perception of information in cancer patients.
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Support Care Cancer · Jul 2015
Coping with physical and psychological symptoms: a qualitative study of advanced lung cancer patients and their family caregivers.
Advanced lung cancer patients have high rates of multiple physical and psychological symptoms, and many of their family caregivers experience significant distress. However, little is known about strategies that these patients and their family caregivers employ to cope with physical and psychological symptoms. This study aimed to identify strategies for coping with various physical and psychological symptoms among advanced, symptomatic lung cancer patients and their primary family caregivers. ⋯ Results suggest that advanced lung cancer patients and caregivers may be more receptive to cognitive and religious approaches to symptom management and less receptive to peer support. Interventions should address the perceived effectiveness of support from family and friends.
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Support Care Cancer · Jul 2015
New cutaneous toxicities with generic docetaxel: are the excipients guilty?
Docetaxel is one of the most widely used anticancer drugs and an ideal candidate for the development of generic formulations to reduce the economic cost. However, the use of generic drugs is an issue of debate because studies of their safety and efficacy in comparison with the original drug are not required for approval. The aim of this study is to determine whether the change in the formulation of the original drug is responsible for the toxicity changes observed. ⋯ Our study suggests that some toxic effects of docetaxel may be related to the excipients used in different formulations of the drug.