Exploring patient awareness of palliative care - optimal timing and preferred approaches.

Objectives: To explore patients' awareness levels of palliative care (PC) and how this awareness shapes their preferences regarding the timing and approach for discussing it.

Methods: The study, conducted at a prominent institution specializing in oncology care, enrolled women aged 18-75 years who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Patients completed guiding questions: Do you know what PC is?, When is the most appropriate time and the most appropriate way to discuss PC?.

Impact of Preoperative Counseling and Education on Decreasing Anxiety in Patients With Gynecologic Tumors: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of counseling and preoperative education on reducing anxiety in patients undergoing surgery for gynecologic cancer.

Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, patients with gynecological tumors undergoing surgical treatment between 15 and 60 days preoperatively, were included. The group was randomized to receive preoperative routine orientation plus preoperative counseling and education by nursing (experimental group [EG]) or receive preoperative routine orientation only (control group [CG]).

A Research Protocol for a Phase II Single-Arm Clinical Trial Assessing the Feasibility and Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Anastrozole in Patients With Luminal Breast Cancer and Low Proliferative Index: The ANNE Trial.

Introduction: Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) is recommended for the treatment of invasive breast cancer (BC), particularly luminal subtypes, in locally advanced stages. Previous randomized studies have demonstrated the benefits of aromatase inhibitors in this context. However, NET is typically reserved for elderly or frail patients who may not tolerate neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Pharmacologic Management of End-of-Life Delirium: Translating Evidence into Practice.

End-of-life delirium affects a vast majority of patients before death. It is highly distressing and often associated with restlessness or agitation. Unlike delirium in other settings, it is considered irreversible, and non-pharmacologic measures may be less feasible.

Health-Related quality of life by 31-item Cervantes scale in breast cancer survivors undergoing adjuvant endocrine therapy.

Introduction: Instruments to manage adverse effects of endocrine therapy with Aromatase inhibitors (AI) may improve adherence and persistence to treatment and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL). The 31-item Cervantes Scale (CS-31) is an HRQL questionnaire with particularities of the perimenopausal and postmenopausal period that could be an appropriate instrument to assess HRQL in Breast Cancer (BC) survivors.

Objective: This study aimed to perform additional validation of the CS-31 for BC survivors undergoing adjuvant endocrine therapy.

The Magee 3 Equation Predicts Favorable Pathologic Response to Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) remains a significant health care challenge, and treatment approaches continue to evolve. Among these, neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) has gained prominence, particularly for postmenopausal, hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) BC patients. Despite this, a significant gap exists in identifying patients who stand to benefit from NET.

Go Wish card game-exploring end-of-life wishes of patients in oncology palliative care: a qualitative study.

Background: Among the methods that promote quality of life and care, discussing and remembering end-of-life (EOL) wishes for future care may contribute to decision-making about care and the promotion of a good death. Our aim was to investigate the most significant EOL desires among Brazilian cancer patients receiving palliative care (PC).

Methods: This was an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative study conducted in a Palliative Care Oncology Unit.

When and how to discuss about palliative care and advance care planning with cancer patients: A mixed-methods study.

Objectives: To identify the patients who are most likely to participate in discussions about palliative care (PC) and advance care planning (ACP), and to determine their preferred timing and approach of discussion.

Methods: The study included women aged 18-75 years diagnosed with breast cancer. In the quantitative phase, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, knowledge, decision-making, and stigmas were evaluated.

Challenging Rationality: Examining the Belief in Cure Among Patients With Advanced Incurable Cancers.

Citing a recently published study, this letter to the editor highlights again the critical role of prognostic awareness in the decision-making process for cancer therapeutics.

Neoadjuvant carboplatin in triple-negative breast cancer: results from NACATRINE, a randomized phase II clinical trial.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is the mainstay of treatment of stages II and III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study aims to evaluate if the addition of carboplatin to NACT is associated with an increase in the pathological complete response (pCR) rates in TNBC.

Methods: We conducted an open-label phase II randomized clinical trial in a single center in Brazil.

Discrepancies in breast cancer's oncological outcomes between public and private institutions in the southeast region of Brazil: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Brazil is a middle-income country with inequalities in its healthcare system. The disparities between public and private services affect the diagnosis and treatment of patients with breast cancer. The aim of this study is to assess whether disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) are different in public and private specialized centers.

Preference and actual place-of-death in advanced cancer: prospective longitudinal study.

Objectives: To evaluate the preferred place-of-death (PPoD) among patients with advanced cancer over time, and the concordance between preferred and actual place-of-death.

Methods: Prospective cohort study. A total of 190 patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers (n=190) were interviewed every 3 months, from study enrolment to 12 months (M0, M1, M2, M3, M4).

