Aim: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients with breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) in Spanish medical oncology departments. Patients & methods: In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, we assessed QoL using the EQ-5D-5L instrument at baseline and after 15 and 30 days of individualized BTcP therapy, as well as BTcP characteristics and treatment. Results: Patients (n = 118) were mainly women, over 64 years old and with advanced cancer. QoL improved at 15 (p = 0.013) and 30 days (p = 0.011) versus baseline. Individualized BTcP therapy consisted mostly of rapid-onset opioids (transmucosal fentanyl at doses of 67–800 μg) according to the physician evaluation. BTcP improved, including statistically significant reductions in intensity, duration, number of episodes in the last 24 h and time to onset of BTcP relief. Conclusion: QoL increased after individualized pain therapy in patients with advanced cancer and BTcP in medical oncology departments.
Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Despite adequate treatment late relapses (beyond 5 years follow-up) may occur. FDG-PET/TC may be useful in this setting.Case: A 48 year-old women underwent curative treatment for a stage IIIA mucinous colon cancer with signet-cell variant. 20 years later, a bulky retroperitoneal mass is evidenced by CT scan in the context of a new-onset toxic syndrome and hip pain. First biopsy is diagnostic for carcinoma and a FDG-PET/TC is performed with the aim to identify a primary tumour and rule out further disease and turns out futile. A second biopsy of the mass is diagnostic for mucinous adenocarcinoma of colorectal origin. Deemed unrespectable, palliative treatment is offered and the patient dies 13 months after diagnosis.
Conclusion:Despite its usefulness in most cancers, FDG-PET/CT should be avoided in mucinous cancers.
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