Palliative care development in the Asia-Pacific region: an international survey from the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN).

BACKGROUND: Although palliative care is an important public healthcare issue worldwide, the current situation in the Asia-Pacific region has not been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVES: This survey aimed to clarify the current status of palliative care in the Asia-Pacific region. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to a representative physician of each member country/region of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN). The questionnaire examined palliative care service provision, information regarding physician certification in palliative care, the availability of essential drugs for palliative care listed by the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and the regulation of opioid-prescribing practice. RESULTS: Of the 14 member countries/regions of the APHN, 12 (86%) responded. Some form of specialist palliative care services had developed in all the responding countries/regions. Eight member countries/regions had physician certifications for palliative care. Most essential drugs for palliative care listed by the IAHPC were available, whereas hydromorphone, oxycodone and transmucosal fentanyl were unavailable in most countries/regions. Six member countries/regions required permission to prescribe and receive opioids. CONCLUSIONS: The development of palliative care is in different stages across the surveyed countries/regions in the Asia-Pacific region. Data from this survey can be used as baseline data for monitoring the development of palliative care in this region.

Survival analysis of transarterial radioembolization with yttrium-90 for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with HBV infection.

INTRODUCTION: For patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatectomy remains one of the best treatment options to provide long-term survival. However, more than 50% of the patients have unresectable disease upon diagnosis even though there are no distant metastases. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a well-established treatment option that offers a palliative survival benefit for this group of patients. A better treatment for unresectable HCC has been sought after. There is some evidence that transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with the agent yttrium-90 produces encouraging outcomes, especially in patients with portal vein tumor thrombus. This study aims to analyze the outcomes of TARE at our center. METHODS: From August 2009 to April 2013, 16 patients underwent TARE at our center. Sixteen patients with similar tumor characteristics were selected to undergo TACE alone for comparison. A retrospective analysis of the prospectively collected data of the patients was conducted. Only patients with newly diagnosed primary tumors were included in this study. RESULTS: The median survival for patients having TARE was 19.9 versus 14.0 months in the TACE group (P=0.615). There was no difference in terms of tumor response according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) (P=0.632). The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates in the TARE group were 80.0%, 30.5% and 20.3% respectively. The 1-year survival in the TACE group was 58.3% (P=0.615). For patients who had major vascular invasion (eight in each group), the 1- and 2-year survival rates in the TARE group were 62.5% and 15.6% respectively, while the 1-year survival in the TACE group was 35.0% (P=0.664). CONCLUSIONS: The two groups showed similar results in terms of tumor response and overall survival benefit. TARE might provide a survival benefit for patients with major vessel invasion.

Use of methylphenidate for the management of fatigue in Chinese patients with cancer.

UNLABELLED: REASON FOR THE STUDY: Studies on methylphenidate for cancer-related fatigue showed conflicting results. This prospective study aims to determine whether methylphenidate is useful for relieving fatigue in Chinese patients with cancer. Chinese Version of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-C) was administered on days 1, 8, and 29. Methylphenidate dose on day 1 was 5 mg daily then adjusted after day 8 according to response and side effects tolerance. MAIN FINDINGS: Only 48% of the 25 recruited patients were on methylphenidate by day 29. Overall, no significant improvement in fatigue level was observed after methylphenidate, though benefits were shown in subgroups with age ≤ 65 and higher baseline BFI-C values. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Methylphenidate may be useful for management of cancer-related fatigue in selected Chinese patients.

Patients' views on failure to gain expected clinical beneficial outcomes from participation in palliative medicine clinical trials.

UNLABELLED: REASON FOR THE STUDY: This study aims to understand patients' views on failing to gain expected beneficial outcomes from palliative medicine clinical trials. This is a qualitative study involving semistructured interviews. MAIN FINDINGS: Seven patients were interviewed. Despite loss of initial hope in benefiting themselves in terms of better disease or symptom control, patients interviewed still found joining clinical trials meaningful experience in terms of benefiting future patients and being valuable life experience. Experience in interacting with research staff partly formulated final impressions on clinical trial participation experience. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Joining well-designed clinical trials unlikely causes harm to patients. Caring attitudes of researchers and maintaining good researcher-patient relationships can help patients in meaning-finding process, especially if they have failed to gain anticipated clinical benefits.

Factors associated with lower quality of life among patients receiving palliative care.

AIM: This paper is a report of a study conducted to (1) assess the quality of life (QoL) and physical functioning status of patients diagnosed with advanced cancer and receiving palliative care; (2) determine if there was a statistically significant relationship between their physical functioning and QoL and (3) identify the demographic and disease-related variables related to their QoL. BACKGROUND: Achieving the best possible QoL is a major goal in palliative care. However, research findings about the relationship between QoL and demographic variables have been inconsistent. METHOD: Three hundred patients with advanced cancer were recruited from four district hospitals in Hong Kong between February 2005 and July 2006. Their QoL and physical functioning status were assessed by face-to-face interview, using the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (Hong Kong version) and the Palliative Performance Scale respectively. RESULTS: Participants reported reduced ambulation, inability to perform hobbies or housework, and the need for occasional assistance in self-care (mean: 64.6 out of 100, sd: 19.3, range: 20-100). QoL was fair (mean: 6.2 out of 10, sd: 1.5, range: 0.9-10). There was a weak positive association between physical functioning and QoL scores. Multiple regression analysis showed that patients who were older, female, had ever been married, or had higher physical functioning tended to have better QoL. CONCLUSION: More could be done in symptom and psychosocial management to improve patients' QoL, in particular for those who are younger, male or single, or who have lower physical functioning.