Palliative Care News and Research

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Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.

BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals commences patient treatment in Tavocept Phase III trial

BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the treatment of the first patients in a global multi-center Phase III clinical trial of Tavocept (BNP7787) in patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the lung, the most common type of lung cancer. In previous studies, Tavocept demonstrated the potential to substantially increase overall and one year patient survival while concurrently preventing and reducing the incidence and severity of common chemotherapy side-effects as compared to other currently available treatments for advanced lung cancer.

21 Jan 2010

Health care reform: Opportunities and challenges in palliative care

Opinion leaders in the field of palliative medicine explored the unparalleled opportunities that now exist for the palliative care community, which matches treatment to the desires of informed patients and their families, to help define evolving health care reform policy. The thought-provoking Roundtable discussion, "Palliative Medicine: Politics and Policy," is published online ahead of print in Journal of Palliative Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..

18 Jan 2010

CKD patients do not receive adequate end-of-life care

Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) often do not receive adequate end-of-life care and are unhappy with the medical decisions made as their conditions worsen, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that end-of-life care should be improved to meet the needs of CKD patients.

18 Jan 2010

ACP issues position paper to guide ethical relationships among patients, physicians and caregivers

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued a position paper to guide ethical relationships among patients, physicians, and caregivers.

13 Jan 2010

Kindred Healthcare announces plans for development of new centers

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (the “Company”) today announced plans for a replacement hospital, the opening of a new hospital, development of six new hospital-based subacute units and a new transitional care center in several of its key markets in Texas, Florida, California, Ohio, Indiana and Washington.

12 Jan 2010

MUHC unveils new Lung Cancer Navigation Program

A diagnosis of lung cancer can come as a hard blow. The disease has one of the highest mortality rates of all cancers and the sheer complexity of therapy - often involving radiation, chemotherapy and surgery - can leave patients feeling confused and isolated. To help these patients navigate through the complicated treatment process and medical appointments, the MUHC has unveiled its new Lung Cancer Navigation Program (LCNP).

8 Jan 2010

Physicians fail to provide pain treatment for fear of prescription drug abuse

Millions of Americans with significant or chronic pain associated with their medical problems are being under-treated as physicians increasingly fail to provide comprehensive pain treatment - either due to inadequate training, personal biases or fear of prescription drug abuse.

5 Jan 2010

Spiritual care can improve outcomes in terminally ill cancer patients

In a new study of terminally ill cancer patients, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found support of patients' spiritual needs by the medical team is associated with greater use of hospice, less aggressive care, and greater quality of life near death. The

16 Dec 2009

Saint Therese implements InSites Enterprise Visibility Platform

Intelligent InSites, Inc., the leading provider of real-time locating and sensing solutions, announced today that Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake (Saint Therese), a senior living community located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, has implemented the InSites Enterprise Visibility Platform™ as the resident care and staff response solution.

8 Dec 2009

JAK2 inhibitor can control myelofibrosis, report researchers

A first-in-its class oral medication provides significant and durable relief for patients with a rare, debilitating and lethal bone marrow disorder called myelofibrosis, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported today at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

8 Dec 2009

New treatment options for leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders introduced

Leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders are serious and often deadly blood cancers. Research presented today at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology introduces potential new treatment options and improved diagnostic methods for patients suffering from acute promyelocytic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and myelofibrosis that are based on a better understanding of the underlying genetic causes of these conditions.

6 Dec 2009

Pfizer announces a $9M cancer research collaboration in British Columbia

Pfizer is entering into a three-year, $9-million research collaboration with the BC Cancer Agency and the Vancouver Prostate Centre, a University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) Centre of Excellence, to tackle new treatment avenues for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. This is the single-largest investment by Pfizer into British Columbia's public research sector, and it recognizes the strength and world-class cancer expertise that resides in this province.

4 Dec 2009

New tool may allow doctors to predict long-term survival rates of dialysis patients

A new model can help physicians determine if a kidney disease patient on dialysis is likely to die within the next few months, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

4 Dec 2009

Care Support of America's outpatient palliative care coordination model improves the quality of life for seniors

Care Support of America's model of outpatient palliative care coordination, Advanced Illness Coordinated Care (AICC), has been shown to reduce hospitalizations in the last years of life as well as improve the quality of life for seniors and their family caregivers without increasing mortality. These are the principal findings of a new study published in American Journal of Managed Care (November 2009).

3 Dec 2009

Allina Hospitals selects Acuo Technologies' integrated medical imaging solution for improved patient care

Acuo Technologies, developers of high-performance medical image management software, data migration tools and services, today announced contracting with Allina Hospitals and Clinics for a new Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA), providing the foundation of image storage across the Allina network of hospitals, clinics and affiliates.

2 Dec 2009

Universal Access and Human Rights: A central theme for World AIDS Day 2009

More than 33.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the world today with 2.7 million new infections occurring each year. FHSSA reports, Sub-Saharan Africa is unequally impacted by HIV/AIDS, with 71% of new infections each year.

2 Dec 2009

Music therapy can reduce pain and anxiety in hospice pateints

Add guitars and other musical instruments to the tools caregivers can use to help patients in hospice care. That's what University of Alabama senior Sarah Pitts found when she brought her music therapy skills to patients in Hospice of West Alabama.

1 Dec 2009

Medical care in Germany for children with cancer is very good: IQWiG report

Internationally viewed, medical care in Germany for children with cancer is very good as far as survival is concerned. However, other aspects, such as quality of life, pain, and long-term consequences of the disease are still insufficiently investigated in studies. This is the conclusion of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) in its final report published on 16 October 2009.

25 Nov 2009

The Community Hospice sets up social community site to raise awareness on hospice care

The Community Hospice, one of the largest and most established hospice organizations in the nation, will premiere its online "Quality of Life, Not End of Life" program on December 10 at Noon ET. The goal is to raise awareness of the many benefits of hospice care for both patients and their family members.

19 Nov 2009

Opiate-based painkillers can increase tumor-cell proliferation, says new study

Although morphine has been the gold-standard treatment for postoperative and chronic cancer pain for two centuries, a growing body of evidence is showing that opiate-based painkillers can stimulate the growth and spread of cancer cells.

19 Nov 2009