Low Prevalence of Use of Allied Health and Community Services for Patients with Cirrhosis in Australia: A Need for Greater Engagement.

Background: Psychosocial, lifestyle and practical needs are not routinely attended to during outpatient hepatology management, and little is known about the type and effectiveness of support services accessed by patients with cirrhosis. We quantified the type and use of community and allied health services in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: The study included 562 Australian adults with a diagnosis of cirrhosis.

Enrollment of adolescent and young adult patients newly diagnosed with cancer in NCI CTEP-sponsored clinical trials before and after launch of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network.

Background: Participation of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in oncology clinical trials is important to ensure adequate opportunities for AYA patients to contribute to, and benefit from, advances in cancer treatment.

Methods: Accrual data for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) cooperative group-led treatment trials were examined to assess enrollment of newly diagnosed AYA patients (15-39 years) during the period 2004-2019, with particular interest in comparing enrollment before launch of the NCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) to after. All phase 2, 2/3, and 3 trials activated during the period between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2019, were identified (n = 1568) and reduced to a set of 304 that met predetermined criteria to focus on cooperative group-led trials that involved therapy for newly diagnosed cancer and had age eligibility overlapping the AYA range.

Early drug development in solid tumours: analysis of National Cancer Institute-sponsored phase 1 trials.

Background: The low expectation of clinical benefit from phase 1 cancer therapeutics trials might negatively affect patient and physician participation, study reimbursement, and slow the progress of oncology research. Advances in cancer drug development, meanwhile, might have favourably improved treatment responses; however, little comprehensive data exist describing the response and toxicity associated with phase 1 trials across solid tumours. The aim of the study is to evaluate the trend of toxicity and response in phase 1 trials for solid tumours over time.

Infant massage and brain maturation measured using EEG: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Very preterm (VPT) infants develop adverse neurological sequelae from early exposure of the immature brain to the extrauterine environment.

Aims: To determine the effects of infant massage on brain maturation in low-risk VPT infants.

Study Design: A randomised controlled trial of VPT infants, who received standard care or daily massage therapy, administered by the mother, from 34 weeks' to 40 weeks' corrected age (CA).

The Impact of Social Workers in Cirrhosis Care: a Systematic Review.

Purpose Of Review: To report social workers' involvement in supporting patients with cirrhosis.

Recent Findings: Six intervention studies (three published in the past 3 years) highlighed the potential role of social worker-led interventions to improve the outcomes of patients with cirrhosis. In studies of patients with alcohol-related liver disease ( = 4), social workers conducted psychosocial assessments, screened for substance use disorder and psychological distress, coordinated referrals to addiction services, and provided relapse prevention therapy.