Symptom Management
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has issued an update to its guidelines for the practical assessment and management of vulnerabilities in patients aged ≥65 years receiving systemic cancer treatment. The new recommendations, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, build on the Society’s previous guidance, published in 2018. Read More ›
Opioids such as morphine are the gold standard for treating cancer-induced bone pain, but new University of Arizona Health Sciences research recently published in PAIN uncovered a mechanism by which chronic morphine use may increase bone loss and pain. Read More ›
Patients can be successfully managed with minimal opioid medication after urologic oncology surgery, said Kerri Stevenson, MN, NP-C, RNFA, CWOCN, Lead Advanced Practice Provider – Interventional Radiology, Stanford Health Care, CA, at the 2018 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. Read More ›
Anxiety is a common symptom in patients with advanced cancer, and is associated with reduced quality of life, increased symptom burden, poor medication adherence, and suboptimal treatment decisions at the end of life. Read More ›
Among patients with cancer, sleep deficiency and cancer-related fatigue rank highest in prevalence and severity during all treatment phases, regardless of cancer type or stage. Read More ›
Omega-3 fatty acids significantly reduced aromatase inhibitor (AI)-induced joint pain in obese women with breast cancer, according to a new retrospective analysis of the SWOG S0927 study, a 24-week, randomized, controlled clinical trial that compared omega-3 fatty acids and placebo in patients with AI-related arthralgia. Read More ›
Patients with cancer are increasingly using cannabinoids (the chemical component of cannabis) to treat many symptoms, and a minority of them even take cannabis as a treatment for the cancer itself. Recent surveys have revealed that up to 25% of patients with cancer take some form of cannabis, but oncologists and other medical providers are often unaware that their patients are using medical (or recreational) cannabis. Read More ›
Cancer-related fatigue and insomnia frequently co-occur among patients with cancer, and emerging data have demonstrated that caregivers of patients with cancer also have a high symptom burden, with elevated rates of depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue Read More ›