Clinical usefulness of the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score in decision making concerning the indication of enteral nutritional therapy in patients with incurable cancer receiving palliative care.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the clinical usefulness of assessing nutritional status using validated tools for the indication of enteral nutrition for patients with incurable cancer in palliative care.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, patients were assessed for nutritional risk using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment and for cancer cachexia (CC) using the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score upon enrollment and after ∼30 d. The outcome was stable or improved Karnofsky Performance Status.

Burial or cremation? Factors associated with preferences among patients with cancer in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

Background: People living with life-limiting illnesses and their family caregivers consistently emphasize the importance of preparing for imminent death, with planned funerals being a common aspect of this preparation. Few studies have described the funeral rituals or post-mortem preferences of patients with cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the percentage of patients with cancer who wish to be cremated and to identify the factors associated with this preference.

To Treat or Not to Treat? Dilemmas when Deciding on Antineoplastic Treatment in Patients With Far Advanced Cancers.

Patients with advanced cancers and their oncologists are often faced with difficult treatment decisions, especially when there are borderline situations of expected benefit or increased risk of complications. In this narrative review, we will explore the decision-making process for patients with advanced cancers and provide insights on how to approach this complex task, while didactically dividing the oncologist's assessments according to a mnemonic rule of the ABCDE of therapeutic decision-making. Part A (advanced cancer) recalls that the rule is to be used specifically for advanced cancers.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Dignity Therapy Question Protocol to Brazilian Portuguese.

Objectives: Dignity therapy (DT) was developed to help patients at their end of life to reframe and give meaning to their illness process. The DT question protocol focuses on personhood and important aspects of the individual's life. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Dignity Therapy Question Protocol (DTQP) to Brazilian Portuguese.

Relationship Between Religion/Spirituality and the Aggressiveness of Cancer Care: A Scoping Review.

Context: Religiosity/spirituality/religious-spiritual coping (RS) are resources used by cancer patients with cancer to help cope with the disease and may influence the preference and receipt of end-of-life (EOL) treatment.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between RS and the EOL care preferred or received by cancer patients.

Methods: This review protocol is registered on (International Prospective Register of Systematic Review, CRD42021251833) and follows the recommendations of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses checklist.

Personalizing the Setting of Palliative Care Delivery for Patients with Advanced Cancer: "Care Anywhere, Anytime".

The specialty of palliative care has evolved over time to provide symptom management, psychosocial support, and care planning for patients with cancer throughout the disease continuum and in multiple care settings. This review examines the delivery and impact of palliative care in the outpatient, inpatient, and community-based settings. The article will discuss how these 3 palliative care settings can work together to optimize patient outcomes under a unifying model of palliative care "anywhere, anytime" and how to prioritize palliative care services when resources are limited.

A Lower Serum Antioxidant Capacity as a Distinctive Feature for Women with HER2+ Breast Cancer: A Preliminary Study.

The overexpression of HER2 in breast cancer (BC) can contribute to redox imbalance, which is related to damage and structural modification in many biomolecules. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has investigated the infrared spectrum wavenumbers obtained by ATR-FTIR and their relationship with the levels of redox status markers such as reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and protein carbonyl among women with HER2+ BC, HER2- BC, and benign breast disease (BBD). The study was conducted with 25 women, 17 of whom were diagnosed with BC (6 HER2+ and 11 HER2-) and 8 with BBD.

How to Advance Palliative Care Research in South America? Findings From a Delphi Study.

Context: Progress in palliative care (PC) necessarily involves scientific development. However, research conducted in South America (SA) needs to be improved.

Objectives: To develop a set of recommendations to advance PC research in SA.

Translation, Validity and Internal Consistency of the Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire for Brazilian families of patients that died from cancer: a cross-sectional and methodological study.

Background: The Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire (QoDD) may prove to be an important evaluation tool in the Brazilian context, and, therefore, can contribute to a more precise evaluation of the dying and death process, improving and guiding the end-of-life patient care.

Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the QoDD into Brazilian Portuguese and measure its validity (convergent and known-groups) and internal consistency.

Design And Setting: A cross-sectional, methodological study was conducted at the Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Brazil.

Comprehension and Decision-Making Capacity Questionnaire About Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning: A Delphi Study.

To develop a questionnaire that assesses the level of comprehension and decision-making capacity of patients with breast cancer about palliative care and advance care planning. Questionnaire items were based on the scientific literature. a three-round survey with experts (n  =  14), evaluated the relevance, clarity, and redundancies of the items.

The palliative care triage system in advanced cancer emergency care: development and initial validation.

Objective: We aimed to develop and validate a new emergency triage tool for use on patients with cancer undergoing palliative care (PC).

Methods: In phase I, the new tool was developed after literature review and expert committee meetings. A prospective longitudinal study in phase II assessed the interobserver reliability of the tool.