Cancer Care for the Whole Patient

Cancer Care for the Whole Patient PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309134161
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 455

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Book Description
Cancer care today often provides state-of-the-science biomedical treatment, but fails to address the psychological and social (psychosocial) problems associated with the illness. This failure can compromise the effectiveness of health care and thereby adversely affect the health of cancer patients. Psychological and social problems created or exacerbated by cancer-including depression and other emotional problems; lack of information or skills needed to manage the illness; lack of transportation or other resources; and disruptions in work, school, and family life-cause additional suffering, weaken adherence to prescribed treatments, and threaten patients' return to health. Today, it is not possible to deliver high-quality cancer care without using existing approaches, tools, and resources to address patients' psychosocial health needs. All patients with cancer and their families should expect and receive cancer care that ensures the provision of appropriate psychosocial health services. Cancer Care for the Whole Patient recommends actions that oncology providers, health policy makers, educators, health insurers, health planners, researchers and research sponsors, and consumer advocates should undertake to ensure that this standard is met.

Cancer Care for the Whole Patient

Cancer Care for the Whole Patient PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309134161
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 455

Get Book Here

Book Description
Cancer care today often provides state-of-the-science biomedical treatment, but fails to address the psychological and social (psychosocial) problems associated with the illness. This failure can compromise the effectiveness of health care and thereby adversely affect the health of cancer patients. Psychological and social problems created or exacerbated by cancer-including depression and other emotional problems; lack of information or skills needed to manage the illness; lack of transportation or other resources; and disruptions in work, school, and family life-cause additional suffering, weaken adherence to prescribed treatments, and threaten patients' return to health. Today, it is not possible to deliver high-quality cancer care without using existing approaches, tools, and resources to address patients' psychosocial health needs. All patients with cancer and their families should expect and receive cancer care that ensures the provision of appropriate psychosocial health services. Cancer Care for the Whole Patient recommends actions that oncology providers, health policy makers, educators, health insurers, health planners, researchers and research sponsors, and consumer advocates should undertake to ensure that this standard is met.

Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care

Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care PDF Author: Committee on Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 9780309286602
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In the United States, approximately 14 million people have had cancer and more than 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed each year. However, more than a decade after the Institute of Medicine (IOM) first studied the quality of cancer care, the barriers to achieving excellent care for all cancer patients remain daunting. Care often is not patient-centered, many patients do not receive palliative care to manage their symptoms and side effects from treatment, and decisions about care often are not based on the latest scientific evidence. The cost of cancer care also is rising faster than many sectors of medicine--having increased to $125 billion in 2010 from $72 billion in 2004--and is projected to reach $173 billion by 2020. Rising costs are making cancer care less affordable for patients and their families and are creating disparities in patients' access to high-quality cancer care. There also are growing shortages of health professionals skilled in providing cancer care, and the number of adults age 65 and older--the group most susceptible to cancer--is expected to double by 2030, contributing to a 45 percent increase in the number of people developing cancer. The current care delivery system is poorly prepared to address the care needs of this population, which are complex due to altered physiology, functional and cognitive impairment, multiple coexisting diseases, increased side effects from treatment, and greater need for social support. Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis presents a conceptual framework for improving the quality of cancer care. This study proposes improvements to six interconnected components of care: (1) engaged patients; (2) an adequately staffed, trained, and coordinated workforce; (3) evidence-based care; (4) learning health care information technology (IT); (5) translation of evidence into clinical practice, quality measurement and performance improvement; and (6) accessible and affordable care. This report recommends changes across the board in these areas to improve the quality of care. Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis provides information for cancer care teams, patients and their families, researchers, quality metrics developers, and payers, as well as HHS, other federal agencies, and industry to reevaluate their current roles and responsibilities in cancer care and work together to develop a higher quality care delivery system. By working toward this shared goal, the cancer care community can improve the quality of life and outcomes for people facing a cancer diagnosis.

The Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Comprehensive Cancer Center PDF Author: Mahmoud Aljurf
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030820521
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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Book Description
This open access book provides a valuable resource for hospitals, institutions, and health authorities worldwide in their plans to set up and develop comprehensive cancer care centers. The development and implementation of a comprehensive cancer program allows for a systematic approach to evidence-based strategies of prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and palliation. Comprehensive cancer programs also provide a nexus for the running of clinical trials and implementation of novel cancer therapies with the overall aim of optimizing comprehensive and holistic care of cancer patients and providing them with the best opportunity to improve quality of life and overall survival. This book's self-contained chapter format aims to reinforce the critical importance of comprehensive cancer care centers while providing a practical guide for the essential components needed to achieve them, such as operational considerations, guidelines for best clinical inpatient and outpatient care, and research and quality management structures. Intended to be wide-ranging and applicable at a global level for both high and low income countries, this book is also instructive for regions with limited resources. The Comprehensive Cancer Center: Development, Integration, and Implementation is an essential resource for oncology physicians including hematologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists, and oncology nurses as well as hospitals, health departments, university authorities, governments and legislators.

Palliative Care in Oncology

Palliative Care in Oncology PDF Author: Bernd Alt-Epping
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3662462028
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 302

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Book Description
Palliative care provides comprehensive support for severely affected patients with any life-limiting or life-threatening diagnosis. To do this effectively, it requires a disease-specific approach as the patients’ needs and clinical context will vary depending on the underlying diagnosis. Experts in the field of palliative care and oncology describe in detail the needs of patients with advanced cancer in comparison to those with non-cancer disease and also identify the requirements of patients with different cancer entities. Basic principles of symptom control are explained, with careful attention to therapy for pain associated with either the cancer or its treatment and to symptom-guided antineoplastic therapy. Complex therapeutic strategies for palliative cancer patients are highlighted that involve both cancer- and symptom-directed options and address a range of therapeutic aims. Issues relating to drug use in palliative cancer care are fully explored, and a separate section is devoted to care in the final phase. A range of organizational and policy issues are also discussed, and the book concludes by considering likely future developments in palliative care for cancer patients. Palliative Care in Oncology will be of particular interest to palliative care physicians who are interested in broadening the scope of their disease-specific knowledge, as well as to oncologists who wish to learn more about modern palliative care concepts relevant to their day-to-day work with cancer patients.

Assessing and Improving Value in Cancer Care

Assessing and Improving Value in Cancer Care PDF Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309138140
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
Unlike many other areas in health care, the practice of oncology presents unique challenges that make assessing and improving value especially complex. First, patients and professionals feel a well-justified sense of urgency to treat for cure, and if cure is not possible, to extend life and reduce the burden of disease. Second, treatments are often both life sparing and highly toxic. Third, distinctive payment structures for cancer medicines are intertwined with practice. Fourth, providers often face tremendous pressure to apply the newest technologies to patients who fail to respond to established treatments, even when the evidence supporting those technologies is incomplete or uncertain, and providers may be reluctant to stop toxic treatments and move to palliation, even at the end of life. Finally, the newest and most novel treatments in oncology are among the most costly in medicine. This volume summarizes the results of a workshop that addressed these issues from multiple perspectives, including those of patients and patient advocates, providers, insurers, health care researchers, federal agencies, and industry. Its broad goal was to describe value in oncology in a complete and nuanced way, to better inform decisions regarding developing, evaluating, prescribing, and paying for cancer therapeutics.

Perspectives on Cancer Care

Perspectives on Cancer Care PDF Author: Tonks N. Fawcett
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444329324
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
Perspectives on Cancer Care is a unique collection of insights from contributors, based on their specific expertise and experience. It provides a range of perspectives on cancer care to inspire readers and encourage high-quality care through an enhanced understanding of patients' needs and carers' skills. The book presents a series of chapters highlighting different circumstances and approaches to the complex reality of cancer care. In each chapter the author presents their own picture of their experience of the individual's needs and the care required to address these needs, illustrating the particular sensitivity, trust, empathy and support required in the care of patients with cancer and their families. The holistic approach to total care is a prominent feature in cancer care and this is illustrated throughout the various chapters. This collection of perspectives on cancer care: highlights particular issues in the field encourages best practice draws on the expertise of specialist practitioners in the field of cancer care features a holistic approach to cancer care, illustrated through scenarios

