Feasibility and impact of a physical exercise program in patients with advanced cancer: a pilot study.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the feasibility of completing an exercise program in patients with advanced cancer and to obtain preliminary data of its impact on physical and quality of life (QoL) outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a nonrandomized pilot study. Participants were 26 palliative care patients with advanced cancer (mean age=54.

[Terminal care in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often fear of dying from suffocation. This fear is also common in relatives and caregivers. Research has, however, shown that ALS patients seldom die from suffocation.

Role of fear of movement in cancer survivors participating in a rehabilitation program: a longitudinal cohort study.

Objective: To study the relationship between fear of movement and perceived global health status and the role of rehabilitation with graded activity in cancer survivors.

Design: Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting: Rehabilitation centers.

[Guideline "Cancer rehabilitation"].

Initiated by IKNL (Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland), a multidisciplinary guideline for cancer rehabilitation for adult oncology patients has been developed. The guideline describes the rehabilitation care of adult patients with cancer, during and after treatment. The guideline focuses on (a) prevalence of complaints either resulting from cancer or the treatment, (b) detection of these complaints and indicated referral, (c) the intake procedure before cancer rehabilitation, (d) intervention and evaluation within cancer rehabilitation and (e) the importance of patient empowerment.

The costs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to type of care.

Our objective was to estimate the economic burden of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to examine the effect of treatment in a multidisciplinary ALS treatment centre versus general care on costs and to describe differences in costs according to clinical characteristics. In a cross-sectional study 208 patients with ALS and their caregivers were interviewed and were asked to fill in a cost diary for six months. Patients were divided in groups according to type of treatment they received and according to clinical characteristics (site of onset, severity).

Effect of non-invasive ventilation on survival, quality of life, respiratory function and cognition: a review of the literature.

Symptoms of nocturnal hypoventilation may negatively influence the quality of life (QoL) of ALS patients long before respiratory failure ensues. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is considered a treatment option for nocturnal hypoventilation. The primary objective of NIV is improving quality of life (QoL).

Rehabilitation care for patients with ALS in The Netherlands.

Background: In the Netherlands, rehabilitation medicine plays an important role in the symptomatic and palliative treatment of ALS patients. Detailed information about the actual care of ALS patients in the Netherlands and about the attitude of consultants in rehabilitation medicine towards the management of this disease was lacking.

Objective: To obtain detailed information about the rehabilitation care for patients with ALS in the Netherlands.