Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2018
Chemotherapy Use, End-of-Life Care, and Costs of Care Among Patients Diagnosed With Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer.
For patients with metastatic cancer and limited life expectancy, potential benefits of chemotherapy must be balanced against harms to quality of life near death and increased out-of-pocket costs of care. ⋯ Chemotherapy use among older patients diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer was associated with substantially increased use of health care and higher patient out-of-pocket costs near death.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2018
The Structure of the FACT-Cog v3 in Cancer Patients, Students, and Older Adults.
The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive (FACT-Cog) version 3 questionnaire is designed to assess perceived cognitive function and impact on quality of life in cancer patients. ⋯ The FACT-Cog can be used in populations other than cancer patients, with modifications to the scoring system. Even when used with cancer patients, it is worth considering scoring specific cognitive domains separately.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2018
Menopausal-Related Symptoms in Women One Year After Breast Cancer Surgery.
Approximately 60% to 100% of women with breast cancer experience at least one menopausal-related symptom. Little is known about associations between menopausal status and symptoms in women 12 months after breast cancer surgery. ⋯ Regardless of menopausal status, women reported relatively high occurrence rates for several menopausal symptoms. Associations between symptom occurrence rates and menopausal status depended on the patient's age. During the development of a survivorship care plan, clinicians need to assess symptom burden within the context of a woman's menopausal status and salient demographic and clinical characteristics. This approach will assist with the prescription of more effective interventions.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2018
Comparative StudyComparison of Indicators for Achievement of Pain Control With a Personalized Pain Goal in a Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The achievement of a personalized pain goal (PPG) is advocated as an individualized pain relief indicator. ⋯ The achievement of PPG was a stricter pain relief indicator than PI and interference and may reflect a real need for pain control.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Apr 2018
Family Caregivers' Reflections on Experiences of Assisted Suicide in Switzerland: A Qualitative Interview Study.
Thousands of family members worldwide are annually involved in assisted dying. Family participation in assisted dying has rarely been investigated and families' needs typically are not considered in assisted dying legislation and clinical guidelines. ⋯ Families appeared to be involved in the preparation of assisted suicide along with patients, irrespective of their personal values regarding assisted dying. Support for family members is essential if they are involved in tasks preparatory to assisted suicide. Clinical guidelines and policies concerning assisted dying should acknowledge and address family needs.