Morven Miller

Evaluation of a mobile phone-based, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS©) in the management of chemotherapy-related toxicity

ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of a mobile phone-based, remote monitoring, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS©) on the incidence, severity and distress of six chemotherapy-related symptoms (nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mucositis, hand–foot syndrome and diarrhoea) in patients with lung, breast or colorectal cancer.DesignA two group (intervention and control) by five time points (baseline, pre-cycle 2, pre-cycle 3, pre-cycle 4 and pre-cycle 5) randomised controlled trial.SettingSeven clinical sites in the UK; five specialist cancer centres and two local district hospitals.ParticipantsOne hundred and twelve people with breast, lung or colorectal cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy.InterventionsA mobile phone-based, remote monitoring, advanced symptom management system (ASyMS©).Main outcome measuresChemotherapy-related morbidity of six common chemotherapy-related symptoms (nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mucositis, hand–foot syndrome and diarrhoea).ResultsThere were significantly higher reports of fatigue in the control group compared to the intervention group (odds ratio = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.04 to 5.05, P = 0.040) and reports of hand–foot syndrome were on average lower in the control group (odds ratio control/intervention = 0.39, 95%CI = 0.17 to 0.92, P = 0.031).ConclusionThe study demonstrates that ASyMS© can support the management of symptoms in patients with lung, breast and colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Oral care for patients with cancer: A review of the literature

&NA; Mouth care is an integral part of nursing practice. However, it has become a ritualistic and banal activity, a topic of conflicting advice and subjective conclusions from sporadic research. Rarely do experts teach it, and it frequently is delegated to the most junior members of the nursing staff. Many cancer treatments result in unavoidable oral toxicity, and the significant prevalence of oral complications in oncology makes mouth care a particular priority for cancer nurses. The confusion and conflict that surrounds best nursing practice in relation to delivering appropriate mouth care should be redressed. This review article details pertinent research to date regarding oral care, with an aim to clarify intervention options, and to identify and promote best nursing practice.

Developing, delivering and evaluating cancer nursing services: searching for a United Kingdom evidence base for practice

The drive toward evidence-based healthcare aims to promote effectiveness and thereby improve quality. The challenge for cancer nursing is to continually evaluate what it does, retaining effective interventions and working to develop new ones and refine those interventions that require improvement, thereby enhancing both practice and patient outcomes. The aim of the project was to assimilate an evidence base to support the development, delivery, and evaluation of cancer nursing services in the United Kingdom. It was believed that determining the extent of the current United Kingdom evidence base through a review of the literature and current and recent research endeavors would allow for comparison with current priorities and facilitate informed strategic planning regarding the process of research commissioning. A rigorous, explicit, and thorough literature review was undertaken of all United Kingdom literature pertaining to cancer nursing and related issues published between 1980 and 2000. Fourteen individual databases were searched using specific keywords, thesaurus terms, and additional search terms. Data were extracted from each individual publication and stored in a purpose-designed database. Current and recent United Kingdom cancer nursing research projects were identified through a mailed survey questionnaire sent to people and organizations involved in cancer-related research. Research projects were categorized according to Royal College of Nursing research priority themes: Care and Caring Practices, Healthcare Environment, Organization and Management of Care, and Healthcare Workforce. Four-hundred forty-six pieces of literature were considered appropriate for inclusion in the review. Two-hundred sixty-four pieces of evidence were included in the Care and Caring Practices theme, which also had the greatest number of current and recent research projects (48%, n = 50). The Healthcare Environment theme included 80 pieces of evidence but only 3% (n = 3) of the current and recent research projects. Thirty-two percent (n = 33) of the current/recent research projects fell into the third theme of Organization and Management of Care, which contained a total of 104 pieces of evidence. The final theme, Healthcare Workforce, included 17% (n = 18) of the current and recent research projects, and the literature review incorporated 49 pieces of evidence in this theme. A number of recommendations have been drawn, which focus on methodological challenges, research considerations, and gaps in the evidence base. The drive toward evidence-based practice is essential for cancer nurses to establish who they are, what they do, and what effect they have on patient outcomes. Currently, although the United Kingdom evidence base for practice is vast, it frequently lacks depth. Although evaluating national evidence for practice is valuable, a more global approach to evidence synthesis is required. Through such endeavors, cancer nurses should realize their potential, support the strategic development of cancer nursing research, and so generate an evidence base that supports their unique contribution to patient outcomes.

The eSMART study protocol: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate electronic symptom management using the advanced symptom management system (ASyMS) remote technology for patients with cancer

Introduction While some evidence exists that real-time remote symptom monitoring devices can decrease morbidity and prevent unplanned admissions in oncology patients, overall, these studies have significant methodological weaknesses. The electronic Symptom Management using the Advanced Symptom Management System (ASyMS) Remote Technology (eSMART) study is designed to specifically address these weaknesses with an appropriately powered, repeated-measures, parallel-group stratified randomised controlled trial of oncology patients. Methods and analysis A total of 1108 patients scheduled to commence first-line chemotherapy (CTX) for breast, colorectal or haematological cancer will be recruited from multiple sites across five European countries. Patients will be randomised (1:1) to the ASyMS intervention (intervention group) or to standard care currently available at each site (control group). Patients in the control and intervention groups will complete a demographic and clinical questionnaire, as well as a set of valid and reliable electronic patient-reported outcome measures at enrolment, after each of their CTX cycles (up to a maximum of six cycles) and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after completion of their sixth cycle of CTX. Outcomes that will be assessed include symptom burden (primary outcome), quality of life, supportive care needs, anxiety, self-care self-efficacy, work limitations and cost effectiveness and, from a health professional perspective, changes in clinical practice (secondary outcomes). Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval will be obtained prior to the implementation of all major study amendments. Applications will be submitted to all of the ethics committees that granted initial approval. eSMART received approval from the relevant ethics committees at all of the clinical sites across the five participating countries. In collaboration with the European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC), the trial results will be disseminated through publications in scientific journals, presentations at international conferences, and postings on the eSMART website and other relevant clinician and consumer websites; establishment of an eSMART website (www.esmartproject.eu) with publicly accessible general information; creation of an eSMART Twitter Handle, and production of a toolkit for implementing/utilising the ASyMS technology in a variety of clinical practices and other transferable health care contexts. Trial registration number NCT02356081.

Elderly patients with cancer: an ethical dilemma.

Longevity is the greatest risk factor for developing cancer. However, despite the increasing focus placed on cancer in the elderly, a prominent discrepancy relating to the age of the patient persists, with elderly people often receiving less than optimal treatment and care. There is no doubt that ageism has a profound impact on health care received by elderly people. Incorporating ethical principles into their clinical practice could facilitate health professionals in the provision of optimal treatment and care for elderly patients with cancer. This article explores some basic ethical assumptions regarding the needs of this patient group in relation to the ethical dilemmas of truth telling, consent and relationships, and power.

Ageism within cancer care: a priority for nursing

Throughout the 20th century the proportion of people aged 60 and over has increased in all countries of the world. Disturbingly, despite the increasing number of elderly people, ageism persists within society and impinges on many areas of older peoples lives. Indeed, although advancing years and cancer are clearly linked, evidence exists to support the presence of ageism throughout cancer care.As nurses are the main providers of care for the elderly, nursing should be utilizing the power gained through specialist education and both national and international health legislation to effect a change that will ensure appropriate care and treatment for this population.