Uğur Uzun, Aykut Sarıtaş, Sevda Kökçe, Bilge Togay
{"title":"Care training and family caregiver anxiety: prospective cohort study.","authors":"Uğur Uzun, Aykut Sarıtaş, Sevda Kökçe, Bilge Togay","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004895","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004895","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The study aimed to improve family caregivers' skills and evaluate the effect on their anxiety levels.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In our study, family caregivers of patients unable to perform daily activities were provided with care training. Their anxiety levels were examined before and after the training.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Care training increased the family caregivers' sense of self-efficacy but caused no significant difference in their anxiety levels. Factors such as gender, education level and employment status influenced anxiety levels. Higher education and income were associated with lower trait anxiety while employment status was linked to higher anxiety levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Care training increased the family caregivers' sense of self-efficacy while causing no difference in their anxiety levels. In order to reduce anxiety, other negative factors affecting the caregiver should be discovered and corrected.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141293147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Subcutaneous lacosamide for continuous focal seizures.","authors":"Helen Crispin, Victoria Otway, Rhiannon Morris","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004832","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004832","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Management of continuous focal seizure activity provides a unique challenge in palliative medicine. In cases where the patient is conscious and would prefer to remain so, we need to balance seizure-control with the sedating side effects of anti-seizure medications. Here we present a case in which subcutaneous lacosamide was given as part of a multi-modal treatment regime for a patient with continuous focal seizure activity. Lacosamide is a relatively new anti-seizure medication, that, unlike some anticonvulsants, has few drug interactions, is relatively non-sedating, and has physicochemical properties compatible with administration by the subcutaneous route. This case report adds to the very limited existing literature on the administration of lacosamide by the subcutaneous route. We conclude that lacosamide potentially provides an attractive option to contribute to the individualised care of this group of patients, and it may also have a role in the management of neuropathic pain where the enteral route is not available.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141293148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unmet need for cancer palliative care in India.","authors":"Shreyas Patil, Parth Sharma, Anoushka Arora, Siddhesh Zadey","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004978","DOIUrl":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004978","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Minsoo Kim, Jose Alberto Maldonado, Prasamsa Pandey, Molly B El Alam, Ramez Kouzy, Kaitlin Christopherson, Bruce D Minsky, Quynh-Nhu Nugyen, David Grosshans, Lilie L Lin, Melissa P Mitchell, Ann H Klopp, Percy P Lee, Justin Bird, Robert Satcher, Valerae O Lewis, Patrick P Lin, Chad Tang, Albert C Koong, Bryan Moon, Lauren E Colbert
{"title":"Single-fraction radiation retreatment for bone metastases: role of a rapid access clinic.","authors":"Minsoo Kim, Jose Alberto Maldonado, Prasamsa Pandey, Molly B El Alam, Ramez Kouzy, Kaitlin Christopherson, Bruce D Minsky, Quynh-Nhu Nugyen, David Grosshans, Lilie L Lin, Melissa P Mitchell, Ann H Klopp, Percy P Lee, Justin Bird, Robert Satcher, Valerae O Lewis, Patrick P Lin, Chad Tang, Albert C Koong, Bryan Moon, Lauren E Colbert","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2023-004497","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2023-004497","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigates retreatment rates in single-fraction radiation therapy (SFRT) for painful bone metastasis in patients with limited life expectancy. We compared retreatment-free survival (RFS) in patients from a rapid access bone metastases clinic (RABC) and non-RABC patients, identifying factors associated with retreatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this observational study, we analysed RABC patients who received SFRT between April 2018 and November 2019, using non-RABC SFRT patients as a comparison group. Patients with prior or perioperative radiation therapy (RT) were excluded. The primary endpoint was same-site and any-site retreatment with RT or surgery. Patient characteristics were compared using χ<sup>2</sup> and Student's t-tests, with RFS estimates based on a multistate model considering death as a competing risk using Aalen-Johansen estimates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 151 patients (79 RABC, 72 non-RABC) with 225 treatments (102 RABC, 123 non-RABC) meeting eligibility criteria. Of the 22 (10.8%) same-site retreatments, 5 (22.7%) received surgery, 14 (63.6%) received RT and 3 (13.6%) received both RT and surgery. We found no significant differences in any-site RFS (p=0.97) or same-site RFS (p=0.11).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>RFS is high and similar comparable in the RABC and non-RABC cohorts. Retreatment rates are low, even in patients with low Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scores.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141283007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction for '<i>Breast cancer prognosis and P-cadherin expression: systematic review and study-level meta-analysis'</i>.","authors":"","doi":"10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002204corr1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002204corr1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141261412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jack B Fu, Radhika Manne, An Ngo-Huang, Jegy M Tennison, Amy H Ng, Clark Andersen, Wendy A Woodward, Eduardo Bruera
