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Background: Lack of agreed terminology and definitions in healthcare compromises communication, patient safety, optimal management of adverse events, and research progress. The purpose of this scoping review was to understand the terminologies used to describe central venous access devices (CVADs), associated complications and reasons for premature removal in people undergoing cancer treatment. It also sought to identify the definitional sources for complications and premature removal reasons. The objective was to map language and descriptions used and to explore opportunities for standardisation. Methods: A systematic search of MedLine, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL Complete and Embase databases was performed. Eligibility criteria included, but were not limited to, adult patients with cancer, and studies published between 2017 and 2022. Articles were screened and data extracted in Covidence. Data charting included study characteristics and detailed information on CVADs including terminologies and definitional sources for complications and premature removal reasons. Descriptive statistics, tables and bar graphs were used to summarise charted data. Results: From a total of 2363 potentially eligible studies, 292 were included in the review. Most were observational studies (n = 174/60%). A total of 213 unique descriptors were used to refer to CVADs, with all reasons for premature CVAD removal defined in 84 (44%) of the 193 studies only, and complications defined in 56 (57%) of the 292 studies. Where available, definitions were author-derived and/or from national resources and/or other published studies. Conclusion: Substantial variation in CVAD terminology and a lack of standard definitions for associated complications and premature removal reasons was identified. This scoping review demonstrates the need to standardise CVAD nomenclature to enhance communication between healthcare professionals as patients undergoing cancer treatment transition between acute and long-term care, to enhance patient safety and rigor of research protocols, and improve the capacity for data sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Central Venous Access Devices (CVAD) are critical for the administration of systemic anticancer therapy for patients with haematology cancers. CVADs in this patient cohort have some of the highest CVAD related complications and premature rates in the literature. However, in Victoria these rates and their impact on patient outcomes is unknown. Objectives/Aims This study primarily aimed to describe all reasons for CVAD removal, complications and expenditure. The secondary aim was to identify opportunities to mitigate preventable, premature CVAD removal, to be tested in future healthcare service initiatives. Methods This multi-site, retrospective cohort PhD study collected quantitative data from hospital administrative and health records of adult haematological cancer patients who had a CVAD inserted between 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021. Data was obtained from numerous sources to maximise data completeness and quality. Analysis included descriptive statistics and regression modelling to identify modifiable predictors for premature removal. Results/Outcomes Of the 1078 CVADs inserted in 673 patients, 503 CVADs (57%) were removed due to expected reasons for removal, 366 (42%) were removed prematurely and 12 (1%) were removed due to unknown reasons. Most CVADs experienced complications (n=919, 85%). This results in increased system and hospital level expenditure. Variances in multidisciplinary management to current evidence were identified. Conclusion This study highlights unacceptably high rates of complications and premature removal of CVADs in patients with haematology cancers. This negatively impacts the patient, hospital and system levels. Opportunities for multidisciplinary initiatives to align clinical practice with current evidence are critical to improve CVAD outcomes in this high risk patient cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) oncology is an internationally recognized established subspecialty in cancer care. Dedicated programs tailored to local environments endeavor to address unique medical, psychological, cognitive, and social needs that historically, health services have been challenged to meet. In recent years there has been a growing appreciation of the challenges facing AYA with incurable cancer and their parent caregivers. While health care professionals recognize the importance of parents' involvement in the care trajectory, there is less understanding of the services needed for support. This scoping review set out to identify and describe evidence available to better understand the services and approaches required from hospital teams to address the needs of parent caregivers and to identify gaps in knowledge to inform areas for further research. The question guiding this review is: What are the service needs of parent carers of AYA with incurable cancer. Using the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review framework, 1009 studies were identified from a broad search of relevant online databases, gray literature, and reference lists of published studies. After removing duplicates and ineligible studies, 492 abstracts were screened. Of these, 421 were ineligible, and 71 articles underwent full-text review. Eight studies were included in the final review. No single study was focused exclusively on parent caregivers of AYA with incurable cancer, demonstrating a paucity of quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform practice and a need for further research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This study set out to understand the experiences and expectations