McNeely, M. L., Campbell, K. L., Rowe, B. H., Klassen, T. P., Mackey, J. R., & Courneya, K. S. (2006). Effects of exercise on breast cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 175, 34–41.
Databases seached were MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CANCERLIT, Cochrane Library, PEDro, and SPORTDiscus through March 2005.
Fourteen randomized trials were included. Nonrandomized trials, pilot studies, and studies reported only in abstract form were excluded. Therapeutic exercise regimens addressing only specific impairments to shoulder and arm were not included. Studies with an additional treatment arm or combined intervention (e.g., exercise with diet modification) were included only if the effects of exercise could be isolated. Studies were required to have quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness, or physical functioning as a primary outcome. Secondary outcomes of interest included symptoms of fatigue, body composition, and adverse events resulting from the exercise intervention. Methodologic quality of each included study was evaluated using eight quality criteria specified a priori.
Outcomes were quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical functioning, symptoms of fatigue, body composition, and adverse events resulting from the exercise intervention.
There was wide variability in the exercise interventions evaluated. Interventions included Tai Chi Chuan, aerobic exercise (walking, cycle ergometer, and arm ergometer), resistance training (weights and resistance bands), and mixed aerobic and resistance exercise. Exercise programs were of moderate or low intensity, and the interventions included a mixture of supervised and self-directed programs, delivered individually or in groups. Overall, study reports provided too little detail concerning the frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise to allow for determination for an exercise dose-response. Similarly, limited detail about the adherence to the exercise program was provided, and few studies had been designed to include monitoring of activity in the comparison group, so that potential contamination could be gauged.
Six studies involving 319 patients assessed the effect of exercise on symptoms of fatigue. Although all of the studies showed improvements in symptoms of fatigue with exercise, only two reported statistically significant improvements. These two studies were also the only studies performed following breast cancer treatment. The pooled results from all six studies showed that exercise significantly improved symptoms of fatigue (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.23, 0.70]). The pooled results from the four studies performed during adjuvant cancer treatment showed a nonsignificant effect on fatigue (SMD = 0.28; 95% CI [-0.02, 0.57]). Four studies reported adverse events; in one study, two of 23 participants reported that participation in the home-based exercise program (self-monitored walking program) resulted in worsening of fatigue.
McMurray, V. (2006). Managing bleeding malignant skin lesions. Nursing Times, 102, 58–60.
PURPOSE: To review an article from a non-peer–reviewed journal on managing bleeding malignant skin lesions
The journal is not peer-reviewed.
McMillan, S.C., Small, B.J., & Haley, W.E. (2011). Improving hospice outcomes through systematic assessment: A clinical trial. Cancer Nursing, 34, 89–97.
To determine if providing, to hospice patients and caregivers, systematic feedback from standardized assessment tools improves the quality of hospice care
Hospice teams were formed, each with a similar composition. Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard care (control) or standard care plus systematic assessment. Patient-caregiver dyads were identified and screened, within 24–72 hours of admission, with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Research assistants (RAs, an RN and a social worker) collected baseline data from both the patient and caregiver, respectively, and then collected data one and two weeks later, using identified tools. Verbal and written reports were given at two interdisciplinary team conferences after each data collection. RAs performed a chart audit for both groups during the study. The control group completed the same standardized assessments, but no reports were made to the interdisciplinary team.
Randomized controlled trial
The control and intervention groups were comparable in regard to every variable except patients' years of education. Attrition was greater than 51%. In dyads that completed the study, patients were older and had higher functional status scores at baseline. No other comparisons were statistically significant. Results showed improved patient depression (p < 0.001) as a result of the intervention and improvement in both groups in patients’ QOL (p < 0.001). No other patient outcomes (symptom distress, spiritual needs) or caregiver outcomes (depression, support and spiritual needs) were statistically significant.
The addition of the systematic assessment of depression to usual care probably had a greater effect because it is not a symptom on which hospice staff normally focus. Improving depression is an important way of improving overall QOL of patients and their families during hospice treatment. The lack of improvement in caregiver variables in either group over time may suggest the need for greater attention to this symptom.
Hospice is an effective service, and efforts to improve hospice care should be a priority. Caregivers as well as patients should be a focus of hospice care. The study supports the systematic assessment of depression in hospice patients. The study also supports the need for greater attention, via research and systematic assessment, to caregivers in the hospice setting.
McMillan, E.M., & Newhouse, I.J. (2011). Exercise is an effective treatment modality for reducing cancer-related fatigue and improving physical capacity in cancer patients and survivors: A meta-analysis. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism = Physiologie Appliquee, Nutrition Et Metabolisme, 36, 892–903.