{"title":"Onabotulinum toxin injections for shoulder and chest wall muscle pain in breast cancer survivors: retrospective study - preliminary report.","authors":"Jack B Fu, Radhika Manne, An Ngo-Huang, Jegy M Tennison, Amy H Ng, Clark Andersen, Wendy A Woodward, Eduardo Bruera","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004987","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004987","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The primary objective of this retrospective review is to describe patient-reported improvement in muscular pain after initial treatment with onabotulinum toxin. A secondary objective was to determine other physiatry (physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R)) interventions ordered.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Preliminary retrospective review of physiatry interventions for 47 patients referred by breast radiation oncology to PM&R at a tertiary referral-based academic cancer centre clinic from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2021 for muscular shoulder/chest wall pain.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients were most commonly diagnosed with muscle spasm 27/47 (58%), lymphedema 21/47 (45%), myalgia/myofascial pain 16/47 (34%), radiation fibrosis 14/47 (30%), fatigue/deconditioning 13/47 (28%), neurological impairment 11/47 (23%) and joint pathology 3/47 (6%). The top three physiatric interventions were home exercise programme education (17/47, 36%), botulinum toxin injection (17/47, 36%) and physical or occupational therapy referral (15/47, 32%). Patients who had muscle spasms documented were more likely to have botulinum toxin recommended by physiatry (24/24) compared with those with questionable spasms (4/7) and those without spasms(0/16) (p=0.0005). 17/28 (60.7%) received botulinum toxin injection, and a total of 35 injections were performed during the study period. 94% (16/17) of patients who received botulinum toxin injection voiced improvement in pain after injection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Botulinum toxin injections may play a role in the treatment of muscle spasm-related pain in breast cancer survivors. Additional blinded controlled research on the effectiveness of botulinum toxin injection after breast cancer treatment with spastic muscular shoulder/chest wall pain is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141261414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Absolute lymphocyte count as a biomarker for best supportive care transition in metastatic breast cancer.","authors":"Yoshiya Horimoto, Hikari Jimbo, Yumiko Ishizuka, Noriko Nogami, Goro Kutomi, Junichiro Watanabe","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004989","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004989","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Time is crucial for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and clinicians are expected to determine the optimal timing for best supportive care (BSC) transition but no evident marker has been established. We recently revealed that absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) was a prognostic marker for patients with MBC. Thus, we investigated whether ALC could be an indicator of the best timing for the BSC transition.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>101 patients with MBC were retrospectively investigated, and the relationship between clinicopathological factors, including ALC, and the duration of the last treatment was analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean ALC significantly gradually decreased during the last three systemic treatments towards BSC transition. Patients of younger age, with special histology type, hormone receptor-positive tumours and low ALC at the start of the last treatment had significantly shorter time-to-treatment-termination (TTT) for the last treatment. When ALC was classified into low and high, the mean TTT of the last treatment in the ALC-low group was significantly shorter (16.4 weeks) compared with that in the ALC-high group (30.2 weeks; p=0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data suggest that ALC values, which decrease as MBC progresses, could serve as a potential indicator for determining the optimal timing of BSC transition.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Psychological distress and physical symptoms in advanced cancer: cross-sectional study.","authors":"Bridget Podbury, Taylan Gurgenci, Georgie Huggett, Ristan Greer, Janet Hardy, Phillip Good","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004940","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004940","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Patients with advanced cancer experience varying physical and psychological symptoms throughout the course of their illness. Depression, anxiety and stress affect overall well-being. This study investigates the correlation between emotional distress and physical symptoms in a cohort of patients with advanced cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>There were 238 patients included in this study. Data from participants in two medicinal cannabis randomised controlled trials were analysed. Patients were aged over 18 years and had advanced cancer. Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were assessed for all patients at baseline.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Moderate-severe depression was reported in 29.8% and moderate-severe anxiety was reported in 47.9% of patients. The emotional subscales of DASS-21 (depression, anxiety, stress) correlated with total symptom distress score (p<0.001) and overall well-being (p<0.001). Depression was correlated with physical symptoms of fatigue, nausea, poor appetite and dyspnoea. Anxiety was correlated with fatigue and dyspnoea. Stress was correlated with fatigue, nausea and dyspnoea.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Depression, anxiety and stress were common in this population. The relationship between physical and psychological well-being is complex. A holistic approach to symptom management is required to improve quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Single-arm clinical trials: design, ethics, principles.","authors":"Minyan Wang, Huan Ma, Yun Shi, Haojie Ni, Chu Qin, Conghua Ji","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2024-004984","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2024-004984","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although randomised controlled trials are considered the gold standard in clinical research, they are not always feasible due to limitations in the study population, challenges in obtaining evidence, high costs and ethical considerations. As a result, single-arm trial designs have emerged as one of the methods to address these issues. Single-arm trials are commonly applied to study advanced-stage cancer, rare diseases, emerging infectious diseases, new treatment methods and medical devices. Single-arm trials have certain ethical advantages over randomised controlled trials, such as providing equitable treatment, respecting patient preferences, addressing rare diseases and timely management of adverse events. While single-arm trials do not adhere to the principles of randomisation and blinding in terms of scientific rigour, they still incorporate principles of control, balance and replication, making the design scientifically reasonable. Compared with randomised controlled trials, single-arm trials require fewer sample sizes and have shorter trial durations, which can help save costs. Compared with cohort studies, single-arm trials involve intervention measures and reduce external interference, resulting in higher levels of evidence. However, single-arm trials also have limitations. Without a parallel control group, there may be biases in interpreting the results. In addition, single-arm trials cannot meet the requirements of randomisation and blinding, thereby limiting their evidence capacity compared with randomised controlled trials. Therefore, researchers consider using single-arm trials as a trial design method only when randomised controlled trials are not feasible.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fangxin Wei, Ruiyao He, Xin Yang, Ziqi Hu, Yu Wang
{"title":"Cognitive-behavioural therapy effectiveness for fear of cancer recurrence: systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Fangxin Wei, Ruiyao He, Xin Yang, Ziqi Hu, Yu Wang","doi":"10.1136/spcare-2023-004639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/spcare-2023-004639","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Fear of cancer recurrence is one of the psychological distresses for patients with cancer and cancer survivors, which poses a physical and psychological threat. There is scant evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy in reducing fear of cancer recurrence. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy for fear of cancer recurrence.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The review was reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses statement. Seven databases were systematically searched from inception to 31 March 2023. Randomised controlled trials implementing cognitive-behavioural therapy interventions and studies reporting fear of cancer recurrence were included. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool 2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 32 randomised controlled trials involving 1515 cancer survivors and 1845 patients with cancer undergoing treatment were included. The meta-analysis indicated a significant effect of cognitive-behavioural therapy on fear of cancer recurrence in patients with cancer and cancer survivors compared with controls (g=-0.65; 95% CI=-0.86, -0.44; p<0.001). The results of the overall risk of bias indicated some concerns in 4 studies and a high risk in 28 studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study indicated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy intervention for fear of cancer recurrence in patients with cancer and cancer survivors, which should inform future clinical practice of interventions for the treatment of fear of cancer recurrence.</p><p><strong>Prospero registration number: </strong>CRD42023404948.</p>","PeriodicalId":9136,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141093001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}