scholarly journals Modification in the Oncology Field during COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 141-150
Author(s):  
Fatema Turkistani ◽  
Aseel Bin Sawad
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Cancer Of The Bladder ◽  
Abrupt Changes ◽  
Risk Of Progression ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Related Mortality

Background: COVID-19 outbreak impacted all healthcare specializations including the oncology field. Objective: To discuss in detail the varied effects of COVID-19 on the oncology field. Methods: For this narrative review, the researchers relied only on accredited and peer-reviewed resources. As such, the references of this paper were mostly taken from Google Scholar and online repositories, such as PubMed, which hosts the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Science Direct, JSTOR, and The Lancet. Results: COVID-19 and the necessity of physical distancing have significantly changed the practice in the oncology field. The use of telehealth is widely adopted, physicians are recommended to consider other forms of treatment, and decisions on immediate cancer treatment depend on the level of risk of progression with cancer care delay. Cancer treatment delay is causing the highest mortality rate for patients who are suffering from cancer of the bladder, lungs, ovary, stomach, and esophagus. COVID-19 has shifted the focus of healthcare professionals away from other life-threatening diseases, like cancer. In the United Kingdom, it has been projected that there is at least a 20% increase in the expected cancer-related mortality rate. This is due to abrupt changes in diagnosing and treating cancer patients, physical distancing protocols, economic downfall, as well as the public's behavior in opting for medical assistance. Conclusion: With the spread of COVID-19, the situation has become more difficult for cancer patients. The mortality rate for cancer patients has worsened during COVID-19. Health professionals working in the oncology field are also devastated by COVID-19.

Clinical characteristics and 3-month outcomes in cancer patients with incidental versus clinically-suspected and confirmed pulmonary embolism

2020 ◽  
pp. 2002723
Author(s):  
Marisa Peris ◽  
Juan J. López-Nuñez ◽  
Ana Maestre ◽  
David Jimenez ◽  
Alfonso Muriel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Major Bleeding ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Heparin Therapy ◽  
Incidental Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Related Mortality

BackgroundCurrent guidelines suggest treating cancer patients with incidental pulmonary embolism (PE) similar to those with clinically-suspected and confirmed PE. However, the natural history of these presentations has not been thoroughly compared.MethodsWe used the data from the RIETE registry to compare the 3-month outcomes in patients with active cancer and incidental PE versus those with clinically-suspected and confirmed PE. The primary outcome was 90-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were PE-related mortality, symptomatic PE recurrences and major bleeding.ResultsFrom July 2012 to January 2019, 946 cancer patients with incidental asymptomatic PE and 2274 with clinically-suspected and confirmed PE were enrolled. Most patients (95% versus 90%) received low-molecular-weight heparin therapy. During the first 90 days, 598 patients died, including 42 from PE. Patients with incidental PE had a lower all-cause mortality rate than those with suspected and confirmed PE (11% versus 22%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.34–0.54). Results were consistent for PE-related mortality (0.3% versus 1.7%; OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.06–0.59). Multivariable analysis confirmed that patients with incidental PE were at lower risk to die (adjusted OR: 0.43; 95%CI: 0.34–0.56). Overall, 29 patients (0.9%) developed symptomatic PE recurrences, and 122 (3.8%) had major bleeding. There were no significant differences in PE recurrences (OR: 0.62; 95%CI: 0.25–1.54) or major bleeding (OR: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.51–1.18).ConclusionsCancer patients with incidental PE had a lower mortality rate than those with clinically-suspected and confirmed PE. Further studies are required to validate these findings, and to explore optimal management strategies in these patients.

scholarly journals Cancer-Associated Cachexia: A Systemic Consequence of Cancer Progression

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 391-411
Author(s):  
Anup K. Biswas ◽  
Swarnali Acharyya
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Metastatic Cancer ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Invasive Growth ◽  
Wasting Syndrome ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
And Function ◽  
Related Mortality

Cancer is a life-threatening disease that has plagued humans for centuries. The vast majority of cancer-related mortality results from metastasis. Indeed, the invasive growth of metastatic cancer cells in vital organs causes fatal organ dysfunction, but metastasis-related deaths also result from cachexia, a debilitating wasting syndrome characterized by an involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. In fact, about 80% of metastatic cancer patients suffer from cachexia, which often renders them too weak to tolerate standard doses of anticancer therapies and makes them susceptible to death from cardiac and respiratory failure. The goals of this review are to highlight important findings that help explain how cancer-induced systemic changes drive the development of cachexia and to discuss unmet challenges and potential therapeutic strategies targeting cachexia to improve the quality of life and survival of cancer patients.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome in cancer treatment

