Effect of Combined Treatment Methods on Quality of Life in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 316-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Heras ◽  
Konstantinos Kritikos ◽  
Antonios Hatzopoulos ◽  
Nikolaos Kritikos ◽  
Stefanos Karagiannis ◽  
...  
2009 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Heras ◽  
Konstantinos Kritikos ◽  
Antonios Hatzopoulos ◽  
Nikolaos Kritikos ◽  
Stefanos Karagiannis ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-310
Author(s):  
Jarosław Woroń

The development of pain is associated with numerous physiological mechanisms. Improper acute pain treatment significantly reduces the quality of life and leads to a number of physiological changes that adversely affect the general condition of the patient. In many cases, inadequate analgesic therapy results in the transition from acute to chronic pain. For this reason, it is extremely important to use drugs that synergistically affect various pain mechanisms. Combined preparations, including the combination of tramadol and dexketoprofen, are very effective. This combination has many advantages, including proven efficacy and tolerability, ensures better treatment adherence and is easy to administer.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic O’Connor ◽  
Malcolm Brown ◽  
Martin Eatock ◽  
Richard C. Turkington ◽  
Gillian Prue

Abstract Background Surgical resection remains the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer and is associated with significant post-operative morbidity and mortality. Patients eligible for surgery, increasingly receive neo-adjuvant therapy before surgery or adjuvant therapy afterward, inherently exposing them to toxicity. As such, optimizing physical function through exercise during treatment remains imperative to optimize quality of life either before surgery or during rehabilitation. However, current exercise efficacy and prescription in pancreatic cancer is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to summarise the published literature on exercise studies conducted in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing treatment with a focus on determining the current prescription and progression patterns being used in this population. Methods A systematic review of four databases identified studies evaluating the effects of exercise on aerobic fitness, muscle strength, physical function, body composition, fatigue and quality of life in participants with pancreatic cancer undergoing treatment, published up to 24 July 2020. Two reviewers independently reviewed and appraised the methodological quality of each study. Results Twelve studies with a total of 300 participants were included. Heterogeneity of the literature prevented meta-analysis. Exercise was associated with improvements in outcomes; however, study quality was variable with the majority of studies receiving a weak rating. Conclusions High quality evidence regarding the efficacy and prescription of exercise in pancreatic cancer is lacking. Well-designed trials, which have received feedback and input from key stakeholders prior to implementation, are required to examine the impact of exercise in pancreatic cancer on key cancer related health outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Wode ◽  
Johanna Hök Nordberg ◽  
Gunver Sophia Kienle ◽  
Nils Elander ◽  
Britt-Marie Bernhardson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Most pancreatic cancer patients present with advanced stage at diagnosis with extremely short expected survival and few treatment options. A multimodal palliative approach is necessary for symptom relief and optimisation of health-related quality of life. In a recent open-label trial of mistletoe extract for advanced pancreatic cancer patients not eligible for chemotherapy, promising results on improved overall survival and better health-related quality of life were reported. The objective of the present study is to assess the value of mistletoe extract as a complement to standard 18 treatment (palliative chemotherapy or best supportive care) in advanced pancreatic cancer patients with 19 regard to overall survival and health-related quality of life. Methods The trial is prospective, randomised, double-blind, multicentre, parallel group and placebo-controlled. In total 290 participants are randomly assigned to placebo or mistletoe extract given subcutaneously in increasing dosage from 0.01mg to 20mg three times per week for nine months. Stratification is performed for site and palliative chemotherapy. Main inclusion criteria are advanced pancreatic cancer and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status zero to two; main exclusion criteria are life expectancy less than four weeks and neuroendocrine tumour of the pancreas. Two ancillary studies on sub-sets of participants are nested in the trial: a biomarker study collecting blood samples and a cross-sectional qualitative study with semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first placebo-controlled randomised trial assessing the impact of mistletoe extract as a complement to standard treatment on overall survival and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The presented trial with its two nested ancillary studies exploring biomarkers and patient experiences is expected to give new insights into the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Trial registration EU Clinical Trial Register, EudraCT Number 2014-004552-64. Registered 19 January 2016, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2014-004552-64/SE


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Guo-wei Qin ◽  
Tong-tong Xu ◽  
Xiang-wei Lv ◽  
Shi-min Jiang ◽  
Ke-jia Zhang ◽  
...  

Objective. To perform a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of combined treatment of Shenmai injection and chemotherapy for lung cancer. Methods. A literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) describing the treatment of lung cancer by Shenmai injection and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone was performed using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Value In Paper (VIP), China BioMed, and Wanfang databases. The databases were searched for entries published before September 1, 2019. Results. Thirty-seven RCTs, comprising a total of 2808 cases, were included in the present meta-analysis. Of these, 1428 cases were treated by Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy, and 1380 cases were treated only by chemotherapy. The results of meta-analysis showed that the combined treatment (Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy) increased the short-term efficacy of treatment (relative risk [RR] = 1.183, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.043–1.343, P < 0.01 ) and improved patients’ quality of life (RR = 1.514, 95%CI = 1.211–1.891, P < 0.01 ) compared with chemotherapy alone. With regard to the adverse effects, the combined treatment markedly reduced the incidence of white blood cell (WBC) reduction (RR = 0.846, 95%CI = 0.760–0.941, P < 0.01 ), platelet reduction (RR = 0.462, 95% CI = 0.330–0.649, P < 0.01 ), and hemoglobin reduction (RR = 0.462, 95% CI = 0.330–0.649, P < 0.01 ) and alleviated drug-induced liver injury (RR = 0.677, 95%CI = 0.463–0.990, P < 0.05 ). However, it did not offer a significant protective effect (RR = 0.725, 95%CI = 0.358–1.468, P < 0.05 ). The effect of the combined treatment on the occurrence of vomiting was considerable (RR = 0.889, 95%CI = 0.794–0.996, P < 0.05 ), and the combined treatment markedly increased the immunity of patients with lung cancer. Conclusion. The combined treatment of Shenmai injection plus chemotherapy enhanced the short-term efficacy of chemotherapy, improved the patient quality of life, alleviated the adverse effects of chemotherapeutics, and increased the patient immunity. These results should be confirmed by large-scale, high-quality RCTs.


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