Validation of Modified Models of Objective Prognostic Score in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

The objective prognostic score (OPS) needs to be modified to reflect practical palliative care circumstances. We aimed to validate modified models of OPS with few or no laboratory tests for patients with advanced cancer. An observational study was performed.

Factors related to spiritual well-being in the last days of life in three East Asian countries: An international multicenter prospective cohort study.

Background: Some factors associated with spiritual well-being in dying patients have previously been reported. However, there has been no cross-cultural study comparing factors related to spiritual well-being. The current investigation may shed light on this under-investigated area through a comparison of diverse factors.

"The surprise questions" using variable time frames in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer.

Objective: Several studies supported the usefulness of "the surprise question" in terms of 1-year mortality of patients. "The surprise question" requires a "Yes" or "No" answer to the question "Would I be surprised if this patient died in [specific time frame]." However, the 1-year time frame is often too long for advanced cancer patients seen by palliative care personnel.

Development of a One-item Screening Question to Assess Spiritual Well-Being for Advanced Cancer Inpatients in Korea.

Context: Spiritual well-being (SWB) is significant for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Thus, shortened versions of questions would be helpful in approaching SWB.

Objectives: Our goal was to develop a one-item screening question to assess the SWB of advanced cancer inpatients.

Correction to: The impact of caregiver's role preference on decisional conflicts and psychiatric distresses in decision making to help caregiver's disclosure of terminal disease status.

In the original publication of the article, the incorrect grant number HC13C1391 was published in the acknowledgement section. The correct grant number is HC15C1391.

Spiritual Well-being Among Palliative Care Patients With Different Religious Affiliations: A Multicenter Korean Study.

Context: Spiritual well-being (SWB) is very important in palliative care patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the SWB among palliative care patients in Korea with different religious affiliations and to identify the correlates of SWB.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, multicenter study involving hospitalized patients seen by palliative care teams.

The impact of caregiver's role preference on decisional conflicts and psychiatric distresses in decision making to help caregiver's disclosure of terminal disease status.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of caregivers' role preference in decision making on conflicts and psychiatric distresses.

Methods: The responses of 406 caregivers of terminal cancer patients enrolled in a trial determining the efficacy of a decision aid focused on the disclosure of terminal disease status were included in this secondary analysis. The outcomes include the change scores of the Decision Conflict Scale (DCS) and depression and anxiety subscales of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at the 1 and 3 months from baseline.

Is spirituality related to survival in advanced cancer inpatients in Korea?

Objective: Spirituality is what gives people meaning and purpose in life, and it has been recognized as a critical factor in patients' well-being, particularly at the ends of their lives. Studies have demonstrated relationships between spirituality and patient-reported outcomes such as quality of life and mental health. Although a number of studies have suggested that spiritual belief can be associated with mortality, the results are inconsistent.

Multicenter, cross-sectional observational study of the impact of neuropathic pain on quality of life in cancer patients.

Purpose: Neuropathic cancer pain (NCP) is a common and potentially debilitating symptom in cancer patients. We investigated the prevalence of NCP, as well as its management and association with QOL.

Methods: Cancer patients with pain ≥1 on the visual analogue scale (VAS) were surveyed with the Douleur Neuropathique (DN4) questionnaire, the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), and the EuroQOL five dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire.

Prospective Validation of Objective Prognostic Score for Advanced Cancer Inpatients in South Korea: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Objective Prognostic Score (OPS) was developed as an easy and simple prognosticating tool in South Korea. It has been validated retrospectively in a single center in South Korea.

Objective: We aimed to validate the OPS prospectively for advanced cancer inpatients in South Korea using a multicenter study.

Interleukin-6 but not tumour necrosis factor-alpha predicts survival in patients with advanced cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the survival of patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study between three hospice and palliative care centres in South Korea, we followed 98 advanced cancer patients until death or the end of the study. Approximately 60 % of the patients had poor functional status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥3).

Developing competencies for multidisciplinary hospice and palliative care professionals in Korea.

Purpose: Competency-based assessment helps to improve performance and to standardize education programs for hospice and palliative care professionals. This paper aims to report the process and results of developing the hospice and palliative care competencies by multidisciplinary experts in Korea.

Methods: The competency development task force team of Korean hospice and palliative care professionals was comprised of seven physicians, four nurses, two social workers, and two clergy.

Use of a decision aid to help caregivers discuss terminal disease status with a family member with cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: We tested whether a decision aid explaining how to discuss the approach of death with a family member with cancer would help family caregivers decide to discuss a terminal prognosis.

Patients And Methods: We randomly assigned caregivers of terminally ill patients with cancer to a group that received a video and a companion workbook that showed either how they can discuss the prognosis with their patient (experimental arm) or how cancer pain can be controlled (control arm). At baseline and 1 month, we evaluated the decision to discuss terminal prognosis as the primary outcome.

The relationship between interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and fatigue in terminally ill cancer patients.

Although many cancer patients receiving palliative care experience distressing levels of fatigue, no well-designed studies have investigated contributing factors in Korean patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Brief Fatigue Inventory-K (BFI-K) to measure fatigue while assessing a variety of possible correlates. Ninety patients with incurable cancer in the terminal stage (median survival: 27 days) participated in a structured interview and questionnaire related to their medical conditions and underwent blood sampling for laboratory data and cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.

Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care.

Context: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL) is a shortened version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, developed for use in advanced cancer patients.

Objectives: We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL to determine if this tool can be used to evaluate Korean patients with cancer who receive palliative care.

Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional survey was performed in palliative care units and hospices in Korea from September to October 2009.

Change in patients' satisfaction with pain control after using the Korean cancer pain assessment tool in Korea.

Appropriate pain assessment is very important for managing cancer pain. This study was designed to evaluate the utility of the Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT) by assessing changes in the management of cancer pain. The changes in pain intensity, the pattern of drug prescriptions, and the patients' satisfaction with pain control were analyzed after using the KCPAT.

Reliability and validity of the Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT).

The Korean Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (KCPAT), which was developed in 2003, consists of questions concerning the location of pain, the nature of pain, the present pain intensity, the symptoms associated with the pain, and psychosocial/spiritual pain assessments. This study was carried out to evaluate the reliability and validity of the KCPAT. A stratified, proportional-quota, clustered, systematic sampling procedure was used.