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Oncologic Patient (oncologic + patient)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Chronic Pain in the Cancer Survivor: A New Frontier

PAIN MEDICINE, Issue 2 2007
Allen W. Burton MD
ABSTRACT Objective., This monograph is intended to clarify the clinical problem of chronic pain in cancer patients. Design., A pertinent literature review on chronic pain syndromes in cancer patients was undertaken using Medline. Further, the treatment strategies for cancer versus chronic pain are contrasted and clarified. Results., With increasing cancer survivorship come new challenges in patient care. In the United States, the cancer-related death rate has dropped by 1.1% per year from 1993,2002. Seventy-five percent of children and two out of three adults will survive cancer, whereas 50 years ago just one out of four survived. The net effect of these trends and opportunities is a large and rapidly growing population of persons living longer with cancer and/or as cancer survivors. While agreement exists on the best strategies for assessment and treatment of most acute cancer pain syndromes, little consensus exists on the treatment of chronic pain in the patient with slowly progressive cancer or the cancer survivor. Conclusions., The landscape of "cancer pain" is shifting quickly into a chronic pain situation in many instances, thereby blurring previous lines of distinction in treatment strategies most suited for "chronic" versus "malignant" pain. Adopting chronic pain treatment strategies including pharmacologic and other pain control techniques, rehabilitation care, and psychological coping strategies may lead to optimal outcomes. Lastly, as cancer evolves into a chronic illness, with co-morbid conditions, recurrent cancer, and treatment toxicities from repeated antineoplastic therapies, pain management challenges in the oncologic patient continue to increase in complexity. [source]

Annular erythema as a sign of recurrent breast cancer

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Eugene Tan
ABSTRACT Three women with known breast cancer presented with very similar annular erythemas of their chest walls. All women were in remission from their breast cancer for at least 6 months. Their breast cancers had initially responded well to multi-modality treatment with no clinical or radiologic evidence of recurrence, until the development of the annular erythema. In the first case, the annular erythema was treated unsuccessfully as a dermatitis and then as tinea corporis. In the second case, subacute cutaneous lupus was considered but lupus antibodies were negative. In the third case, the annular erythema was promptly recognized and biopsied. Histology in all three cases revealed identical findings of invasive ductal carcinoma involving the lymphatics of the skin. Immunohistochemical staining of the carcinoma was positive for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 but negative for oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Annular erythema can pose a wide differential but rarely has it been described as a sign of locally recurrent cancer. These cases highlight the importance of recognizing this entity in the oncologic patient, where prompt skin biopsies can confirm the diagnosis and allow early initiation of therapy. [source]

Laser phototherapy as topical prophylaxis against head and neck cancer radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis: Comparison between low and high/low power lasers

LASERS IN SURGERY AND MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009
Alyne Simões PhD
Abstract Background and Objective Oral mucositis is a dose-limiting and painful side effect of radiotherapy (RT) and/or chemotherapy in cancer patients. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effect of different protocols of laser phototherapy (LPT) on the grade of mucositis and degree of pain in patients under RT. Patients and Methods Thirty-nine patients were divided into three groups: G1, where the irradiations were done three times a week using low power laser; G2, where combined high and low power lasers were used three time a week; and G3, where patients received low power laser irradiation once a week. The low power LPT was done using an InGaAlP laser (660 nm/40 mW/6 J,cm,2/0.24 J per point). In the combined protocol, the high power LPT was done using a GaAlAs laser (808 nm, 1 W/cm2). Oral mucositis was assessed at each LPT session in accordance to the oral-mucositis scale of the National Institute of the Cancer,Common Toxicity criteria (NIC-CTC). The patient self-assessed pain was measured by means of the visual analogue scale. Results All protocols of LPT led to the maintenance of oral mucositis scores in the same levels until the last RT session. Moreover, LPT three times a week also maintained the pain levels. However, the patients submitted to the once a week LPT had significant pain increase; and the association of low/high LPT led to increased healing time. Conclusions These findings are desired when dealing with oncologic patients under RT avoiding unplanned radiation treatment breaks and additional hospital costs. Lasers Surg. Med. 41:264,270, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Patency and Flow of the Internal Jugular Vein After Functional Neck Dissection,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 1 2000
María P. Prim MD
Abstract Objectives: To assess the patency and flow of the internal jugular vein after functional neck dissection. Study Design: Prospective study of 54 internal jugular veins in 29 oncologic patients undergoing functional neck dissection between September 1994 and February 1997. Methods: Patency, presence of thrombosis, characteristics of the vein wall, compressibility, area of the vein both in rest and during Valsalva maneuver, expiratory flow speed, Valsalva flow speed, jugular flow in each side, and total jugular flow were assessed in all veins before and after dissection. All patients were evaluated before and after the procedure by means of duplex Doppler ultrasonography. Results: In no case was there thrombosis before or after the operation. Although total jugular flow decreases during the early postoperative period, it recovers to normal parameters within 3 months after surgery. Conclusions: According to these results, the patency of the internal jugular vein remains unaltered after functional neck dissection. Ultrasonographically there is no thrombosis after this procedure. [source]