"Walk me through the final day": A thematic analysis study on the family caregiver experience of the Medical Assistance in Dying procedure day.

Background: Legalization of assisted dying is progressively expanding worldwide. In Canada, the Medical Assistance in Dying Act became law in 2016. As assisted dying regulations evolve worldwide, comprehending its subjective impact and broader consequences, especially on family members, becomes pivotal for shaping practice, policy, and training.

A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of Prehabilitation During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Women with Breast Cancer: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Limited data exist regarding the role of multimodal prehabilitation during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for breast cancer. Determining large trial feasibility and identifying signals of prehabilitation benefit are needed.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled feasibility trial of multimodal prehabilitation versus usual care during NACT among women diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Access to symptom screening and severe symptom risk among cancer patients with major mental illness.

Introduction: Cancer symptom screening has the potential to improve cancer outcomes, including reducing symptom burden among patients with major mental illness (MMI). We determined rates of symptom screening with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) and risk of severe symptoms in cancer patients with MMI.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used linked administrative health databases of adults diagnosed with cancer between 2007 and 2020.

The impact of COVID-19 on the experiences of patients and their family caregivers with medical assistance in dying in hospital.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures have drastically impacted end-of-life and grief experiences globally, including those related to medical assistance in dying (MAiD). No known qualitative studies to date have examined the MAiD experience during the pandemic. This qualitative study aimed to understand how the pandemic impacted the MAiD experience in hospital of persons requesting MAiD (patients) and their loved ones (caregivers) in Canada.

Gaps in Depression Symptom Management for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Objective: To understand practice patterns and identify care gaps within a large-scale depression screening program for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: This was a population-based study of adults diagnosed with a HNC between January 2007 and October 2020.

Incidence of psychiatric illness in patients with neuroendocrine tumors: a comparative population-based analysis.

Purpose: Diversion of tryptophan to tumoral hormonal production has been suggested to result in psychiatric illnesses in neuroendocrine tumors (NET). We measured the occurrence of psychiatric illness after NET diagnosis and compare it to colon cancer (CC).

Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Association of Patient-Reported Outcomes With Subsequent Nonfatal Self-injury After a New Cancer Diagnosis.

Importance: Nonfatal self-injury (NFSI) is a patient-centered manifestation of severe distress occurring in 3 out of 1000 patients after cancer diagnosis. How to identify patients at risk for NFSI remains unknown.

Objective: To examine the associations between patient-reported outcome measures and subsequent NFSI in patients with cancer.

A Race to the End: Family Caregivers' Experience of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)-a Qualitative Study.

Background: The June 2016 legalization of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) provided an added layer of choice to end-of-life care in Canada. Family caregivers play an important role in patient end-of-life decision-making. They may experience unique psychological burden or distress associated with their role.

Identifying the Most Important Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Publications in 2020 Using a Novel Literature Assessment Instrument.

Background: As the science of consultation-liaison psychiatry advances, the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry's Guidelines and Evidence-Based Medicine Subcommittee reviews articles of interest to help academy members remain familiar with the latest in evidence-based practice.

Objective: We identify the 10 most important articles for clinical practice in consultation-liaison psychiatry from 2020 using the new Importance and Quality instrument for assessing scientific literature.

Methods: The subcommittee published annotated abstracts for 97 articles on the academy website in 2020.

High rates of psychiatric comorbidity among requesters of medical assistance in dying: Results of a Canadian prevalence study.

Introduction: Medical assistance in dying (MAID) was legalized in Canada in 2016. We aimed to characterize the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity among MAID requesters in order to enhance clinicians' awareness of the potential for psychiatric needs among MAID requesters.

Methods: Using chart review, we retrospectively abstracted demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables of MAID requesters at our institution, a 638-bed tertiary care center in Toronto, Canada.

Factors predicting the risk of loss of decisional capacity for medical assistance in dying: a retrospective database review.

Background: Bill C-14, the legislation that legalized medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada in 2016, outlines eligibility criteria and includes both a mandated 10-day reflection period and a requirement that the patient have capacity to consent at the time MAiD is provided. We examined clinical factors associated with shortened reflection periods or loss of capacity before provision of MAiD.

Methods: This retrospective database review involved patients who requested MAiD at a tertiary care hospital in Toronto, Canada, between June 2016 and April 2019.

Legal assistance in dying for people with brain tumors.

The number of countries and states that have legalized assistance in dying under various names (Medical Assistance in Dying, Death with Dignity, etc.) has continued to grow in recent years, allowing this option for more patients. Most of these laws include restrictions for eligibility based on a terminal diagnosis and estimated prognosis, as well as asking certifying providers to attest to the cognitive and psychiatric competence and capacity of patients requesting access.

Updates in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry: 2019.

Background: The scientific literature in consultation-liaison psychiatry continually expands, and remaining familiar with the most current literature is challenging for practicing clinicians. The Guidelines and Evidence-Based Medicine Subcommittee of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry writes quarterly annotations of articles of interest to help Academy members gain familiarity with the most current evidence-based practices. These annotations are available on the Academy Website.

Gaps in the Management of Depression Symptoms Following Cancer Diagnosis: A Population-Based Analysis of Prospective Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Background: One of the most common psychological morbidities of cancer is depression. Routine depression symptoms screening (DSS) is recommended, but its ability to lead to psychosocial interventions in clinical practice is limited. We examined the use of and factors associated with psychosocial interventions for positive DSS following cancer diagnosis.

Must antidepressants be avoided in patients with neuroendocrine tumors? Results of a systematic review.

Objective: Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common in neuroendocrine tumor (NET), yet controversy exists over whether serotonin-mediated antidepressants (SAs) are safe in this population. We sought to address this knowledge gap.

Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review to identify NET patients who were prescribed SA.

Patterns of Symptoms Burden in Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Population-Based Analysis of Prospective Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Background: How to best support patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) remains unclear. Improving quality of care requires an understanding of symptom trajectories. Objective validated assessments of symptoms burden over the course of disease are lacking.

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): A Descriptive Study From a Canadian Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background: In June 2016, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-14 decriminalizing medically assisted death. Increasing numbers of Canadians are accessing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) each year, but there is limited information about this population.

Objective: To describe the characteristic outcomes of MAiD requests in a cohort of patients at an academic tertiary care center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Symptom Burden at the End of Life for Neuroendocrine Tumors: An Analysis of 2579 Prospectively Collected Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Background: Given a slow course of disease, end-of-life issues are understudied in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). To date, there are no data regarding symptoms at the end of life. This study examined symptom trajectories and factors associated with high symptom burden in NETs at the end of life.

Improving the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) process: A qualitative study of family caregiver perspectives.

Objective: The road to legalization of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) across Canada has largely focused on legislative details such as eligibility and establishment of regulatory clinical practice standards. Details on how to implement high-quality, person-centered MAID programs at the institutional level are lacking. This study seeks to understand what improvement opportunities exist in the delivery of the MAID process from the family caregiver perspective.