A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Nurse-Patient Relationships Near End of Life.

Background: The end of life (EOL) period represents a challenging time for patients with cancer as they face disruptions in their relationships with their oncology healthcare providers (HCPs) when moving toward hospice care. Poor communication and severed or altered relationships in physician-patient relationships have been shown to occur near EOL, leading to perceptions of abandonment and other negative consequences for quality EOL care. Little is known, however, about nurse-patient relationships near EOL in the cancer setting.

Automated Text-Based Symptom Monitoring With Rapid Clinician Triage for Patients With Cancer and Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19.

Purpose: Patients with cancer are at greater risk of developing severe symptoms from COVID-19 than the general population. We developed and tested an automated text-based remote symptom-monitoring program to facilitate early detection of worsening symptoms and rapid assessment for patients with cancer and suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Methods: We conducted a feasibility study of Cancer COVID Watch, an automated COVID-19 symptom-monitoring program with oncology nurse practitioner (NP)-led triage among patients with cancer between April 23 and June 30, 2020.

Efficacy of Oral Cryotherapy During Oxaliplatin Infusion in Preventing Oral Thermal Hyperalgesia: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced oral thermal hyperalgesia (OTH) is a common and debilitating side effect of platinum-based anticancer agents. This study evaluated the efficacy of oral cryotherapy in preventing OTH during oxaliplatin chemotherapy infusion.

Methods: Patients with gastrointestinal cancer treated with biweekly oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2 over 120 minutes) at Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania were randomized to receive oral cryotherapy (ice chips) during oxaliplatin infusion or standard-of-care treatment.