Annals of palliative medicine
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While the efficacy of olanzapine in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) has been documented, the literature on the use of olanzapine as a rescue medication for breakthrough CINV has been scarce. The following study retrospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of olanzapine for the treatment of breakthrough CINV. The efficacy and safety of olanzapine in the prophylactic setting was also examined in a smaller cohort. ⋯ Olanzapine is effective in improving CINV in both the prophylactic and breakthrough settings. The safety, efficacy, and appropriate dosage of olanzapine for the rescue of breakthrough CINV should be prospectively evaluated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).
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The aim of the present study was to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation (with translation into Brazilian Portuguese) and validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire-Bone Metastases-22 (EORTC QLQ-BM22). ⋯ The EORTC QLQ-BM22 was translated into Brazilian Portuguese, was culturally adapted and was proven to be reliable, with face, content and construct validity.
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Pain is one of the most common, distressing and feared symptom among cancer and other patients in need of palliative care. An estimated 25% of cancer patients and 25 million people die in pain each year. Effective pain and symptom management are the core elements of palliative care which aims at reducing suffering and improving quality of life (QOL) throughout the course of illness starting from diagnosis, in sync with curative treatments and at end of life. ⋯ The need of the hour is to train all healthcare physicians and nurses especially those working in the field of chronic pain in principles of effective pain and symptom palliation, to integrate cancer pain and symptom management into existing pain management fellowships and to introduce a holistic pain and palliative care model at all levels of healthcare system. Simultaneously, of equal importance is to conduct research, evidence building and formulate policies and guidelines for meticulous symptom management among the diverse category of patients and diseases so as to have a personalized and individualistic approach to patient management. In this comprehensive review, we have pondered upon the need, advantages, barriers and recommendations to achieve ideal 'Integrated pain and palliative medicine' services, their equitable implementation and delivery to 'whomsoever in need of them'.