Poster Presentation
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
This presentation is part of : Poster Presentations I
Cancer Treatment, Symptom Monitoring, and Self-Care in Adults
Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, PhD, RN1, Phoebe D. Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN1, and Kathleen A. Ducey, ARNP, MS, AOCN2. (1) School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA, (2) Cancer Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
Learning Objective #1: Describe symptoms experienced and self-care strategies by adults during cancer treatments.
Learning Objective #2: Prioritize early and effective management of conditions threatening successful therapy.
A descriptive study was done on self-reported symptoms and self-care by 37 adults receiving chemotherapy primarily for leukemias, lymphomas or breast cancer; or radiation therapy, RT, for head & neck, or lung cancers. The Therapy-Related Symptoms Checklist (TRSC), demographic and interview forms on self-care for symptoms identified, and functional status ratings on the Karnofsky scale were used. Severe symptoms on the TRSC subscales Fatigue, Eating, Nausea, and Pain, Numbness in fingers / toes, Hair loss, and Constipation were reported by patients on chemotherapy. Those on RT reported severe symptoms on the subscales Eating, Fatigue, Skin changes, Oropharynx, and Constipation.   

Self-care strategies were in the following categories, using complementary medicine as framework: Diet/ nutrition/ life-style change (e.g., use of nutritional supplements; modifications of food and of eating habits; naps, sleep and rest); mind/ body control (e.g., relaxation methods, prayer, music, attending granddaughter's sports events); biologic treatments (vitamins); herbal treatments (green mint tea); and ethnomedicine (lime juice and garlic).  The first category was predominantly used by patients in both treatment types. Medications were prescribed also to help control symptoms (e.g., pain, nausea). Symptom monitoring and self-care for symptoms identified is facilitated by the TRSC. Based on reported symptom severity, care providers can prioritize interventions.

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