Gynecologic oncology
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Gynecologic oncology · Oct 2013
Comparative Study Controlled Clinical TrialIntensive complete decongestive physiotherapy for cancer-related upper-limb lymphedema: 11 days achieved greater volume reduction than 4.
Upper-limb lymphedema (ULL) occurs in 15-20% of women after breast-cancer treatment. Its intensive therapy relies on complete (complex) decongestive physiotherapy (CDP), whose duration is not well-established. ⋯ Intensive phase CDP for 11 days obtained significantly more volume reduction of breast cancer-related ULL than 4.
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Despite the increasing availability of palliative care, oncology providers often misunderstand and underutilize these resources. The goals of palliative care are relief of suffering and provision of the best possible quality of life for both the patient and her family, regardless of where she is in the natural history of her disease. ⋯ Patients with gynecologic malignancies remain an ideal population for palliative care intervention. This review of the literature explores the current state of palliative care in the treatment of gynecologic cancers and its implications for the quality and cost of this treatment.
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Gynecologic oncology · Oct 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialInfluence of gum chewing on postoperative bowel activity after complete staging surgery for gynecological malignancies: a randomized controlled trial.
To investigate whether gum chewing affects the return of bowel function after complete staging surgery for gynecologic malignancies. ⋯ Gum chewing early in the postoperative period following elective total abdominal hysterectomy and systematic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy hastens time to bowel motility and ability to tolerate feedings. This inexpensive and well-tolerated treatment should be added as an adjunct in postoperative care of gynecologic oncology.
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Gynecologic oncology · Oct 2013
Assessment of intraoperative tube thoracostomy after diaphragmatic resection as part of debulking surgery for primary advanced-stage Müllerian cancer.
The present study assessed the use of an intraoperative tube thoracostomy for patients with primary advanced-stage ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer who underwent a diaphragmatic resection as part of debulking surgery and to define which patients are more likely to benefit from an intraoperative tube thoracostomy. ⋯ A prophylactic tube thoracostomy might be considered if the volume of the estimated blood loss is higher than usual.
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Gynecologic oncology · Oct 2013
The wait time creep: changes in the surgical wait time for women with uterine cancer in Ontario, Canada, during 2000-2009.
Uterine cancer is a major cancer of women, with outcomes potentially worsening with delayed diagnosis or hysterectomy, the main treatment. Yet cancer surgery wait times are not reported by cancer site. This study sought to examine changes in wait times for uterine cancer surgery between 2000 and 2009 and to identify predictors of longer surgery wait times. ⋯ Over half of uterine cancer patients waited longer than the recommended 6 weeks for surgery. Future reporting of cancer wait times by each disease site regularly would help to identify progress to reduce wait times and opportunities for improvement.