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Cough, an unresolved problem in interstitial lung diseases
Purpose of review Many patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), especially fibrotic ILDs, experience chronic cough. Cough has a major impact on wellbeing, affecting both physical and psychological aspects of life. The pathophysiology of cough in ILDs is poorly understood and currently no good antitussive therapy exists. Recent findings Research on cough in ILDs is increasing. A recent proof-of-concept study with nebulized sodium cromoglycate for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)-related cough showed a promising effect on cough. Observational data suggest that antifibrotic pirfenidone might redu...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 2, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS: Edited by Sam H. Ahmedzai and Magnus Ekström Source Type: research

Editorial introductions
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - August 2, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: EDITORIAL INTRODUCTIONS Source Type: research

Methods of assessing late radiotherapy effects on bowel function
Purpose of review Pelvic radiation disease in the form of chronic radiation-induced consequences of treatment is under recognized by healthcare professionals and under reported by patients. Gastrointestinal symptoms are not routinely assessed, and may not be causally associated with previous radiotherapy. These symptoms are therefore often under treated. Recent findings A literature search was conducted in Ovid Medline, which included Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Ovid Embase for articles published between 2016 and April 2018. A total of 11 articles were selected for review. A wide ...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Animal models of mucositis: critical tools for advancing pathobiological understanding and identifying therapeutic targets
Purpose of review Mucositis remains a prevalent, yet poorly managed side effect of anticancer therapies. Mucositis affecting both the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract predispose to infection and require extensive supportive management, contributing to the growing economic burden associated with cancer care. Animal models remain a critical aspect of mucositis research, providing novel insights into its pathogenesis and revealing therapeutic targets. The current review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current animal models used in mucositis research. Recent findings A wide variety of animal models o...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

The role of mucins in mucositis
This article aims to review current studies involving mucin and mucositis. Recent findings Mucins have been shown to alter mucositis severity and key targets associated with mucositis. First, interventions increasing mucin content has been associated with reduce damage associated with mucositis. Second, mucins have also been shown to protect microbiota from radiation-induced damage. Finally, mucins have also been shown to be involved in lumen epithelial barrier interactions altering signalling for cell proliferation, motility, and the inhibition of apoptosis. Summary The current studies suggest that mucin expression ...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Editorial: Knowledge of gastrointestinal toxicity mechanisms is paving the way for improved assessment and management of patient supportive care
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS: Edited by Nicole Blijlevens and Andrea M. Stringer Source Type: research

Issues in the future development of new analgesic drugs
Purpose of review There is a clear unmet need for either the development of new drugs for the treatment of painful pathologies or the better use of the existing agents denoted by the lack of efficacy of many existing drugs in a number of patients, limitations of their use due to severity of side effects, and by the high number of drugs that fail to reach clinical efficacy from preclinical development. This account considers the efforts being made to better validate new analgesic components and to improve translational efficacy of existing drugs. Recent findings A better use of the available models and tools can improv...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: NON-MALIGNANT DISEASES: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Kirsty Bannister Source Type: research

Assessment of conditioned pain modulation in healthy participants and patients with chronic pain: manifestations and implications for pain progression
Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to summarize recent findings on conditioned pain modulation (CPM) in humans with a focus on methodology, factors modulating CPM, and the potential for CPM as a clinical marker for pain progression. Recent findings CPM can be evoked by combining different stimulus modalities with good reliability; sequential CPM effects are stable over time with limited carryover effects. Optimism and pain catastrophizing might influence pain inhibition. Further, studies suggest that the CPM effect can be improved by gabapentinoids, transcranial direct current stimulation to cortical stru...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: NON-MALIGNANT DISEASES: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Kirsty Bannister Source Type: research

Where has the ‘bio’ in bio-psycho-social gone?
Purpose of review Current definitions of pain do not necessitate tissue damage. This is important because it does justice to the pain patient in whom a nociceptive source is not detectable. However, in conjunction with exciting findings regarding supraspinal pain modulation and a (perceived) failure of identifying nociceptive sources in individual patients, this might have led to a devaluation of the role of nociception for chronic pain. In this review, the relative importance of nociception versus psychological factors for chronic pain is examined by scrutinizing the example of pain present several months following surg...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: NON-MALIGNANT DISEASES: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Kirsty Bannister Source Type: research

Opioids and breast cancer recurrence
Purpose of review Breast cancer survival has improved motivating the need for better understanding of the sequelae of the disease and its treatments. Lab studies suggest opioids modify cancer cell growth but the association of opioids with cancer progression in humans is not clear. This review aims to summarize recent findings related to opioid use and breast cancer progression. Recent findings Opioid-sparing analgesia may be associated with better survival in cancer patients. In-vitro research suggests that treatment with μ-opioid receptor antagonists inhibits cancer proliferation, and shows some promise for attenua...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: CANCER: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Paul Farquhar-Smith Source Type: research

Mindfulness-based interventions for cancer-related pain and depression: a narrative review of current evidence and future potential
Purpose of review People with cancer commonly experience persistent pain and psychological distress. Interventions are needed which address the multifactorial nature of pain and depression, yet few studies have examined the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for cancer-related pain and depression. Recent findings MBIs for cancer-related pain and depression can be effectively delivered across a range of modalities and show promise for alleviating mood and some physical health symptoms, although not always pain. There is some evidence for the cost-effectiveness of MBIs. Summary The field of MBIs would b...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: CANCER: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Paul Farquhar-Smith Source Type: research

Intrathecal therapy for pain in cancer patients
Purpose of review Intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDS) for cancer pain remain little employed despite a high level of efficiency even though the technique is widely recommended. This review aims to summarize recent advances in IDDS for cancer patients. Recent findings The respective roles of catheter positioning, volume and flow rate in diffusion of intrathecal treatments, as well as the individual roles of blood pressure, heart rate, and amplitude of the respiratory movements in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) treatment dispersion, are now well established. Models are available using MRI data. Morphine has long been th...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: PAIN: CANCER: Edited by Anthony H. Dickenson and Paul Farquhar-Smith Source Type: research

Editorial introductions
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care)
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - May 3, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: EDITORIAL INTRODUCTIONS Source Type: research

Best practices on team communication: interprofessional practice in oncology
Purpose of review Good communication is the cornerstone of interprofessional care teams providing optimized quality patient care. Over the last decade, advances in technology have provided tools to improve communication; however, opportunities still exist for innovation and implementation. Recent findings The literature suggests that interprofessional education and assessment of team communication are fundamental in supporting collaborative care. The literature favours an interactive, team-based approach (e.g. simulation) to learning about communication, in which communication competencies and behaviours are practiced...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - January 29, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: COMMUNICATION IN CANCER: ITS IMPACT ON THE EXPERIENCE OF CANCER CARE: Edited by Elie Isenberg-Grzeda and Janet Ellis Source Type: research

Communication involving special populations: older adults with cancer
The objective of this article is to summarize current literature about communication between older adults and medical professionals in cancer care. Our article addresses four categories related to communication: first, ageism; second, screening; third, treatment; and fourth, end of life (EoL) care. Recent findings Current literature suggests that cancer treatment for older patients may be influenced by ageist biases. Older patients prefer that clinicians incorporate health status to individualize screening decisions although some patients don’t consider life expectancy to be an important factor in screening. Patients ...
Source: Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care - January 29, 2019 Category: Palliative Care Tags: COMMUNICATION IN CANCER: ITS IMPACT ON THE EXPERIENCE OF CANCER CARE: Edited by Elie Isenberg-Grzeda and Janet Ellis Source Type: research