Patient-Reported Quality of Life Before and After Chemoradiation for Intact Pancreas Cancer: A Prospective Registry Study

PurposeOur purpose was to determine the effect of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on patient-reported quality of life (QOL) for patients with intact pancreas cancer.Methods and MaterialsWe reviewed a prospective QOL registry for patients with intact, clinically localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated with CRT between June 2015 and November 2018. QOL was assessed pre-CRT (immediately before CRT, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy) and at the completion of CRT with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) and its component parts: FACT-General (FACT-G) and hepatobiliary cancer subscore (HCS). A minimally important difference from pre-CRT was defined as ≥ 6, 5, and 8 points for FACT-G, HCS, and FACT-Hep, respectively.ResultsOf 157 patients who underwent CRT, 100 completed both pre- and post-CRT surveys and were included in the primary analysis. Median age at diagnosis was 65 years (range, 23-90). National Comprehensive Cancer Network resectability status was resectable (3%), borderline resectable (40%), or locally advanced (57%). Folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) (75%) or gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (42%) were given for a median of 6 cycles (range, 0-42) before CRT. Radiation therapy techniques included 3-dimensional conformal (22%), intensity modulated photon (55%), and intensity modulated proton (23%) radiation therapy to a median dose of 50 Gy (range, 36-62.5). Concurrent chemotherapy was most commonly capecitabine (82%). Sixty-three patients (63%) had surgery after CRT. The mean decline in FACT-G, HCS subscale, and FACT-Hep from pre- to post-CRT was 3.5 (standard deviation [SD], 13.7), 1.7 (SD 7.8), and 5.2 (SD 19.4), respectively. Each of these changes were statistically significant, but did not meet the minimally important difference threshold. Pancreatic head tumor location was associated with decline in FACT-Hep. Nausea was the toxicity with the greatest increase from pre- to post-CRT by both physician-assessment and patient-reported QOL.ConclusionsFor patients with intact pancreatic adenocarcinoma, modern CRT is well tolerated with minimal decline in QOL during treatment.     

Ileocolic Intussusception Caused by a Giant Ulcerating Lipoma of Bauhin’s Valve: an Unusual Cause of Intestinal Obstruction in the Adult

We report a case of intestinal obstruction in a 73-year-old woman caused by ileocolic intussusception. The underlying cause was a giant submucosal ulcerating lipoma (6?×?3.3?×?3.8 cm) extending from the superior mucosal lip of Bauhin’s valve. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a pathognomonic target-like mass appearing as multiple concentric rings. CT scan confirmed the diagnosis. Because of apparent obstruction, a laparotomy with right hemicolectomy and ileocolic anastomosis was performed. Lipomas most frequently occur in the cecum and ascending colon where they represent the most common submucosal mesenchymal tumor. They typically occur in elderly women with an incidence that varies from 0.15 to 0.56 %. Pain, rectal bleeding, and obstruction are typical symptoms. When faced with an intussusception in children, reduction with air per rectum can be performed. In adults, however, malignant cell spreading and seeding is of big concern. Since approximately 20–50 % of all underlying causes are malignant, explorative surgery is favored in adults.     

Reciprocal Peer Support for Post-partum Patients with Diabetes: A Needs Assessment for the Diabetes Buddy Program

While peer support has been investigated in multiple clinical contexts, its application to the postpartum setting is unknown. The aim was to assess acceptability of a postpartum peer support program for women with diabetes. Observational survey-based needs assessment of forty low-income women with diabetes, receiving care at a major medical institution. Mean age and gravidity were 30.7 years and 3.15 ± 1.67 respectively. 45 % expressed interest in a “buddy.” There was no significant difference between groups desiring and not desiring this program. A majority of respondents desired telephone, text messaging, and in-person contacts (79.2, 72.1, 83.8 %), with 72.5 % of patients desiring diabetes-related activities during clinic waiting time. Many women desire a postpartum diabetes reciprocal peer program for support outside of clinician visits. Patients are receptive to educational services during their wait and outside of clinic time, a potentially valuable opportunity to share important health information.     

Radiotherapy-specific interprofessional learning through simulation

IntroductionInterprofessional learning (IPL) is a vital aspect of training in radiation oncology professions, yet is rarely delivered to those professionals who work most closely together in clinical practice. Scenario-based learning using simulation facilities provides a unique opportunity to facilitate this learning and this project aimed to determine the impact and value of this initiative.MethodsSmall groups comprising post-graduate diploma pre-registration therapeutic radiographers, medical physics trainees and radiation oncology registrars were challenged with 4 plausible and challenging radiotherapy scenarios within an academic simulation centre. Pre- and post-event completion of the “Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale” measured impact and a Likert-style survey gathered feedback from participants.ResultsThe session increased participants' teamwork and collaboration skills as well as strengthening professional identities. Participants reported high levels of enjoyment related to collaborative working, communication and observing other professionals deploying their technical skills and specialist knowledge.ConclusionAlthough beneficial, simulated scenarios offering equal opportunities for engagement across the professions are challenging to plan and timetabling issues between the 3 groups present significant difficulties. The safe environment and unique opportunity for these groups to learn together was particularly well received and future oncology-specific simulated scenario sessions are planned with larger cohorts.Implications for practiceSimulated scenario training can be used to improve team working across the radiotherapy interprofessional team and may have wider use in other specialist interdisciplinary team development.