Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T03:01:53.706Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The PERSONS score for symptoms assessment in simultaneous care setting: A pilot study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2018

Alessio Cortellini*
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology Unit, San Salvatore Hospital, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Giampiero Porzio
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology Unit, San Salvatore Hospital, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Eva K. Masel
Affiliation:
Clinical Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Anna S. Berghoff
Affiliation:
Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Barbara Knotzer
Affiliation:
Clinical Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Alessandro Parisi
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology Unit, San Salvatore Hospital, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Francesco Pavese
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology Unit, San Salvatore Hospital, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Corrado Ficorella
Affiliation:
Medical Oncology Unit, San Salvatore Hospital, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Lucilla Verna
Affiliation:
Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
*
Author for correspondence: Alessio Cortellini, M.D., Medical Oncology Unit, St. Salvatore Hospital, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy. E-mail: alessiocortellini@gmail.com

Extract

One of the first steps to early integrate palliative care into oncology practice is a timely and efficient evaluation of symptoms (Bakitas et al., 2015; Davis et al., 2015; Temel et al., 2010). In a recent position paper, the Italian Association of Medical Oncology tells oncologists that they “must be able to prevent, recognize, measure, and treat all cancer-related symptoms” (Zagonel et al., 2017). Major international scientific societies such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society of Medical Oncology have often defined the key role of symptoms evaluation and management to force the integration of palliative care into oncology (Davis et al., 2015; Ferrel et al., 2017). Nevertheless, a recent survey conducted by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology shows that only 20% of oncologists regularly uses valid tools to evaluate symptoms, 45% exclusively use them in the context of clinical trials, 30% use them only occasionally, and 5% never use them (Zagonel et al., 2016).

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bakitas, MA et al. (2015) Early versus delayed initiation of concurrent palliative oncology care: patient outcomes in the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology 33(13), 14381445.Google Scholar
Chang, VT, Hwang, SS, and Feuerman, M (2000) Validation of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. Cancer 88(9), 21642171.Google Scholar
David, HA and Gunnink, JL (1997) The paired t test under artificial pairing. The American Statistician 51(1), 912.Google Scholar
Davis, MP, Strasser, F and Cherny, N (2015) How well is palliative care integrated into cancer care? A MASCC, ESMO, and EAPC Project. Supportive Care in Cancer 23(9), 26772685.Google Scholar
Davis, MP et al. (2015) A review of the trials which examine early integration of outpatient and home palliative care for patients with serious illnesses. Annals of Palliative Medicine 16(4), 99121.Google Scholar
Extermann, M et al. (1998) Comorbidity and functional status are independent in older cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology 16(4), 15821587.Google Scholar
Ferrell, BR et al. (2017) Integration of palliative care into standard oncology care: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update. Journal of Clinical Oncology 35(1), 96112.Google Scholar
Giusti, R et al. (2017) Knowledge and attitudes of young italian medical oncologists toward the approach and treatment of pain: no changes, despite the law. Pain Medicine 18(9), 18221824.Google Scholar
Grávalos, C et al. Spanish Society for Medical Oncology (SEOM). (2012) Functions and workload of medical oncologists in Spain. Clinical & Translational Oncology 14(6), 423429.Google Scholar
Greer, JA et al. (2013) Early integration of palliative care services with standard oncology care for patients with advanced cancer. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 63(5), 349363.Google Scholar
Kruskal, W and Wallis, WA (1952) Use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis. Journal of the American Statistical Association 47(260), 583621.Google Scholar
Mann, HB and Whitney, DR (1947) On a test of whether one of two random variables is stochastically larger than the other. Annals of Mathematical Statistics 18(1), 5060.Google Scholar
Masel, EK et al. (2016) The PERS(2)ON score for systemic assessment of symptomatology in palliative care: a pilot study. European Journal of Cancer Care 25(4), 544550.Google Scholar
Porzio, G et al. (2005a) Assessment and treatment of symptoms among Italian medical oncologists. Supportive Care in Cancer 13(11), 865869.Google Scholar
Porzio, G et al. (2005b) The Supportive Care Task Force at the University of L'Aquila: 2-years experience. Supportive Care in Cancer 13(6), 351355.Google Scholar
Spearman, C (1904) The proof and measurement of association between two things. American Journal of Psychology 15, 72101. Reprinted in International Journal of Epidemiology (2010) 39(5), 1137–50.Google Scholar
Temel, JS et al. (2010) Early palliative care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 363, 733742. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1000678Google Scholar
Verna, L et al. (2016) Integration between oncology and palliative care: does one size fit all? Annals of Oncology 27(3), 549.Google Scholar
Zagonel, V et al. AIOM Simultaneous and Continuous Care (SCC), Task Force: ESMO Italian DCs. (2017) Position paper of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology on early palliative care in oncology practice (simultaneous care). Tumori 103(1), 914.Google Scholar
Zagonel, V et al. AIOM Simultaneous & Continuous Care (SCC) Task Force-ESMO-DCs. (2016) Early integration of palliative care in oncology practice: results of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) survey. Journal of Cancer 7(14), 19681978.Google Scholar