Food webs in isolation: The food-web structure of a freshwater reservoir with armoured shores in a former coastal bay area.

Many shallow coastal bays have been closed off from the sea to mitigate the risk of flooding, resulting in coastal reservoir lakes with artificial armoured shorelines. Often these enclosed ecosystems show a persistent decline in biodiversity and ecosystem services, which is likely reflected in their food-web structure. We therefore hypothesize that the food webs of coastal reservoir lakes with armoured shorelines (1) consist of relatively few species with a low food-web connectance and short food chains, and (2) are mainly fuelled by autochthonous organic matter produced in the pelagic zone.

Practical Implementation of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment to Optimise Care for Older Adults with Cancer.

Whilst cancer remains a very serious health problem at any stage, cancer combined with increasing age creates an even more challenging situation for health care providers [...

Diagnostic Performance of Screening Tools for Depressive Symptoms in Vulnerable Older Patients with Cancer Undergoing Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA): Results from the SCREEN Pilot Study.

Depression is a common and disabling disorder in later life, particularly among people with poor physical health. There are many screening tools available that can be used to examine depressive symptoms; however, not all of them may be appropriate or accurate for older adults with cancer. This pilot study was designed to test the diagnostic performance of two screening tools and their short versions in a cohort of vulnerable (G8 score ≤ 14/17) older patients with cancer undergoing comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).

Psychosocial Care after Cancer Diagnosis: Recent Advances and Challenges.

Psychosocial oncology is coming of age [...

Oncologic Home-Hospitalization Delivers a High-Quality and Patient-Centered Alternative to Standard Ambulatory Care: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Equivalence Trial.

Purpose: Given the increasing burden of cancer on patients, health care providers, and payers, the shift of certain outpatient procedures to the patients' homes (further indicated as oncologic home-hospitalization [OHH]) might be a high-quality, patient-centered, and cost-effective alternative to standard ambulatory cancer care (SOC).

Methods: A randomized-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the quality of a locally implemented model for OHH (n = 74) compared with SOC (n = 74). The model for OHH consisted of home administration of certain subcutaneous cancer drugs (full OHH) and home nursing assessments before ambulatory systemic cancer therapy (partial OHH).

A randomised wait-list controlled trial to evaluate Emotional Freedom Techniques for self-reported cancer-related cognitive impairment in cancer survivors (EMOTICON).

Background: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a prevalent source of comprised quality of life in cancer survivors. This study evaluated the efficacy of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on self-reported CRCI (sr-CRCI).

Methods: In this prospective multicentre randomised wait-list controlled study (ClinicalTrials.

Cervical radiculopathy caused by vertebral artery loop formation: a case report.

Vertebral artery loop formation is a rare cause of cervical radiculopathy. We report a case of a 70-year-old man who was referred because of a chronic cervicobrachialgia. Initial plain cervical x-ray showed widening of the left C3-C4 intervertebral foramen.

Acupuncture as a Complementary Therapy for Cancer Care: Acceptability and Preferences of Patients and Informal Caregivers.

Background: Acupuncture can effectively manage cancer-related side effects, for both patients undergoing treatment and for cancer survivors. It may also be effective in managing physiological and psychological symptoms common among informal caregivers of cancer patients.

Objectives: The aim of this survey was to explore the acceptability and preferences of cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their informal caregivers in relation to acupuncture.

Pain Medication Adherence in Patients with Cancer: A Pragmatic Review.

Objective: Adherence to pain medication in patients with cancer is crucial for successful pain therapy. This review aimed to investigate the rate of adherence, which factors influence adherence, whether adherence differs in diverse patient populations, whether there are methods to improve adherence, and the relationship between adherence and pain relief.

Methods: This review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Developing and evaluating a participatory arts programme for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Objectives: Cancer patients, survivors and caregivers often encounter severe distress, having significant consequences to wellbeing, functionality and physical health. This study developed and evaluated a participatory arts programme to determine if such could help to improve the wellbeing of cancer patients and their caregivers.

Methods: To inform the development of a participatory arts programme, cancer patients and their caregivers at an Organisation of European Cancer Institute (OECI)-designated cancer centre were asked which activities they would wish to engage in (anonymous survey one).

Quality of blood samples collected at home does not affect clinical decision making for the administration of systemic cancer treatment.

The aim of this exploratory clinical study was to evaluate whether the preanalytical quality of blood samples subjected to delayed centrifugation and transport - as a result of home-sampling - is affected in a way it alters the clinical decision-making for patients under systemic cancer therapy. This evaluation is part of a comprehensive investigation of the opportunities for oncological home-hospitalization. Forty-nine patients with cancer donated two additional blood samples during their ambulatory hospital visit.

Effectiveness of Adjunctive Analgesics in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Curative (Chemo-) Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Our aim was to give an overview of the effectiveness of adjunctive analgesics in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving (chemo-) radiotherapy.

Design: Systematic review.

Interventions: This systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Underrepresentation of vulnerable older patients with cancer in phase II and III oncology registration trials: A case-control study.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the proportion of "fit" versus "vulnerable" older patients with cancer included in phase II and III oncology registration trials, as compared to the proportions in a real life oncology setting.

Methods: Trial and patient characteristics of older (≥70years) patients treated at the OECI-designated clinical cancer centre in Kortrijk and included in a phase II or III oncology registration trial were collected retrospectively. These patients were matched individually with randomly-selected patients from the general oncology setting, based on gender, age, tumour type, tumour stage, and treatment intent.

Shifting specialized oncological care from hospital- to home-setting: is there support among patients, specialists and general practitioners?

Objectives: Oncological home-hospitalization (OHH) might be a patient-centred approach to deal with the increasing burden of cancer on health-care facilities and finances. Before implementation into practice, its feasibility, costs and support among stakeholders should be evaluated. The purpose of this trial was to explore patients', specialists' and general practitioners' (GPs) perspectives towards the opportunities of implementing OHH within the Belgian health-care system.