Caregivers' burden and fatigue during and after patients' treatment with concomitant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer: a prospective, observational pilot study.

Purpose: Knowledge of caregivers' burden and fatigue before and after patients' treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancer is scarce. Therefore, we aimed to explore caregivers' fatigue and burden in relation to patients' fatigue, distress, and quality of life.

Methods: For caregivers, burden and fatigue were assessed.

How did partners experience cancer patients' participation in a phase I study? An observational study after a patient's death.

Objective: It can be assumed that patients' participation in a phase I study will have an important impact on their partners' life. However, evaluation of partners' experiences while patients are undergoing experimental treatment and of their well-being after the patient's death is lacking. We aimed to explore partners' experience of patients' participation in phase I studies and to investigate their well-being after a patient's death.

The value of routine follow-up in patients treated for carcinoma of the vulva.

Background: Vulvar carcinoma patients traditionally are offered follow-up after their primary treatment because earlier diagnosis of recurrent disease is believed to improve chances for curative treatment. The objective of the current study was to determine the value of a strict routine follow-up protocol for the detection of recurrences in a large series of patients who were treated for carcinoma of the vulva.

Methods: Clinicopathologic data for patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva who were treated between January 1990 and July 2000 were prospectively stored in a database.