Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Jun 2013
The perceptions and experiences of nurses and bereaved families towards bereavement care in an oncology unit.
Existing bereavement literature focuses on the care provided in palliative care units or community settings. However, nurses in oncology units are in a unique position to provide bereavement care, which is care extended to the families after the death of cancer patients. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of bereavement care among nurses and bereaved family members in an oncology unit in Hong Kong. ⋯ The findings revealed that there is room for improvement in current bereavement care. Family members were committed to patient care and they expressed their need for more involvement in the patient care, which could result in a positive impact on their grief and loss experience. Nurses were committed to quality care, and they expressed their need for more training on knowledge, skills and attitudes to improve their readiness and competencies in the provision of bereavement care.
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Support Care Cancer · Jun 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe use of olanzapine versus metoclopramide for the treatment of breakthrough chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.
Olanzapine has been shown to be a safe and effective agent for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Olanzapine may also be an effective rescue medication for patients who develop breakthrough CINV despite having received guideline-directed CINV prophylaxis. ⋯ Olanzapine was significantly better than metoclopramide in the control of breakthrough emesis and nausea in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.
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Support Care Cancer · Jun 2013
Review Meta AnalysisA literature synthesis of symptom prevalence and severity in persons receiving active cancer treatment.
Patients with cancer experience acute and chronic symptoms caused by their underlying disease or by the treatment. While numerous studies have examined the impact of various treatments on symptoms experienced by cancer patients, there are inconsistencies regarding the symptoms measured and reported in treatment trials. This article presents a systematic review of the research literature of the prevalence and severity of symptoms in patients undergoing cancer treatment. ⋯ Symptoms are prevalent and severe among patients with cancer. Therefore, any clinical study seeking to evaluate the impact of treatment on patients should consider including measurement of symptoms. This study demonstrates that a discrete set of symptoms is common across cancer types. This set may serve as the basis for defining a "core" set of symptoms to be recommended for elicitation across cancer clinical trials, particularly among patients with advanced disease.
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Support Care Cancer · Jun 2013
Occupational therapy needs of patients with thoracic cancer at the time of diagnosis: findings of a dedicated rehabilitation service.
Guidelines recommend screening patients with cancer to identify their rehabilitation needs. To help quantify this area of need and associated workload from an occupational therapy perspective in patients with thoracic cancer, we report the experiences of a dedicated rehabilitation service. ⋯ About half of patients with thoracic cancer screened have occupational therapy needs around the time of diagnosis. Problems are mostly in the area of self-care, with equipment provision the most frequent intervention provided. Future work should examine the efficacy of occupational therapy interventions further.
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Support Care Cancer · Jun 2013
Diagnostic criteria of cancer cachexia: relation to quality of life, exercise capacity and survival in unselected palliative care patients.
Cachexia is associated with adverse outcomes. There is limited information on the impact of different diagnostic criteria of cachexia on patient centered outcomes. ⋯ Weight loss, fatigue and markers of systemic inflammation were most strongly and consistently associated with adverse QoL, reduced functional abilities, more symptoms and shorter survival. The prevalence of cachexia using different definitions varied widely; indicating a need to further explore and validate diagnostic criteria for cancer cachexia.