BACKGROUND The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) is a nine-item patient-rated symptom visual analogue scale developed for use in assessing the symptoms of patients receiving palliative care. The purpose of this study was to validate the ESAS in a different population of patients. METHODS In this prospective study, 240 patients with a diagnosis of cancer completed the ESAS, the Memorial...

OBJECTIVE Parents report psychological distress in association with their child's cancer. Reliable tools are needed to screen parental distress over the cancer trajectory. This study aimed to estimate the stability and repeatability of the Distress Thermometer (DT) and the Depression and Anxiety items of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised (ESAS-r-D; -A) in parents of children diagno...

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) increase red blood cell (RBC) production by activating the erythropoietin receptor on erythrocytic progenitor cells. ESAs are approved in the United States and Europe for treating anaemia in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. ESA safety issues include thromboembolic events and there have been concerns about disease progression and/or mortality in ca...

BACKGROUND Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are widely used in the management of anemia in cancer patients. Despite their apparent effectiveness, recent studies have suggested that ESAs could result in serious adverse events and even higher mortality. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the benefits and risks of ESAs in the management of cancer patients with anemia using a meta...

Background Studies have assessed gender differences on symptoms commonly experienced by cancer patients at various stages in their disease trajectory using heterogeneous cancer populations with different tumor types. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of gender on symptoms among patients with bone metastases while controlling for gender-specific malignancies. Methods A retros...

This study examined attitudes toward doping among 458 French elite student-athletes (ESAs) ages 16–24, their correlates, and their relationship with cigarette, alcohol, and cannabis use. We found a consensus among ESAs concerning negative aspects of doping. A cluster analysis showed, however, that statements dealing with benefits of doping were endorsed by two significant minorities of responde...

Anemia associated with cancer and cancer therapy is a common and important issue in the treatment of patients with malignant disease. Conventionally, blood transfusions are used to treat severe cancer-related anemia. Short- and long-acting preparations of recombinant human erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) offer an alternative treatment option. Multiple studies and subsequent meta-analys...

Anemia, already common in cancer patients, is often exacerbated by chemotherapy. Cancer patients who are anemic have been shown to have a blunted response for production of endogenous erythropoietin growth factor. This anemia can be corrected with exogenous erythropoietin growth factors, of which three available are worldwide: epoetin alfa, epoetin beta, and darbepoetin alfa. Collectively, thes...

PURPOSE Mood disorders are among the most important psychiatric problems in patients with cancer. However, they are frequently underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated. This may lead to difficulties with symptom control, social withdrawal, and poor quality of life. This study was conducted to evaluate the screening performance of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) for depression and...

OBJECTIVE Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) support chemotherapy-induced anemia in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). In response to research demonstrating that ESAs increase tumor growth and shorten survival, the Food and Drug Administration mandated the new APPRISE (Assisting Providers and Cancer Patients with Risk Information for the Safe use of ESAs) guidelines for consen...