Exploring the value of structured narrative feedback within the Serious Illness Conversation-Evaluation Exercise (SIC-Ex): a qualitative analysis.

Objectives: The Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG) has emerged as a framework for conversations with patients with a serious illness diagnosis. This study reports on narratives generated from open-ended questions of a novel assessment tool, the Serious Illness Conversation-Evaluation Exercise (SIC-Ex), to assess resident-led conversations with patients in oncology outpatient clinics.

Design: Qualitative study using template analysis.

Two Cases of Primary Spinal Glioblastoma in Adults Treated With Multimodality Therapy.

Primary spinal glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare disease entity with no established standard treatment. We present two cases of primary spinal GBM initially presenting with motor-sensory deficits and back pain. Management varied in that the first patient received subtotal resection followed by radiation therapy, while the second patient underwent gross total resection followed by radiation therapy and temozolomide.

MRI-defined treatment margins, urinary toxicity, and PSA response in LDR prostate brachytherapy.

Purpose: Implant quality metrics as measured by D90 and V100 do not address the adequacy of periprostatic margins. Relative margin deficiencies may relate to efficacy and margin excesses to post-implant toxicity. Our purpose is to determine MRI-defined treatment margins on prostate achieved with LDR brachytherapy.

Feasibility of streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin angular stabilization of the linear Boltzmann transport equation with magnetic fields.

To accurately model dose in a magnetic field, the Lorentz force must be included in the traditional linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE). Both angular and spatial stabilization are required to deterministically solve this equation. In this work, a streamline upwind Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) method is applied to achieve angular stabilization of the LBTE with magnetic fields.

Recent Advances in the Management of Penile Cancer: A Contemporary Review of the Literature.

Penile cancer is a rare condition, which mostly affects men in their sixth decade of life. The most common histology is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), with about half of the cases linked to human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The lack of awareness and significant social and psychological stigma associated with penile cancer often leads to delays in presentation, diagnosis and management.

Whole Brain Radiotherapy Versus Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Poor-Prognosis Patients with One to 10 Brain Metastases: A Randomised Feasibility Study.

Aims: A significant proportion of patients with brain metastases have a poor prognosis, with a life expectancy of 3-6 months. To determine the optimal radiotherapeutic strategy for brain metastases in this population, we conducted a randomised feasibility study of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) versus stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Materials And Methods: Patients with a life expectancy of 3-6 months and between one and 10 brain metastases with a diameter ≤4 cm were enrolled at six Canadian cancer centres.

Evaluation of an advance care planning web-based resource: applicability for cancer treatment patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the acceptability, applicability, and understandability of a promising advance care planning (ACP) web-based resource for use with oncology patients, and determine whether revisions to the website would be necessary before implementation into oncology care. The resource is called PREPARE ( www.prepareforyourcare.

Oncologist Experience Implementing Goals of Care Discussions in Everyday Ambulatory Oncology Practice: Implications for Education.

Despite evidence that Goals of Care (GOC) discussions should occur early in the disease trajectory, the majority occur close to end of life. In a pilot, oncologists routinely initiated GOC discussions with all patients in their everyday ambulatory practice. Following the pilot, 9 of 12 eligible oncologists participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences.