Curr Oncol
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This study set out to identify patterns in the causes of waits and wait-related satisfaction. ⋯ Causes in themselves do not explain wait-related satisfaction. Further work is needed to explore the underlying reasons for wait-related satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Although our findings shed light on patient experiences with the health system and identify where interventions could help to inform the expectations of patients and the public with respect to wait time, more research is needed to understand wait-related satisfaction among cancer patients.
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This systematic review addresses the question "What is the optimal targeted therapy for female patients with early-stage human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (her2)-positive breast cancer?" ⋯ Taking into consideration disease characteristics and patient preference, 1 year of trastuzumab should be offered to all patients with her2-positive breast cancer who are receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Cardiac function should be regularly assessed in this patient population.
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Palliative sedation (ps), the continuous use of sedating doses of medication to intentionally reduce consciousness and relieve refractory symptoms at end of life, is ethically acceptable if administered according to standards of best practice. Procedural guidelines outlining the appropriate use of ps and the need for rigorous documentation have been developed. As a quality improvement strategy, we audited the practice and documentation of ps on our palliative care unit (pcu). ⋯ The lack of documentation and standardized practice of ps on our pcu has resulted in a quality improvement program to address those gaps. They also highlight the importance of conducting research and developing clinical guidelines in this area.
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We set out to determine the rate, time-trend, and defining factors associated with publication of abstracts presented at two annual scientific meetings of the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (caro). ⋯ Half the abstracts presented at the 2007 and 2010 caro meetings were ultimately published in journals indexed in PubMed by about 1.5 years after presentation. Half the abstracts and publications came from just 2 universities; more must to be done to close the gap.