European journal of cancer care
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Mar 2019
Incidence, severity, longitudinal trends and predictors of acute and chronic oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy in Taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal incidence, severity, pattern of changes or predictors of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OXAIPN) in Taiwanese patients with colorectal cancer. A longitudinal repeated measures study design was employed, and 77 participants were recruited from the colorectal and oncology departments of two teaching medical centres in Taiwan. Physical examinations were performed, and self-reports regarding adverse impacts of OXAIPN and quality of life were obtained at five time points throughout 12 cycles of chemotherapy (C/T). ⋯ Findings also documented significant increases in overall severity, symptom distress, interference and physical results associated with OXAIPN over the course of C/T. Predictors of OXAIPN severity varied by treatment cycle, including younger patient, higher cumulative dose of oxaliplatin, greater body surface area, receipt of chemotherapy in winter and the occurrence of OXAIPN during prior C/T cycles. The results from this study might help healthcare providers to recognise the symptom characteristics, degree of influences, trends and high-risk group of OXAIPN, facilitating early evaluation and potential interventions to mitigate or prevent negative effects of OXAIPN on patients.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Nov 2018
Actions helping expressed or anticipated needs: Patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers' experiences of specialist palliative home care teams.
Patients with advanced cancer and family caregivers in palliative care face physical, psychological, social and existential challenges, much of the time home alone. Specialist palliative home care team services can be instrumental for sense of security in an uncertain situation. The aim of this study was to describe patients' and family caregivers' experiences of specialist palliative home care team actions that are identified by the participants as helping or hindering interventions. ⋯ Providing adequate resources, keeping promises and being reliable, and creating partnerships are actions by specialist palliative care teams that patients and family caregivers experienced as helping in meeting expressed or anticipated needs in patients and family caregivers. Being reliable and including patients and family caregivers in partnerships help to continue with daily life, even though death may be close. Unmet needs resulted in experiences of disrespect or violation of personal space/integrity.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Nov 2018
Changes in and modifiable patient- and family caregiver-related factors associated with cancer patients' high self-perceived burden to others at the end of life: A longitudinal study.
This prospective, longitudinal study explored changes in and modifiable factors associated with high self-perceived burden to others (SPB) among a convenience sample of 276 dyads of terminally ill Taiwanese cancer patients and their family caregivers over patients' last year of life. High SPB was evaluated by scores ≥20 on the Self-Perceived Burden Scale. Modifiable factors of high SPB included factors related to both patients (i.e., symptom distress, functional dependence and coping capacity) and caregivers (i.e., caregiving burden, depressive symptoms and quality of life [QOL]). ⋯ In contrast, the likelihood of high SPB was significantly lower if patients had greater coping capacity and their caregivers reported better QOL. High SPB was not associated with patients' functional dependence, caregivers' caregiving burden and depressive-symptom level while providing end-of-life (EOL) care, and time proximity to death. Healthcare professionals may alleviate terminally ill cancer patients' high SPB at EOL through palliative care that adequately manages patients' physical symptom distress, enhances patients' coping capacity and improves family caregivers' QOL.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Nov 2018
Symptom clusters and quality of life in breast cancer survivors after cancer treatment in a tertiary hospital in Korea.
We investigated the symptom clusters and effects of symptom clusters on the quality of life of Korean breast cancer survivors. We recruited 241 breast cancer survivors and collected cross-sectional data on their symptoms. To determine inter-relationships among symptoms, a principal component analysis with varimax rotation was performed based on the patient's symptoms (fatigue, nausea/vomiting, pain, dyspnoea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, anxiety, depression, systemic therapy side effects, breast symptoms and arm symptoms). ⋯ Breast cancer survivors may have a specific pattern of symptom clusters. Some symptom clusters may have a negative impact on the quality of life. Identifying symptom clusters of breast cancer survivors may have clinical implications by improving symptom management.
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Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) · Mar 2018
Multidisciplinary work in oncology: Population-based analysis for seven invasive tumours.
The concept of multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs) in cancer care is endorsed internationally, but its uptake varies considerably. In Belgium, MDT meetings were financially recognised in 2003 to encourage healthcare professionals to join their knowledge and competences to improve the quality and coordination of cancer care. This study aimed to evaluate for seven cancer types diagnosed between 2004 and 2011, the practices of MDT meetings in Belgium by means of population-based administrative databases. ⋯ Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement, for specific cancer types as well as for certain subgroups such as older patients. From the specialists' point of view, reducing the administrative burden and time these meetings demand may entail a greater participation to MDT meetings. Further research is needed to identify the barriers to discuss more patients at MDT meetings and to elucidate the impact of MDT meetings on the quality of cancer care.