Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Editorial : Measuing performance is essential to patient-centred care
"A health care system should, first and foremost, be organized to meet the needs of patients rather than the needs of institutions and providers. More often than not, however, the needs of institutions and health providers come first. How often do we see patients repeatedly
return to clinics on different days for poorly coordinated visits for diagnostic tests and follow-up with their physician?..."
Evidence Updates: Impact of two supportive care interventions on anxiety, depression, quality of life, and unmet needs in patients (advanced cancer)
Evidence Updates: Impact of two supportive care interventions on anxiety, depression, quality of life, and unmet needs in patients
Girgis A, Breen S, Stacey F, et al. Impact of two supportive care interventions on anxiety, depression, quality of life, and unmet needs in patients with nonlocalized breast and colorectal cancers. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Dec 20;27(36):6180-90. Epub 2009 Nov 16. PMID: 19917842 (Original)
DISCIPLINE RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE IS THIS NEWS?
Oncology - Breast 3 / 7 3 / 7
Oncology - Gastrointestinal 4 / 7 4 / 7
Oncology - Palliative and Supportive Care 6 / 7 6 / 7
Abstract PURPOSE: Patients with cancer experience considerable symptom burden, psychological morbidity, and unmet psychosocial needs. Research suggests that feedback of patient-reported outcomes to clinicians or caseworkers, alongside management strategies, may result in improved patient functioning. Two intervention models were developed to test this effect in a randomized, controlled trial against usual care (UC): a telephone caseworker (TCW) model and an oncologist/general practitioner (O/GP) model. Primary end points included anxiety, depression, physical/emotional functioning, and unmet supportive care needs.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants with nonlocalized breast or colorectal cancers were surveyed by computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) at three time points: baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Data collected from participant CATIs in the supportive care models were used to generate feedback to either each participant`s designated TCW, or their nominated O/GPs. Data obtained from participants in the UC model were used only to assess the impact of supportive care models. In total, 356 participants consented to study participation, completed the baseline CATI, and were randomly assigned to the UC, TCW, or O/GP groups.
RESULTS: No overall intervention effect was observed. Physical functioning was significantly improved at the third CATI for participants in the TCW model (P = .01), and there was a trend toward fewer participants with unmet needs (P = .07). TCW group participants also were more likely to have the following: identified issues of need discussed (P < .0001); referrals made (P < .0001); and strong agreement that the intervention improved communication with their health care team (P = .0005).
CONCLUSION: The TCW model holds some promise; however, additional work in at-risk populations is required before we recommend implementation.
Monday, January 25, 2010
full free access: Use of a surgical safety checklist to reduce morbidity and mortality
Note: the use of surgical site checklists stemmed from WHO's Patient Safety group/s.
Cancer Recurrence Fears - MD Anderson Cancer Center
Clinical Trials Matching Service - Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
press release: Women's College Hospital (Toronto) offers Jewish women genetic screening for breast cancer
“Our study identified two major concerns with current breast cancer screening guidelines,” says Dr. Kelly Metcalfe, adjunct scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute and associate professor at the University of Toronto. “The first is that over half of the women we identified with a mutation would never have known that they were at an increased risk of cancer because they were not eligible for genetic testing outside of this study. The second concern was that although 45 per cent of the women with mutations were eligible for genetic testing based on their family history of cancer, none were referred by their health-care provider for screening. "
Two Combination Treatment Regimens Added to Updated NCCN Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer - media item
NCCN updates their guidelines annually - the guidelines on a variety of subjects (cancers/genetics etc) can be found at: http://www.nccn.org
Access requires registration but is free. There is a specific area for the genetics of breast/ovarian but to find genetics relating to Lynch Syndrome you need to go to the colorectal cancer section.
A Study Comparing Oral Picoplatin With Intravenous Picoplatin in Subjects With Solid Tumors - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov
A Study Comparing Oral Picoplatin With Intravenous Picoplatin in Subjects With Solid Tumors - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov:
"This study has been completed.
First Received: April 23, 2007 Last Updated: September 23, 2009
Sponsor: Poniard Pharmaceuticals
Information provided by: Poniard Pharmaceuticals
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00465725"
Pharma press release: re Phase 2 Trial of Picoplatin in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Meets Primary Endpoint and Study Objectives
"Our ultimate goal is to secure a strategic partnership to support further development of picoplatin in CRC and other solid tumor indications, including prostate and ovarian cancers.'"
article: (Focused Microwave Thermotherapy) breast cancer therapy reduces mastectomies, saves breast
"In theory, Dooley said the technique could be used on any organ that could be "held relatively still." Scientists are now working to integrate heat-sensitive nanotechnology that would more precisely target cancer cells. They also plan to study a byproduct of the rapid disintegration of the tumor – a boosted immune system."
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Green Tea May Have Cancer Benefit - in Meeting Coverage, AACR-IASLC 2010 conference
"Experimental studies have suggested that one mechanism for chemoprevention with green tea may be its impact on insulin-like growth factors."
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