Publications by authors named "Angie Giotis"
Background: Taxane acute pain syndrome (TAPS) is a clinically significant side-effect of taxane chemotherapy, often described as arthralgia and myalgia that occurs 2-3 days after infusion. The aim of this study was to assess pain descriptors used by patients during their experience of TAPS.
Methods: A clinical prospective cohort study was conducted on breast cancer patients who had not received prior chemotherapy and were asked to complete diaries on three consecutive docetaxel treatment cycles on days 1-7, 14, and 21 (acute phase).
Purpose: To investigate the natural history of taxane-associated acute pain syndrome (TAPS) in a docetaxel patient cohort and to examine the long-term manifestation of TAPS.
Patients And Methods: For three consecutive treatment cycles, taxane-naive breast cancer patients completed diaries on days 1-7, 14, and 21 and telephone questionnaires 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following treatment. Questionnaires to assess pain and interference were adapted from the Brief Pain Inventory.
Background: The purpose was to retrospectively examine the anti-emetic regimens prescribed for prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) for head and neck cancer patients receiving moderate- or high-emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC/HEC) along with concurrent radiation treatment at an outpatient ambulatory care center to determine the efficacy of anti-emetics prescribed.
Methods: Consecutive patients with head and neck cancers who initiated cisplatin chemotherapy with concurrent radiation treatment between January 2013 and June 2015 were investigated. Patients' anti-emetic use and occurrence of CINV was extracted from available clinical documentation.
Purpose: Abiraterone acetate (AA), used to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), inhibits androgen biosynthesis by blocking cytochrome P450 (CYP) 17A1. It also inhibits other cytochromes involved in the metabolism of various widely used medications. As such, there is presumably a high potential for drug-drug interactions (DDIs) that can diminish the efficacy of AA or concurrent medications, or increase the risk of DDI-related adverse events (AEs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Patients with unresectable wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer benefit from fluoropyrimidines (FP), oxaliplatin (O), irinotecan (I), bevacizumab (Bev), and epithelial growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI). The most cost-effective regimen remains unclear.
Methods: A Markov model was constructed to examine the costs and outcomes of three treatment strategies: strategy A (reference strategy): EGFRI monotherapy in third line ([3L]; ie, first-line [1L]: Bev + FOLFIRI [FP + I] or FOLFOX [FP + O]; second line [2L]: FOLFIRI/FOLFOX; 3L: EGFRI); strategy B: EGFRI and I in 3L (ie, 1L: Bev + FOLFIRI/FOLFOX; 2L: FOLFIRI/FOLFOX; 3L: EGFRI + I); and strategy C: EGFRI in 1L (ie, 1L: EGFRI + FOLFIRI/FOLFOX; 2L: Bev + FOLFIRI/FOLFOX; 3L: best supportive care).
Purpose: Oral anticancer medications (OACMs) have created new treatment opportunities, but also challenges for patients and practitioners. We aimed to compare health care provider (HCP) and patient perceptions on OACM adherence, toxicity reporting, and patient educational needs.
Methods: An online survey for HCPs and paper survey for patients were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Background: Corticosteroids are used adjuvant to certain chemotherapy regimens, either as an antiemetic, to reduce other side effects, or to enhance cancer treatment. Additionally, they are frequently used for symptom control in cancer patients with end stage disease. Corticosteroid use may induce hyperglycemia in approximately 20-50% of patients, which may negatively affect patient outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to measure the time and labor costs involved in administering zoledronic acid and pamidronate to cancer patients with metastatic bone diseases, using a time and motion analysis method.
- Researchers recorded all time and activities related to the infusion process for 37 patients across two clinics in Canada, converting the data into labor costs in 2011 Canadian dollars.
- Results revealed the average infusion times and labor costs, with zoledronic acid requiring about 20.6 minutes and costing around $20, while pamidronate took longer and had variable costs depending on the infusion method used.
Objective: To retrospectively examine the incidence and management of hypocalcemia for patients with bone metastases treated with denosumab.
Methods: Patients who had a record of filling a prescription of denosumab for treatment of bone metastases at the outpatient pharmacy at the Odette Cancer Centre from May 2011 to February 2013 were included in the analysis. Demographic information, previous bisphosphonate usage, calcium and albumin values, and adverse events were obtained using the Sunnybrook Electronic Patient Record system (EPR) and the Oncology Symptom Control and Information Resource (OSCIR).
Introduction: This is an observational study of patterns of practice of the timing of baseline blood work (BBW) before chemotherapy initiation. The primary objective was to evaluate the incidence of significant changes in laboratory values within 6 weeks before therapy.
Methods: All consecutive patients receiving chemotherapy within a 6-month period were analyzed retrospectively.