European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society
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Advances in antiemetic therapy over the past decade have undoubtedly eased the burden of radiotherapy- and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Despite this, these distressing side-effects of cancer therapy are still experienced by some patients. Moreover, nausea has both a higher incidence and a greater effect on patient quality of life than vomiting. ⋯ As with any therapy, less complicated dosing regimens are likely to improve compliance, an issue that may be particularly pertinent in nauseated patients who are unable to ingest multiple doses. Furthermore, the focus of antiemetic therapy should be on prevention, as the presence and severity of acute symptoms have been linked to occurrence of symptoms in the delayed phase and the likelihood of anticipatory nausea and vomiting with further treatment cycles. This review aims to assess the potentially neglected symptom of nausea and focuses on recognizing and controlling this side-effect of cancer therapy.
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A large body of evidence exists, which demonstrates the importance of nutritional support in cancer. The nutritional needs of patients with cancer may differ from those of the healthy population due to hypermetabolism, impaired organ function, increased nutrient losses and therapy-related malnutrition. Patients with cancer often have increased requirements for both macro- and micronutrients due to long periods of undernutrition prior to diagnosis. ⋯ Individual studies suggest that EPA attenuates cancer-associated wasting and improves immune function. In addition, it has been shown to have anti-tumour effects and improve clinical outcomes. However, results are not consistent for all patient groups and further research is required.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Children's acceptance and tolerance of chlorhexidine and benzydamine oral rinses in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced oropharyngeal mucositis.
Oral care is of great importance in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oropharyngeal mucositis. Although considerable attention has been given in improving oral care practices, patients' acceptance and tolerance of oral rinses is a continuing problem in oral care. A randomized crossover design was used to determine the relative acceptability and tolerability of chlorhexidine and benzydamine oral rinse agents in children receiving chemotherapy. ⋯ Approximately 60% of children reported that chlorhexidine was more helpful than benzydamine in reducing mucositis. About 47% and 50% of them preferred chlorhexidine and benzydamine in their subsequent chemotherapy, respectively. In conclusion, chlorhexidine and benzydamine are acceptable and well-tolerated by children over the age 6 years old.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
A multicentre study to determine the efficacy and patient acceptability of the Paxman Scalp Cooler to prevent hair loss in patients receiving chemotherapy.
Alopecia is a distressing and common side-effect of chemotherapy, especially anthracycline- and taxane-containing regimen. A series of studies and reviews have considered scalp cooling as a means of reducing this side-effect without a definitive result. The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy and patient acceptability of scalp cooling using the Paxman Scalp Cooler. ⋯ Use of the Paxman Scalp Cooler was adjudged a success for 89% of all patients using the WHO grading system for alopecia and for 87% of patients being specifically administered the commonly used 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC) regimen. When asked about degrees of comfort during the scalp-cooling process, 85% of patients described it as very comfortable, reasonably comfortable or comfortable, with only 15% of patients reporting a description of uncomfortable or very uncomfortable. Scalp cooling using the Paxman Scalp Cooler was found to be an effective technique with minimal side-effects for patients treated with commonly prescribed alopecia-inducing chemotherapy drugs.
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The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among children with cancer who had received or were receiving treatment at a large hospital in the UK, including the identification of the most commonly used therapies and parental motives for doing so. Using a cross-sectional survey design, questionnaires were sent to parents of paediatric patients diagnosed with cancer. Of the 49 respondents, 32.7% reported using some type of CAM. ⋯ The reasons for parents not using CAM included the child doing well and therefore not seeing the need for CAM use; not being aware of CAM; CAM not being offered and lack of information available. Parents identified a need for more information to be available both at ward level and for information about CAM to be discussed by medical staff, particularly at the start of treatment. The results indicate that CAM is frequently used by children and young people with cancer and that their use plays a substantial role in helping children through their conventional cancer treatment.