The American Cancer Society's Principles of Oncology

The American Cancer Society's Principles of Oncology PDF Author: The American Cancer Society
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119468841
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 472

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Book Description
Developed by the American Cancer Society this new textbook designed for a wide range of learners and practitioners is a comprehensive reference covering the diagnosis of cancer, and a range of related issues that are key to a multidisciplinary approach to cancer and critical to cancer control and may be used in conjunction with the book, The American Cancer Society's Oncology in Practice: Clinical Management. Edited by leading clinicians in the field and a stellar contributor list from the US and Europe, this book is written in an easy to understand style by multidisciplinary teams of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and other specialists, reflecting day-to-day decision-making and clinical practice. Input from pathologists, surgeons, radiologists, and other specialists is included wherever relevant and comprehensive treatment guidelines are provided by expert contributors where there is no standard recognized treatment. This book is an ideal resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of cancer prevention, screening, and follow-up, which are central to the ACS's worldwide mission on cancer control.

Cancer and Cancer Care

Cancer and Cancer Care PDF Author: Debbie Wyatt
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 1473927366
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 1030

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Book Description
‘This book creates new ground for all health professionals working in cancer care to read, enjoy, look at and question their practice.’ Caroline Adcock, Clinical Practice Educator – Haematology and Oncology, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital Cancer and Cancer Care is a complete study of cancer, the care of people with the disease and its impact on everyday life. Addressing the physical and psychosocial aspects of the illness in detail, it covers all fundamental aspects of cancer diagnosis, treatment, survival and aspects of psychosocial support for all those affected by cancer: patients, their families, and their healthcare providers. Chapters include: - A review of the latest theory and evidence on over 30 separate topic areas - Reflective questions which challenge readers to reappraise what they have learned - Chapter overviews and chapter summaries which highlight the key points The book is essential reading for all those on cancer care courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It will be valuable reading for nurses, oncologists, psychologists, social workers and all healthcare practitioners and researchers working with people affected by cancer.

Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Perspective

Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Perspective PDF Author: Ashutosh Tewari
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1447128648
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 1089

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Book Description
Prostate cancer is the commonest male cancer with over 5 million survivors in US alone. Worldwide, the problem is staggering and has attracted significant attention by media, scientists and cancer experts. Significant research, discoveries, innovations and advances in treatment of this cancer have produced voluminous literature which is difficult to synthesize and assimilate by the medical community. Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Perspective is a comprehensive and definitive source which neatly resolves this problem. It covers relevant literature by leading experts in basic science, molecular biology, epidemiology, cancer prevention, cellular imaging, staging, treatment, targeted therapeutics and innovative technologies. Prostate Cancer: A Comprehensive Perspective, is a valuable and timely resource for urologists and oncologists.

Facing Cancer and the Fear of Death

Facing Cancer and the Fear of Death PDF Author: Norman Straker
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0765709651
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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Book Description
In Facing Cancer and the Fear of Death: A Psychoanalytic Perspective on Treatment, Dr. Norman Straker proposes that "death anxiety" is responsible for the American society's failure to address costly futile care at the end of life; more specifically, doctors default on the appropriate prescription of palliative care because of this anxiety. This leads to unnecessary suffering for terminally-ill patients and their families and significant distress for physicians. To address these challenges in the culture of medical education, increased psychological support for physicians who treat dying patients is necessary. Additionally, physicians need to reach a consensus regarding the discontinuation of active treatments. Psychoanalysts have traditionally denied the importance of death anxiety and report relatively few treatment cases of dying patients in their literature. This book offers multiple treatment reports by psychoanalysts that illustrate the effectiveness and value of a flexible approach to patients facing death. The psychoanalytic reader is expected to gain a greater level of comfort with facing death and is encouraged to consider making themselves more available to the ever-increasing population of cancer survivors. Further, psychoanalysts are encouraged to be more useful partners to the oncologists that are burdened by the irrational feelings of all parties.