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHIAKI KAWANISHI ◽  
HIDEKI ONISHI ◽  
DAIJI KATO ◽  
TOMOKI YAMADA ◽  
MASANARI ONOSE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome ◽  
Risk Group ◽  
High Risk Group ◽  
Careful Monitoring ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Psychiatric Units ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Complicating Factors

Objective: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening reaction to neuroleptics. Several prospective studies have reported NMS occurrence rates ranging from 0.07% to 2.2% of patients receiving neuroleptics. However, few occurrences of NMS have been reported in cancer patients despite frequent complications of cancer and its treatment by mental disorders managed with neuroleptic drugs. Exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition are considered risk factors for NMS, and cancer patients represent a high risk group for NMS.Methods: We describe a patient with metastatic chondrosarcoma who had received frequent neuroleptic injections prior to brain surgery and developed NMS in the intensive care unit immediately after surgery. The patient showed delirium, hyperpyrexia, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and extrapyramidal symptoms. After a diagnosis of NMS was made, supportive care and careful monitoring were carried out, and the patient recovered over an interval of 11 days.Results and significance of the research: Clinical NMS studies have been conducted mainly in psychiatric units, but NMS can occur wherever psychotropic drugs are administered. NMS can be difficult to diagnose due to multiple complicating factors in cancer treatment, but the diagnosis is highly important given the risk of death. Recognition of prodromal NMS symptoms can facilitate actions to decrease morbidity and mortality. It is suggested that special attention to cancer patients undergoing psychopharmacologic treatment is required in clinical oncologic practice.

Detection of occult hepatitis B virus in patients undergoing chemotherapy in Iran

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paniz Shirmast ◽  
Mahdi Abedinzade Shahri ◽  
Salar Pashangzadeh ◽  
Hessam Mirshahabi ◽  
Elham Samadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis B Virus ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Hbv Dna ◽  
Hepatitis B Infection ◽  
Occult Hepatitis ◽  
B Virus ◽  
Occult Hepatitis B ◽  
Life Threatening

Aim: Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is life threatening and has a high mortality rate despite applying antiviral treatments in cancer patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of OBI in patients undergoing chemotherapy in Iran. Materials & methods: A total of 342 patients undergoing chemotherapy were enrolled. OBI detection in anti-HBc positive individuals was conducted using nested-PCR. Results: Among 342 subjects, 103 (30.1%) were positive for anti-HBc. Fifteen (14.6%) cases of 103 anti-HBc positive samples were also positive for HBsAg. Overall, HBV DNA was positive in three (3.4%) of 88 anti-HBc subjects. Conclusion: Our results indicated that OBI might occur in almost one in 25 anti-HBc-positive patients undergoing chemotherapy.

scholarly journals Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia Prophylaxis for Cancer Patients during Chemotherapy

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Kazuto Takeuchi ◽  
Yoshihiro Yakushijin
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Potential Problem ◽  
Corticosteroid Treatment ◽  
Pneumocystis Jirovecii ◽  
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia ◽  
Immunocompromised Patients ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Life Threatening

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is one type of life-threatening pneumonia in immunocompromised patients. PJP development should be considered in not only immunocompromised individuals, but also patients undergoing intensive chemotherapies and immunotherapies, organ transplantation, or corticosteroid treatment. Past studies have described the clinical manifestation of PJP in patients during chemotherapy and reported that PJP affects cancer treatment outcomes. Therefore, PJP could be a potential problem for the management of cancer patients during chemotherapy, and PJP prophylaxis would be important during cancer treatment. This review discusses PJ colonization in outpatients during cancer chemotherapy, as well as in healthy individuals, and provides an update on PJP prophylaxis for cancer patients during chemotherapy.

Attitude towards Cancer Treatment in Patients Attending a Community Cancer Center.

Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3143-3143
Author(s):  
James E. Rohrer ◽  
Qassam Saeed ◽  
Samreen Saeed ◽  
William V. Esler ◽  
David Beggs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Cancer Center ◽  
Cure Rate ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Care Givers ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
High Risk Cancer ◽  
Cure Rates

