'Now I can train myself to be with death': a phenomenological study with young doctors in care homes supported by a palliative care unit during the second wave of the pandemic in Italy.

Objective: During the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the organisational strategies established by the Italian National Health System was the special units for continuity of care (SUCCs). In the province of Ravenna, those units enrolled novice doctors to care for elderly patients with COVID-19 in care homes (CHs). The local palliative care (PC) unit decided to offer consultations and support to them.

Improving the Integration between Palliative Radiotherapy and Supportive Care: A Narrative Review.

Palliative radiotherapy (PRT) is known to be effective in relieving cancer related symptoms. However, many studies and clinical practice show several barriers hindering its use and worsening the quality of patient support during PRT. Various solutions were proposed to overcome these barriers: training on PRT for supportive and palliative care specialists and training on palliative care for radiation oncologists, and introduction of pathways and organizational models specifically dedicated to PRT.

Short-course regimen of palliative radiotherapy in complicated bone metastases: a phase i-ii study (SHARON Project).

Metastases with soft tissues invasion, impending fractures or spinal cord compression (complicated bone metastases) represent a common clinical problem in advanced cancers and frequently lead to deterioration of patients' quality of life (QoL). A phase I-II study was planned to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of a short-course radiotherapy (RT) and its efficacy in palliation of complicated bone metastases. A phase I trial was designed with three dose-escalation steps: 16, 18, and 20 Gy.

Short course accelerated radiation therapy (SHARON) in palliative treatment of advanced solid cancer in older patients: A pooled analysis.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a conformal Short Course Accelerated Radiation therapy (SHARON) for symptomatic palliation of locally advanced or metastatic cancers in older patients.

Materials And Methods: This is a pooled analysis on patients aged ≥80 years selected between subjects enrolled in 3 phase I-II studies on a short course palliative treatment of advanced or metastatic cancer. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the symptoms response rate produced by accelerated radiotherapy delivered in 4 total fractions in twice a day.

High opioid dosage rapid detoxification of cancer patient in palliative care with the Raffaeli model.

Background: Chronic opioid administration can induce adverse drug-dependent events and tolerance and/or hyperalgesia development. Opioid rotation is the treatment option in this case; however, it can expose patients to long periods of ineffectiveness and/or development of withdrawal syndrome, overdose, or adverse events. To overcome this issue, a method of rapid detoxification from opioids has been developed.