Publications by authors named "M Spavor"
Adverse outcomes after childhood cancer have been assessed in a range of settings, but most existing studies are historical and ascertain outcomes only after 5-year survival. Here, we describe the Alberta Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research Program and its foundational retrospective, population-based cohort of Albertan residents diagnosed with a first primary neoplasm between the ages of 0 and 17 years from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2018. The cohort was established in collaboration with the Alberta Cancer Registry and Cancer in Young People in Canada program and has been linked to existing administrative health databases and patient-reported outcome questionnaires.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSymptoms of pain, nausea/vomiting, and anxiety (PNVA) are highly prevalent in pediatric inpatients. Poorly managed symptoms can lead to decreased compliance with care, and prolonged recovery times. Pharmacotherapy used to manage PNVA symptoms is of variable effectiveness and carries safety risks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA comparison of two models of follow-up care for adult survivors of childhood cancer.
J Cancer Surviv
August 2019
Purpose: Few studies have compared follow-up-care models for adult survivors of childhood cancer (ASCCs), though choice of model could impact medical test adherence, and health-related quality of life (QOL). This study compared two follow-up-care models, cancer-center-based versus community-based, for ASCCs in Alberta, Canada, to determine which model would demonstrate greater ASCC adherence to guideline-recommended medical screening tests for late effects, QOL, physical symptoms, and adherence to yearly follow-up.
Methods: ASCC discharged to a community model (over 15 years) and those with comparable birth years (1973-1993) currently followed in a cancer center model were recruited via direct contact or multimedia campaign.
Article Synopsis
- A study examined the prevalence and severity of pain, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety (PNVA) in hospitalized children across oncology, general pediatrics, and cardiology services, finding that symptoms were consistently present but varied in severity.
- Among 496 enrolled patients, anxiety was the most frequently reported symptom (65.6%), followed by nausea (55.4%) and pain (52.0%), with average severity ratings around 3-4 out of 10.
- The research found that while the prevalence of PNVA symptoms was similar across different programs, the severity of pain and nausea varied significantly, with oncology patients reporting less severe pain and nausea compared to others.