To determine if exercise interventions can effectively mitigate cancer-related fatigue (CRF)
DATABASES USED: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, SPORTDiscus
KEYWORDS: exercise, physical activity, exercise therapy, exercise training, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, physical training, exercise prescription, cancer, oncology, malignancy, neoplasm cancer treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, fatigue, CRF, QOL, depression
INCLUSION CRITERIA:
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED = 948 articles initially identified
EVALUATION METHOD: No quality scoring of retrieved studies was described.
FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 16 studies included in meta-analysis
SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES, TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW: Study sample sizes ranged from 22–242; 1,426 patients in treatment and control groups
KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Subjects were at various phases in cancer treatment, with some in active treatment of various modes and others post-treatment. Eight trials were in patients with breast cancer. Other studies included prostate cancer, mixed disease types, and acute myelogenous leukemia.
Overall effect of exercise on CRF showed a small but significant effect size with overall reduction in CRF ( SMD = 0.28, 95% CI 0.17–0.38, p <.001).
Subgroup analysis of exercise mode:
Interventions provided in a supervised setting (15 trials) significantly reduced CRF (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI 0.17–0.46, p < .001).
Unsupervised exercise showed a positive trend but no significant difference with exercise.
Effects in phase of treatment:
Effects in patients with cancer other than breast cancer:
Exercise intervention produced improvement in aerobic fitness and musculoskeletal fitness (p < .001).
Findings from meta-analysis provide strong support for the positive effect of exercise on CRF. Effect sizes are small.
Findings suggest that various modes of exercise show a trend toward a positive impact on CRF in patients with breast cancer, as well as patients with other types of cancer.
There may be differences in effect based on mode of exercise.
Findings suggest positive effects in supervised and unsupervised exercise programs, but only those that were supervised demonstrated statistical significance in this study. It is unclear if this represents a real difference in effectiveness, or the fact that there were only four studies of unsupervised exercise included.
Findings support the use of exercise to reduce CRF during and after completion of cancer treatment. Subgroup analyses in this study begin to provide additional useful information regarding the modes and types of exercise interventions that may be most effective. Further research comparing effectiveness of various approaches is warranted.
Effect sizes of exercise are small, suggesting that studies that include patients with very low fatigue or interventions to prevent fatigue may not readily show significant changes.
McMillan, S.C., Small, B.J., Weitzner, M., Schonwetter, R., Tittle, M., Moody, L., & Haley, W.E. (2006). Impact of coping skills intervention with family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer: A randomized clinical trial. Cancer, 106, 214–222.
To evaluate whether adding a brief problem-solving intervention (i.e., COPE) to caregivers of patients receiving hospice cancer care would be superior to either standard hospice care alone or standard hospice care with emotional support
Intervention group: In addition to standard hospice care, the intervention involved giving three training sessions to caregivers using the COPE problem-solving technique as a coping skill to manage caregiving stress. COPE involves training caregivers how to use Creativity, Optimism, Planning, and obtaining Expert information when needed as well as how to use a homecare guide for advanced cancer. The intervention was done during visits to the caregiver by a trained nurse while a home health aide stayed with the patient. The visits were conducted within seven to nine days of recruitment, but the schedule was not clearly reported.
Control group II: Caregivers and patients received standard hospice care and supportive visits that focused on emotional support only. These visits were scheduled at the same times and frequencies as the COPE training occurred in the intervention group.
A three-group randomized controlled trial design was used.
Results of random effect regression models showed significant interactions (time by group) in the intervention group for three of the caregivers’ measured outcomes.
There were statistically significant group by time effects, showing that caregiver QOL was higher in the COPE (p = 0.033) and support groups, and symptom burden was lower in the COPE (p < 0.001) and support groups when compared to the usual care group.
Overall, the study findings show strong evidence of effectiveness of the COPE treatment among caregivers of patients in hospice care. In this group of caregivers, COPE improved caregivers’ overall QOL and caregiver symptom-related burden.
Nursing care of caregivers of patients in hospice should involve focused interventions that extend beyond emotional support. COPE is an intervention that can be used with caregivers of patients with cancer in general, hospice or otherwise. This intervention is very promising. The fact that it improved some caregivers’ outcomes in hospice suggests that it can also be very effective under different contexts.
McMillan, S.C., Small, B.J., Weitzner, M., Schonwetter, R., Tittle, M., Moody, L., . . . Haley, W.E. (2006). Impact of coping skills intervention with family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer: A randomized clinical trial. Cancer, 106(1), 214–222.
The COPE method involves the following four interventions.
The COPE intervention was delivered by nurses, and a home health aide was present for each visit to provide respite so that caregivers could focus on the intervention. No specific data were given on length of intervention, although it was inferred to occur over two weeks. The study was divided into three arms.
