Investigating the appropriateness of surgical endodontic referrals to a West Sussex regional referral unit.

Aim To audit the appropriateness, after triage, of surgical endodontic referrals to Queen Victoria Hospital, a regional referral unit in West Sussex. To discuss the current referral pathway with the aim of improving general dental practitioner (GDP) understanding of indications for surgical endodontics via the referral process.Methodology A three-year retrospective review of all surgical endodontic referrals made to Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead was completed.

WITHDRAWN: Surgical management of localised renal cell carcinoma.

This review is being updated and replaced following the publication of a protocol (Krabbe L‐M, Kunath F, Schmidt S, Miernik A, Cleves A, Walther M, Kroeger N. Partial nephrectomy versus radical nephrectomy for clinically localized renal masses [Protocol]. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 2.

A feasibility study of transdermal buprenorphine versus transdermal fentanyl in the long-term management of persistent non-cancer pain.

Objective: Buprenorphine and fentanyl transdermal patches are used widely for the management of persistent malignant and nonmalignant pain. Buprenorphine and fentanyl transdermal patches, both potent opioids, are considered to be equally efficacious in managing persistent pain. Various retrospective studies comparing dosage changes of buprenorphine and fentanyl patches in persistent pain patients have been completed; however, no long-term prospective, randomized, clinical study has compared the effectiveness of these patches.

Surgical management for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC): a systematic review.

Surgical management of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC) has significantly changed over the past two decades. Data for several new surgical techniques, including nephron-sparing surgery (NSS), is emerging. The study systematically reviewed the literature comparing (randomised and observational studies) surgical and oncological outcomes for various surgical techniques MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, AMED, LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, Biosis, TRIP, Biomed Central, Dissertation Abstracts, ISI proceedings, and PubMed were searched to identify suitable studies.

Intravesical gemcitabine therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC): a systematic review.

•  Intravesical immunotherapy or chemotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is a well-established treatment for preventing or delaying tumour recurrence after tumour resection. However, up to 70% of patients may fail and new intravesical agents with improved effectiveness are needed. Gemcitabine is a relatively new anticancer drug that has shown activity against bladder cancer.

Intravesical gemcitabine for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Background: Intravesical immunotherapy or chemotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is a well established treatment for preventing or delaying tumour recurrence following tumour resection. However, up to 70% of patients may fail and new intravesical agents with improved effectiveness are needed. Gemcitabine is a relatively new anticancer drug that has shown activity against bladder cancer.

Gemcitabine for unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer.

Background: The prognosis for unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is poor with most patients succumbing to their disease within 2 to 3 years. Clinical management at this stage of the disease is palliative with systemic chemotherapy the main treatment of choice. A number of cytotoxic agents have shown activity in metastatic disease including cisplatin, methotrexate, doxorubicin and vinblastine.

Surgical management for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Background: Upper tract transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) are uncommon and aggressive tumours. There are a number of surgical approaches to manage this condition including open radical nephroureterectomy and laparoscopic procedures.

Objectives: To determine the best surgical management option for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Surgical management of localised renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Surgical excision remains the core to the management of localised renal cancer and several studies have evaluated the safety and clinical effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery and other recently introduced interventions for the localised disease.

Objectives: To identify and review the evidence from randomised trials comparing different surgical interventions in localised renal cell carcinoma.

Search Strategy: Randomised or quasi randomised trials comparing various surgical interventions in the management of adults with surgically resectable localised renal cancer.

Intravesical therapy for superficial bladder cancer: a systematic review of randomised trials and meta-analyses.

Background: In 2002 there were estimated to be 357,000 new cases of bladder cancer worldwide and 145,000 deaths making bladder cancer the 9th most common malignancy globally. At diagnosis, 60-80% of tumours are superficial and endoscopic resection is the initial treatment for this disease. In patients with low, medium or high risk disease, about 20%, 40% and 90%, respectively, will develop tumour recurrence.

Disclosure of traumatic experiences, dissociation, and anxiety in group therapy for posttraumatic stress.

This study examined the relationships among the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, dissociation with self-disclosure among 72 male military veterans with PTSD who were attending an eight-week group therapy treatment program. At intake to the program, participants were administered a baseline demographics questionnaire, the Clinicians Administered PTSD Scale, a dissociation measure, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Participants completed the dissociation measure and the HADS again at discharge from the program and at a follow-up three months later.

Management of venous thromboembolism in patients with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Venous thromboembolism is common in patients with cancer. However, no management guidelines exist for venous thromboembolism specific to patients with advanced progressive cancer. To help develop recommendations for practice, we have done a comprehensive review of anticoagulation treatment in patients with cancer, with particular focus on studies that included patients with advanced disease.

Should the Gleason grading system for prostate cancer be modified to account for high-grade tertiary components? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The Gleason system for grading prostate cancer assigns a score on the basis of the most prevalent and second most prevalent grade. Several studies have investigated the clinical significance of a tertiary grade in radical prostatectomy samples. A systematic search of the published work identified seven studies that reported the prognostic value of a tertiary Gleason grade.

The effects of preoperative preparation on postoperative outcomes: the moderating role of control appraisals.

Objective: To test the proposal that external health locus of control and self-efficacy would moderate the effects of a psychological preparation for surgery on outcomes for surgical heart patients.

Main Outcome Measures: Psychological distress, pain, serum cortisol, and tumor necrosis factor alpha.

Design: A total of 80 coronary artery bypass graft patients were given standard care plus a psychological preparation or standard care alone using a single-blind methodology with random assignment.

Chemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer mainly affects elderly men, and its incidence has steadily increased over the last decade. The management of this disease is replete with controversy. In men with advanced, metastatic prostate cancer, hormone therapy is almost universally accepted as the initial treatment of choice and produces good responses in most patients.

Radioisotopes for the palliation of metastatic bone cancer: a systematic review.

Strontium-89 and samarium-153 are radioisotopes that are approved in the USA and Europe for the palliation of pain from metastatic bone cancer, whereas rhenium-186 and rhenium-188 are investigational. Radioisotopes are effective in providing pain relief with response rates of between 40% and 95%. Pain relief starts 1-4 weeks after the initiation of treatment, continues for up to 18 months, and is associated with a reduction in analgesic use in many patients.

Palliation of metastatic bone pain: single fraction versus multifraction radiotherapy - a systematic review of the randomised trials.

Background: Recent randomised studies reported that single fraction radiotherapy was as effective as multifraction radiotherapy in relieving pain due to bone metastasis. However, there are concerns about the higher re-treatment rates and the efficacy of preventing future complications such as pathological fracture and spinal cord compression by single fraction radiotherapy.

Objectives: To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of single fraction radiotherapy versus multifraction radiotherapy for metastatic bone pain relief and prevention of bone complications.