Abstract A diagnosis of a cancer sometimes changes the priorities and perspective of an individual. Previous literature suggests that cancer patients were more likely to indicate support for cancer treatment than non-cancer patients, even when the treatment may not be curative and when the odds for cure are low. We have carried out a questionnaire study to evaluate the attitude towards cancer treatment of a convenience sample of individuals attending a community cancer center situated along the “Bible belt” of the USA. A total of 460 individuals were recruited (100 newly diagnosed cancer patients; 100 cancer patients in complete remission; 60 cancer patients with relapsed/refractory disease; 100 non-cancer patients and 100 care-givers of cancer patients). The overall questionnaire return rate was 88% (range 84–91%). We used Chi square tests in two-way tables to test for significance. When asked whether or not the subject will agree to treatment that might be associated with uncomfortable side-effects for a cancer with less than 10% cure rate, 63.1% of cancer patients responded positively when compared to 48.9% of non-cancer patients (p = 0.02). This difference is most notable when relapsed/refractory patients were compared to non-cancer patients (70.6% vs 4.9%) (odd ratio = 0.345) (p = 0.007). These results, therefore, indicate that the positive attitude of most cancer patients to high risk cancer treatment is observed even in a region heavily influenced by religion. Moreover, the preference for treatment is stronger when the patient is faced with a real issue, rather than a hypothetical choice. Therefore, patients should be given an opportunity to revise living wills and other documents after they have been diagnosed with cancer. The study next examined the attitude towards intervention for potentially fatal treatment-related complications. Cancer patients were marginally more likely to agree (69.8%) to intervention of the life-threatening complications than non-cancer patients (60.0%) (p = 0.09) even if their life expectancy from the cancer is only 6 months. However, these differences were no longer apparent if the complication has arisen from a cancer that has a cure rate of 30%. Younger patients were also more likely to agree to intervention of life-threatening complications than older patients whether the intervention was for a cancer with a life-expectancy of only 6 months (p=.002) or 30% cure rates (p=.0002). Our study therefore suggests that most cancer patients, even those in the ‘Bible belt” and especially those with relapsed/refractory disease, expect oncologists to treat their disease and treatment-related complications whether or not the intervention only produces low cure rates or prolongs their life marginally. However, older patients are more likely to decline treatment. We next compared the responses from cancer patient care-givers to cancer patients. There was no significant difference in the attitude towards treatment between cancer care-givers and cancer patients regardless of how the question was posed, suggesting that daily contact with cancer patients may have positively influenced the attitude of individuals to high risk cancer treatment. This result also suggests that, when the patients are seriously ill and unable to make decisions on treatment, the decision by the care-givers probably reflects that of the patients.

scholarly journals Development and Evaluation of Video-Based Educational Materials for Nutritional Management of Cancer in Children Among Healthcare Professionals and Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Huda Razalli ◽  
Hamidah Alias ◽  
Mohd Hafizuddin Mohammad ◽  
Nur Ruzaireena Rahim ◽  
Nur Qharena Alwani Zulkipli
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
Pediatric Cancer ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Nutritional Management ◽  
Educational Materials ◽  
Nutrition Management ◽  
Pediatric Cancer Patients

Abstract Background A good audio-visual educational material for caregivers on nutrition management of pediatric oncology patients can improve treatment effectiveness, recovery rate, and nutritional status of patients. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a series of video-based educational materials for nutritional management of pediatric oncology patients among healthcare professionals and caregivers.Methods The development of the video series began with subtopic selection and content refinement based on a printed booklet project previously published by the groups of five experts in dietetics and oncology medicine and five caregivers of pediatric cancer patients. 10 healthcare professionals (medical doctors and dietitians with over 5 years of working experience) and 15 caregivers then evaluated the video series for acceptability and relevance using the Malay version of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tools for Audio-Visual materials (PEMAT-AV). Sets of understandability and actionability statements were given a score of 0 (disagree) or 1 (agree), and the overall percentage was calculated.ResultFour main topics were selected from the booklet and adopted into 5 video series ranging from 3 to 8 minutes in length developed in the Malay language entitled (i) Introduction to Cancer and the Treatment, (ii) The Side Effects of Cancer Treatment and Management (Part 1), (iii) The Side Effects of Cancer Treatment and Management (Part 2), (iv) Nutrition Management in Children with Cancer, and (v) You Ask, We Answer. The average understandability and actionability scores rated by the healthcare professionals were 98.6%% and 98.7%respectively. Whereas the caregivers’ average score for understandability was 99.5% and 99.6% for actionability.ConclusionsThe findings revealed that a high-quality video series was successfully developed and rated as highly understandable and actionable by both healthcare professionals and caregivers. This reflects positive acceptance and relevance of the nutritional management educational videos by both groups who manage and care for pediatric cancer patients. Trial RegistrationCentre for Research and Instrumentation Management, Research Ethics Committee of The National University of Malaysia; Ref. No. UKM/PPI/111/8/JEP-2021-266

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