A properly designed randomized, controlled trial with three arms was used.
Significant group by time interactions were found between the standard group and the COPE group (group 3) in quality of life, symptom burden, and caregiving task burden. No significant differences were found between the standard group and the support condition (group 2) in quality of life, symptom burden, or caregiving task burden. The COPE group had significant improvements in symptom burden over time, whereas the usual care group did not. Mastery and coping skills were not significantly different among groups.
Although substantial attrition occurred across all three groups longitudinally, researchers examined for differences. The only significance found was that completers were initially older than noncompleters. No effects of attrition by group were significant.
McLean, L.M., Walton, T., Rodin, G., Esplen, M.J., & Jones, J.M. (2011). A couple-based intervention for patients and caregivers facing end-stage cancer: Outcomes of a randomized controlled trial. Psycho-Oncology, 22, 28–38.
To examine the hypothesis that following an emotionally focused therapy (EFT), the intervention group for patients with metastatic cancer and their caregivers would demonstrate a greater increase in marital functioning postintervention when compared to the control group
To examine whether the intervention group would have a greater decrease in depression, hopelessness, and spousal caregiver burden scores and greater increase in patients’ perceptions of spousal caregiver empathic behaviors as compared to the control group
Potential participants included those who had requested a psychosocial referral for couple distress or those whom doctors had referred to the Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program. Couples were assigned to the EFT intervention or the control standard of care group. Randomization was stratified by sex.
The EFT intervention, which was adapted for use with couples experiencing metastatic cancer, was delivered over eight sessions. The modified manualized EFT addressed particular issues that challenge such couples and were used in prior research. These included ways to facilitate marital relationships by changing habitual and distressing patterns of interaction, increase mutual understanding and emotional engagement, and strengthen the marital bond. Couples had a one-hour weekly session delivered by a trained psychologist in a clinic outpatient or other convenient location over a period of two to three months.
The control group received standard of care from the institutional Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program. Social work consultation in that facility accounts for two-thirds of psychosocial care and usually involves practical and instrumental care or supportive interactions to relieve patient and family psychological distress. Patients and their partners facing metastatic cancer may be followed by a multidisciplinary team on a weekly, biweekly, or until end-of-life basis and as defined by patient/clinician assessment.
A randomized, controlled, two-group trial design was used.
Patients with metastatic disease and their spouses who received the modified EFT had significant improvements in martial functioning compared with those couples who received standard care (p < 0.0001). Additionally, patients in the EFT intervention group reported significant improvement in their assessment of perceived caregivers’ empathetic behaviors when compared with the control group (p = 0.02). On the basis of initial RDAS scores, 91% of the intervention patients improved RDAS scores as compared to 28% of control patients (p < 0.0001). Fifty percent of EFT caregivers improved their RDAS scores as compared to 11% of control caregivers (p = 0.01). The study had a high participation rate and retention of couples. After the EFT and control interventions, there was no difference between groups in caregiver burden, hopelessness, or depression.
A modified EFT intervention was beneficial for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers and improved both quality of martial functioning and patients’ perceived experience of being empathically understood by their caregivers. There were no apparent effects on caregiver strain and burden.
Recent trends toward longer survival and home care for patients with advanced cancer place emotional, relationship, and physical demands (burden) on the primary caregiver, who in many cases is the spouse or partner. An intervention that improves martial functioning may impact terminal care and patient satisfaction with spousal care, as well as reduce caregiver burden. Nursing assessment of marital or patient–caregiver relationships and referral to relevant resources may enhance the quality of life of both patients and caregivers and meet a standard of care for holistic nursing care.
McGuire, D.B., Fulton, J.S., Park, J., Brown, C.G., Correa, M.E.P., Eilers, J., . . . Lalla, R.V. (2013). Systematic review of basic oral care for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients. Supportive Care in Cancer, 21, 3165–3177.
STUDY PURPOSE: To systematically review oral care interventions for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in patients undergoing cancer treatment
TYPE OF STUDY: Systematic review
DATABASES USED: Ovid MEDLINE
KEYWORDS: mucositis, stomatitis, cancer, oral care, oral care protocol, dental care, dental cleaning, oral decontamination, oral hygiene, saline, sodium bicarbonate, baking soda, chlorhexidine, magic/miracle mouthwash, calcium phosphate
INCLUSION CRITERIA: Primary research article, reflects a variety of research designs, rested the effects of intervention on severity of OM or mucositis-related symptoms
EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Review articles, clinical case reports, literature reviews, non-research articles
TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED = 129
EVALUATION METHOD AND COMMENTS ON LITERATURE USED: Hadorn et al. criteria was used to assess the flaws in the selected publications, and levels of evidence were rated using the Somerfield schema.
FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 52
SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES, TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW: Not stated
PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment
The guidelines are as follows.
Oral care protocols are recommended to patients for the prevention and treatment of OM. Chlorhexidine is not recommended for patients with head and neck cancer who receive radiotherapy treatment.
Evidence for interventions to prevent and treat OM are limited, making guideline recommendations difficult.
Nurses should teach patients appropriate oral care to help prevent OM.
McGreevy, K., Hurley, R.W., Erdek, M.A., Aner, M.M., Li, S., & Cohen, S.P. (2013). The effectiveness of repeat celiac plexus neurolysis for pancreatic cancer: A pilot study. Pain Practice, 13, 89–95.
To determine the success rate and duration of relief following repeat celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) for pancreatic cancer pain
CPN was performed using either fluoroscopy or computed tomography (CT). All CPN and neurolytic procedures were performed under sterile conditions with IV sedation provided as needed at the discretion of the attending physician. The decision to use fluoroscopy versus CT was based on several factors, including patient condition, resource availability, and radiologic demonstration of tumor distribution. A diagnostic/prognostic block was performed first; in patients who obtained relief, subsequent neurolysis with 80%–100% ethanol was administered. Volume was variable and dependent on clinical circumstances. All procedures were performed in the prone position using a posterior approach. Patients were kept prone for 30 minutes to avoid spread to posterior nerves.
Those participants with a successful response to initial CPN were more likely to have pain symptoms in the back and abdomen and have a shorter time interval from diagnosis of pancreatic cancer to initial CPN. The overall success rate decreased from 67% after initial CPN to 29% following repeat CPN (p = 0.13). The mean duration of pain relief also decreased from 3.4 months following initial CPN to 1.7 months after repeat CPN (p = 0.03). The proportion of individuals with successful repeat CPN after unsuccessful initial CPN was 50% (four out of eight), which favorably compared to 19% (3 out of 16) in those who had successful initial CPN (p = 0.13). In multivariate analysis, the presence of metastases was associated with a 90% decrease in success rate. No statistically significant differences were found between repeat CPN success, and failure groups were observed for age, sex, baseline pain score, location of tumor, presence of metastasis, encasement of celiac axis, opioid use, peritoneal tumor involvement, use of repeat diagnostic block, radiologic guidance used for procedure, needle approach or technique used, or the use of sedation for the procedure. Disease progression on imaging and a longer period between blocks were contributors to treatment failure.
This study demonstrated that the magnitude and duration of pain relief following repeat CPN were significantly less than after the initial procedure. Results suggest that a subset of patients may benefit from repeat CPN. Thirty percent of individuals reported positive responses to repeat CPN, which warrants further analysis.
Evaluation of a repeat procedure may be warranted when pain levels begin to escalate following a successful initial procedure. However, this is a preliminary suggestion warranting more well-controlled studies. As patient advocates and proponents of pain management, nurses are in a position to further research regarding patient responses to pain management interventions and techniques, such as CPN and repeat CPN. In the outpatient setting, oncology nurses focus on pain management at every visit and direct patients to follow up with the appropriate interdisciplinary team member(s) to address as needed. Nurses are involved in every aspect of patient care, including pre-, post-, and during interventions (e.g., the various CPNs described here), and in outpatient, inpatient, hospice, and palliative settings.
McGough, C., Wedlake, L., Baldwin, C., Hackett, C., Norman, A.R., Blake, P., … Andreyev, H.J. (2008). Clinical trial: Normal diet vs. partial replacement with oral E028 formula for the prevention of gastrointestinal toxicity in cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 27(11), 1132–1139.
To determine whether replacing a third of the normal diet with an elemental formula (E028) during the first three weeks of pelvic radiotherapy is feasible and effective in decreasing acute gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity
Patients with a gynecologic, urologic, or lower GI malignancy who were scheduled to receive radical or adjuvant radiotherapy to the pelvis were randomized to receive either an elemental diet, which involved replacing one normal meal per day with the elemental formula E028 Extra, or no intervention for the first three weeks of treatment.
The study was conducted in an oupatient care setting in the United Kingdom.
Patients were undergoing the active treatment phase of care.
This was a prospective, randomized-controlled trial.
The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire – Bowel specific sub-set (IBDQ-B), Vaizey Incontinence Questionnaire (VIQ), and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) tool were used.
Patients in the intervention group exhibited poor compliance, ingesting only 65% of the proposed oral elemental formula. The intervention group did not experience a reduction in bowel symptoms or fecal calprotectin compared to the control group.
This study did not show a benefit to ingesting elemental formula. Orally ingested elemental formulae are known to be unpalatable, and the intervention group had poor compliance with consuming the proposed amount of formula.