Changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass in the First 3 Months Following Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery: A Prospective Study.

Background: Surgical resection is the primary treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, but postoperative skeletal muscle loss (SML) is common and linked to poor prognosis. This study aims to identify patterns of muscle change, examine its association with quality of life (QoL), and explore predictors of SML in the first 3 months.

Patients And Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients newly diagnosed with GI cancer and undergoing surgery in China between September 2021 and May 2022.

Experience of care from the perspectives of inpatients with palliative care needs: a cross-sectional study using a patient reported experience measure (PREM).

Background: Improving palliative care for inpatients is urgently needed. Data from patient-reported experience measures (PREM) can assist in identifying areas for focused improvement. This study aimed to describe patient reported experience of care in inpatients with palliative care needs, to inform a baseline understanding of care experience and identify key areas for improvement.

Medicinal Cannabis (MedCan 3): a randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess THC/CBD (1:20) to relieve symptom burden in patients with cancer-a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Distressing symptoms are common in advanced cancer. Medicinal cannabinoids are commonly prescribed for a variety of symptoms. There is little evidence to support their use for most indications in palliative care.

Development of Web-Based Education Modules to Improve Carer Engagement in Cancer Care: Design and User Experience Evaluation of the e-Triadic Oncology (eTRIO) Modules for Clinicians, Patients, and Carers.

Background: Carers often assume key roles in cancer care. However, many carers report feeling disempowered and ill-equipped to support patients. Our group published evidence-based guidelines (the Triadic Oncology [TRIO] Guidelines) to improve oncology clinician engagement with carers and the management of challenging situations involving carers.

An online intervention to improve oncology health professional self-efficacy in communicating with carers: Hybrid effectiveness-implementation evaluation of the eTRIO program.

Objectives: Many oncology health professionals (HPs) report communicating with carers as complex; and receive limited carer-relevant training. We developed an online HP education program for supporting and managing carer involvement (eTRIO). We aimed to assess whether HPs' self-efficacy in carer communication, knowledge, and decision-making preferences improve following eTRIO.

Cancer in general practice research priorities in Australia.

Background And Objectives: The Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group (PC4) is funded by Cancer Australia to support the development of new cancer in primary care research. We undertook a research prioritisation exercise to identify cancer research priorities in Australian general practice.

Method: We adapted the nominal group technique, including a literature search and stakeholder survey.

Perturbations in inflammatory pathways are associated with shortness of breath profiles in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy.

Purpose: One plausible mechanistic hypothesis is the potential contribution of inflammatory mechanisms to shortness of breath. This study was aimed to evaluate for associations between the occurrence of shortness of breath and perturbations in inflammatory pathways.

Methods: Patients with cancer reported the occurrence of shortness of breath six times over two cycles of chemotherapy.

Does medicinal cannabis affect depression, anxiety, and stress in people with cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies.

Introduction: Medicinal cannabis might have a role in supporting the mental health of people with cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis, compared with any control, as an intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in people living with cancer. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of low versus high Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dose on these outcomes.

'Can a relative override a patient's Advance Care Directive?': end-of-life legal worries of general practitioners and nurses working in aged care.

Background: This paper aimed to describe the legal worries of Australian general practitioners (GPs) and nurses regarding end-of-life care provided in the aged care setting.

Methods: An analysis of responses to the final, open-ended question of a cross-sectional online survey of GPs and nurses practising in aged care settings in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria was undertaken.

Results: Of the 162 GPs and 61 nurses who gave valid responses to the survey, 92% (151 GPs and 55 nurses) responded to the open-ended question.

Are Australian Cancer and Palliative Care Nurses Ready to Prescribe Medicines? A National Survey.

Objectives: Registered nurse prescribing has been put forth, for decades, as an innovative approach to meet growing healthcare needs, particularly in areas of care where medications are essential and highly controlled such as for patients requiring cancer and palliative care. However, the adoption of innovative health delivery models requires acceptance by key stakeholders. This study explores cancer and palliative care nurses' attitudes toward nurse prescribing and their perceptions about educational requirements for a nurse prescriber.

Questions directed to children with diverse communicative competencies in paediatric healthcare consultations.

Objective: This paper examines question-response sequences, in which clinicians asked questions to child patients who appear to interact using means other than the verbal mode of communication.

Methods: Conversation Analysis methods were used to study questions in 46 paediatric palliative care consultations. These questions were directed towards children who observably used vocalisations and embodied modes of communication (e.

A Discourse of Deviance: Blame, Shame, Stigma and the Social Construction of Head and Neck Cancer.

Cancer of the head and neck is a confronting condition, as the disease and its treatments alter the appearance and function of body organs associated with physical appearance and identity. Many of the risk factors for head and neck cancers, including tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus, can also have significant negative social and moral permutations. Language and action (discourse) plays an important role in constructing disease and illness and shape the way it is managed, both institutionally and socially.

Managing understandings of palliative care as more than care immediately before death: Evidence from observational analysis of consultations.

Background: Evidence suggests that public, and some professional, understandings of palliative care are limited to care provided immediately before death, which contrasts palliative care's scope as care provided across a range of illness stages.

Objective: To examine how clinicians manage patients' understandings of palliative care during initial consultations.

Design: Initial palliative care consultations were video-recorded and analysed using conversation analytic methods.

Perspectives of inpatients with palliative care needs, their families, clinicians and key stakeholders on measuring quality of hospital care via patient experience measures: A qualitative study.

Background: Globally there are high numbers of patients with palliative care needs receiving care in hospitals. Patient reported experience measures (PREMs) provide useful data to guide improvement work. How to implement PREMs within palliative care populations is unclear.

Online modules to improve health professionals' end-of-life law knowledge and confidence: a pre-post survey study.

Background: Health professionals and medical students have knowledge gaps about the law that governs end-of-life decision-making. There is a lack of dedicated training on end-of-life law and corresponding research on the impact of this type of training.

Objective: To examine the impact of online training modules on key concepts of end-of-life law on Australian health professionals' legal knowledge and their self-reported confidence in applying the law in practice.

Work-related experiences of prostate cancer survivors in Australia: a qualitative study.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most diagnosed cancer in Australian men, and the number of survivors is growing with advances in diagnosis and treatment. Work participation following PCa diagnosis and treatment becomes a significant aspect of quality of life and survivorship. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, we explored the work-related experiences of PCa survivors in Australia.

Addressing the end-of-life actions in the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (2nd edn): a national survey.

Objectives To describe current and planned processes and outcome measures to address implementation of the six end-of-life actions in the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards (2nd edn) and explore associated barriers and enablers. Methods This study used an exploratory mixed methods national survey of acute healthcare facilities between September 2018 and March 2019. This study involved public and private facilities (N  = 765) that provided end-of-life care, which are required to be accredited to the NSQHS Standards.

Higher Lifetime Stress and Symptom Burden Contribute to the Occurrence of Shortness of Breath.

Objectives: Among four classes of patients with distinct shortness of breath profiles, evaluate for differences in levels of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress, as well as resilience; evaluate for differences in the occurrence rates for various stressful life events, and evaluate for differences in the severity of common co-occurring symptoms.

Data Sources: Outpatients (N = 1338) completed questionnaires six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. The occurrence of shortness of breath was assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.