[Audit: medical record documentation among advanced cancer patients].

Medical record documentation of cancer inpatients is a core component of continuity of care. The main goal of the study was an assessment of medical record documentation in a palliative care unit (PCU) using a targeted clinical audit based on deceased inpatients' charts. Stage 1 (2010): a clinical audit of medical record documentation assessed by a list of items (diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, power of attorney directive, advance directives).

Depression assessment by oncologists and palliative care physicians.

Objective: Depression is a frequent problem in cancer patients, which is known to reduce quality of life; however, many cancer patients with depression are not treated because of the difficulties in assessing depression in this population. Our aim was to evaluate and improve the depression assessment strategies of palliative care (PC) physicians and oncologists.

Method: We invited all medical oncologists and PC physicians from three cancer centers to participate in this multicenter prospective study.

Frequency of depression among oncology outpatients and association with other symptoms.

Purpose: Depression occurs among an estimated 15% of cancer patients (range, 1-77.5%). Our main objective was to identify the frequency of reported depression by using the Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale (BEDS) among cancer outpatients.

[Translation and validation of Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale (BEDS) in French].

Background: Depression is an important symptom for many palliative care patients but is rarely identified. It's known to reduce quality of life and impact on palliation of physical symptom. These physical symptoms can be improved by an adequate treatment of depression.