Cancer
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Patient-reported symptoms and discontinuation of adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy.
Aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy results in substantial survival benefits for patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The rates of poor adherence and discontinuation of AI therapy are high, primarily because of treatment-related toxicities like musculoskeletal pain. Although pain-related symptoms may worsen during AI therapy, the authors hypothesized that nonpersistence with AI therapy was associated with symptoms that were present before treatment initiation. ⋯ Symptom clusters in breast cancer survivors that are present before the initiation of adjuvant AI therapy may have a negative impact on a patient's persistence with therapy. Interventions to manage these symptoms may improve breast cancer outcomes and quality of life.
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Since the inception of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) in 1990, partnerships have played a significant role in providing breast and cervical cancer screening and early detection to uninsured and underinsured women. The state, tribal, and territorial NBCCEDP grantees have shared resources and responsibilities with a variety of partners (eg, community-based organizations, government agencies, tribes, health care systems, companies, professional organizations) to achieve common goals. ⋯ Komen for the Cure, and the Avon Foundation for Women, have provided funding, lobbied for national and state funding, supported outreach and education activities, and provided treatment referral services for the programs. This article provides an overview of grantee partnerships to illustrate the effects, successes, and challenges of these partnerships and how they have affected the populations served by the program.
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In the mid-1980s when there was a shift in public health priorities toward the prevention and control of chronic disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a screening program based on the core elements of surveillance, public and provider education, quality assurance, and national and local collaborations. With the Affordable Care Act providing coverage for millions of individuals, the CDC now has an opportunity to focus on recommended cancer screenings through an organized approach versus an opportunistic approach.
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Multicenter Study
Symptom burden among young adults with breast or colorectal cancer.
Cancer incidence has increased among young adults (YAs) and survival rates have not improved compared with other age groups. Patient-reported outcomes may enhance our understanding of this vulnerable population. ⋯ YAs reported symptom severity, symptom interference, and variations over time that were distinct from older patients. Distinctions were found to differ by diagnostic group. These findings enhance the understanding of symptom burden in YAs and inform the development of targeted interventions and future research.