Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
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Alternatives to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) are being developed amid controversy surrounding the therapeutic benefit and overall utility of this routine surgical procedure. Although potential negative side effects associated with ALND are known, we set out to examine whether these side effects contribute significantly to patient reports of quality of life and mental health. ⋯ Surgery-related symptoms after ALND persist for a majority of women with breast cancer and are not significantly related to time since surgery or receipt of radiation therapy. These symptoms and associated disability are significantly predictive of cancer-specific quality of life and mental health.
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Treatment regimens for head and neck cancer patients profoundly affect several quality-of-life domains. Rehabilitative needs have been identified through cross-sectional analyses; however, few studies have prospectively assessed quality of life, included assessment of psychosocial variables, and identified predictors of long-term follow-up. ⋯ Results reinforce the need for rehabilitation management through the integration of psychologic and behavioral interventions in medical follow-up.
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To estimate the level of fatigue and frequency of fatigue cases among Hodgkin's disease survivors (HDS) and compare them with normative data from the general population. ⋯ Hodgkin's disease survivors are considerably more fatigued than the general population and report fatigue of a substantially longer duration.
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To evaluate the effect of ondansetron availability on the costs of managing nausea and vomiting. ⋯ Ondansetron availability has been associated with changes in the clinical management of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and with overall cost savings compared with previously available antiemetic therapy.
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To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and daily low-dose cytarabine (ara-C) in the treatment of patients with early chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (within 1 year of diagnosis). Improving the degree of hematologic and cytogenetic response in patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive CML may improve prognosis. Both IFN-alpha and ara-C induce cytogenetic responses as single-agent therapy in CML. ⋯ The combination of IFN-alpha plus daily low-dose ara-C seems to be promising for the treatment of CML. High rates of CHR and cytogenetic response were observed with acceptable toxicity and a lower daily dose of IFN-alpha compared with our previous studies.