of scalp cooling among women with early‐stage breast cancer. The objective was to develop patient co‐produced information resources to better inform and prepare women considering scalp cooling during chemotherapy. Background: Treatment‐induced alopecia is a common concern among women preparing for chemotherapy. Evidence indicates that many women feel inadequately prepared for scalp cooling, resulting in potentially mitigable distress and disappointment. Design: A single‐site, sequential, explanatory mixed‐methods design was used. Participants included women with early‐stage breast cancer who had previously or were currently using, scalp cooling. Women completed an online survey exploring scalp cooling experiences and expectations and self‐selecting participants took part in one semi‐structured, audio‐recorded interview. Guidelines for Good Reporting of a Mixed Methods Study were followed. Results: Forty‐nine women (69%) consented to take part in the survey and 23 took part in an interview. Most women described losing more hair than they expected. Many described feeling inadequately prepared for the discomfort of scalp cooling; the additional time needed to accommodate scalp cooling during treatment and, that they lacked information about self‐ care to help minimise hair loss. Importantly, several participants described variability in nurses' knowledge and practical skills regarding scalp cooling. Conclusions: To optimise experience of scalp cooling, women need comprehensive preparatory information about variability in efficacy of scalp cooling; time needed to accommodate scalp cooling; hair care during treatment, and the potential discomfort associated with it. They also need nurses to be confident and well informed about scalp cooling processes. Relevance to clinical practice: Our study led to the development of online, patient co‐produced resources to help prepare and inform women considering using scalp cooling; and an online scalp cooling training module and checklist for nurses. Links to the resources are included in the manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Lack of agreed terminology and definitions in healthcare compromises communication, patient safety, optimal management of adverse events, and research progress. Central venous access devices (CVADs) are critical for effective and efficient management of patients with cancer because they facilitate urgent, acute or prolonged access to the bloodstream for the administration of systemic anticancer therapies and supportive therapies and repeated blood sampling. Variance in protocols, procedures, and practices result in poor vascular access outcomes. Objectives/Aims The aim of this scoping review was to understand the terminologies used to describe the devices, CVADassociated complications and reasons for premature removal in people undergoing cancer treatment. The objective was to map language and descriptions used and to explore opportunities for standardisation. Method An a priori protocol for this scoping review based on the five stages of Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework guided this review. The search strategy aligned with the broader format of population, concept and context format was utilised. The search of MedLine, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL Complete and Embase databases was undertaken and data was extracted in Covidence. Results The search identified 31,877 records, and 292 studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 213 unique descriptors were used to refer to CVADs, with all reasons for premature CVAD removal defined in 84 (44%) of the 193 studies only, and complications defined in 56 (57%) of the 292 studies. Where available, definitions were author-derived and/or from national resources and/or other published studies. Conclusion Substantial variation in CVAD terminology and a lack of standard definitions for associated complications and premature removal reasons was identified. This scoping review demonstrates the need to standardise CVAD nomenclature to enhance communication between healthcare professionals as patients undergoing cancer treatment transition between acute and long-term care, to enhance patient safety and rigor of research protocols, and improve the capacity for data sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Regional cancer patients face various barriers in accessing specialist cancer services. Teletrials are a new model of care that utilise communications technologies to enable access to and participation in clinical trials close to home. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of regional cancer patients and their carers while participating in a teletrial, and those of regional patients who travelled to a metropolitan centre for trial participation.Methods: A concurrent, mixed methods study design was used to address the study aim. Patient quality of life data were gathered for both groups and an audio-recorded semi-structured interview undertaken to explore patients' and carers' experiences of the two modes of trial participation. Greater weighting was given to the qualitative data.Results: Participants described teletrials as an acceptable and valuable initiative that reduced overall burden of trial participation. Irrespective of mode of delivery, patients and carers identified access to trials and specialist cancer services as an important equity issue for regional cancer patients.Discussion: From the perspective of regional cancer patients and carers, a teletrial offers convenient, acceptable access to a clinical trial. Although not all patients may want to engage in a teletrial, patients and carers agree that it offers equity of opportunity for trial participation, irrespective of where people live. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]