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Purpose: Assessing the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of cancer patients with cachexia is particularly important because treatments for cachexia are currently aimed at palliation and treatment efficacy must be measured in ways other than survival. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate HRQOL assessment in cancer patients with cachexia.
Methods: Using guidance from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, relevant databases were searched from January 1980 to January 2012 with terms relating to cancer, cachexia and HRQOL for papers including adult cancer patients with cachexia or documented weight loss at baseline.
Results: We found one cachexia-specific instrument, the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy, but the tool has not been fully validated, does not cover all the relevant domains and the consensus-based standards for the selection of health status measurement instruments checklist highlighted a number of weaknesses in the methodological quality of the validation study. Sixty-seven studies assessed HRQOL in cachectic or weight-losing cancer patients. Most used generic cancer HRQOL instruments, limiting the amount of useful information they provide. A modified version of the Efficace minimum data checklist demonstrated that the quality of reporting on HRQOL tool use was inadequate in many of the studies. A negative relationship between HRQOL and weight loss was found in 23 of the 27 studies which directly examined this.
Conclusion: There is a pressing need for a well-designed HRQOL tool for use with this patient group in both clinical trials and clinical practice.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1881-9 | DOI Listing |
Curr Opin Infect Dis
September 2025
Department of Microbiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Purpose Of Review: Diagnostic stewardship (DS) aims to optimise the use of laboratory testing to improve patient care while reducing unnecessary tests. This review examines recent evidence on DS interventions to optimise the use of resources, focusing on three key areas: reducing unnecessary testing, maximising the impact of existing tests, and avoiding the overdiagnosis of hospital-acquired infections.
Recent Findings: Multiple interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing unnecessary blood and urine culture testing, including clinical decision support tools, education programs, and multidisciplinary approaches.
JMIR Res Protoc
September 2025
Department of Health Services Research & Administration, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.
Background: With the availability of more advanced and effective treatments, life expectancy has improved among patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), but this makes communication with their medical oncologist more complex. Some patients struggle to learn about their therapeutic options and to understand and articulate their preferences. Mobile health (mHealth) apps can enhance patient-provider communication, playing a crucial role in the diagnosis, treatment, quality of life, and outcomes for patients living with MBC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Technol
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
While the cancer genome is well-studied, the nongenetic exposome of cancer remains elusive, particularly for regionally prevalent cancers with poor prognosis. Here, by employing a combined knowledge- and data-driven strategy, we profile the chemical exposome of plasma from 53 healthy controls, 14 esophagitis and 101 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients, and 46 esophageal tissues across 12 Chinese provinces, integrating inorganic, endogenous, and exogenous chemicals. We first show that components of the ESCC chemical exposome mediate the relationship between ESCC-related dietary/lifestyle factors and clinic health status indicators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOncologist
September 2025
Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.
Background: Effective communication of mission and vision statements (MVS) is important for medical institutions seeking to connect with patients, staff, and the community. This study assessed the composition, readability, and topics addressed within MVS among NCI-designated cancer centers and affiliated hospitals.
Methods: We extracted MVS data from institutional websites for 65 NCI-designated cancer centers and their affiliated hospitals.
JAMA Netw Open
September 2025
Department of Urology, Center for Health Outcomes Research and Dissemination, University of Washington, Seattle.
Importance: Black individuals have a twofold higher rate of prostate cancer death in the US compared with the average population with prostate cancer. Few guidelines support race-conscious screening practices among at-risk Black individuals.
Objective: To examine structural factors that facilitate or impede access to prostate cancer screening among Black individuals in the US.