Frequent Stools Were Related to Reduced Quality of Life and Capacity in Daily Activities: Weekly Observations During and After Pelvic or Abdominal Radiotherapy.

Background: Greater knowledge regarding stool frequency and infrequency during pelvic and abdominal irradiation is needed to accurately identify patients at risk of either.

Objective: To describe occurrence of frequent and infrequent stools during pelvic-abdominal radiotherapy, and to compare quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADLs) of those patients experiencing frequent stools with those of patients experiencing infrequent stools.

Methods: Longitudinally during radiotherapy, 193 patients (64% had gynecological tumors) documented stool frequency, medications, and QoL using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General.

Methodology Aspects of Nausea Measuring During Pelvic Radiotherapy: Daily Nausea Measuring Is Successful to Identify Patients Experiencing Nausea.

Background: Nausea seems underreported during pelvic radiotherapy.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate if a 5-week recall measure of nausea covering the entire radiotherapy period was comparable with accumulated daily nausea measurements and to investigate if the measuring method affected potential difference in quality of life (QoL) between nauseated patients and patients free from nausea.

Methods: This longitudinal methodology study covered 200 patients (mean age, 64 years; 84% women; 69% had gynecological cancer).

Preparedness to Implement Physical Activity and Rehabilitation Guidelines in Routine Primary Care Cancer Rehabilitation: Focus Group Interviews Exploring Rehabilitation Professionals' Perceptions.

To explore primary care professionals' perceptions of physical activity and other cancer rehabilitation practice in cancer survivors, investigating the preparedness to implement guidelines regarding cancer rehabilitation. We collected qualitative data through seven semi-structured focus group interviews with 48 rehabilitation professionals, with mean 9 years of experience in primary care rehabilitation (32 physiotherapists, 15 occupational therapists, and 1 rehabilitation assistant) in a primary care setting. Data was analyzed using content analysis.

Identifying female pelvic cancer survivors with low levels of physical activity after radiotherapy: women with fecal and urinary leakage need additional support.

Objective: To investigate the frequency of physical activity among female pelvic cancer survivors (i.e., gynecological, rectal, and anal cancer survivors) and to investigate if survivors who practiced physical activity less than once a week differed from survivors practicing physical activity at least once a week with respect to urinary and fecal leakage, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life (QoL), and depressed and anxious mood.

Understanding rationales for acupuncture treated individuals' beliefs in acupuncture effects, to be able to maximize therapeutic results: A qualitative analysis.

Objective: To investigate how individuals expressed rationales for their beliefs regarding efficacy of acupuncture.

Methods: Qualitative data from participants of two different randomized sham-controlled trials, of relaxing (non-cancer volunteers of the general population) or antiemetic (patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy) effects of acupuncture was analyzed. Participants (n = 441) received genuine (n = 120 and n = 100) or sham (n = 121 and n = 100) (telescopic blunt sham-needle) relaxing or antiemetic acupuncture.