Author: Jason Curtis

Accelerated versus standard epirubicin followed by cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil or capecitabine as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in the randomised UK TACT2 trial (CRUK/05/19): a multicentre, phase 3, open-label, randomised, controlled trial (2017)

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Type of publication:
Randomised controlled trial

Author(s):
David Cameron, James P Morden, Peter Canney, Galina Velikova, Robert Coleman, John Bartlett, *Rajiv Agrawal, Jane Banerji, Gianfilippo Bertelli, David Bloomfield, A Murray Brunt, Helena Earl, Paul Ellis, Claire Gaunt, Alexa Gillman, Nicholas Hearfield, Robert Laing, Nicholas Murray, Niki Couper, Robert C Stein, Mark Verrill, Andrew Wardley, Peter Barrett-Lee, Judith M Bliss, on behalf of the TACT2 Investigators

Citation:
Lancet Oncology; Jul 2017; vol. 18 (no. 7); p. 929-945

Abstract:
Adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer has improved outcomes but causes toxicity. The UK TACT2 trial used a 2 × 2 factorial design to test two hypotheses: whether use of accelerated epirubicin would improve time to tumour recurrence (TTR); and whether use of oral capecitabine instead of cyclophosphamide would be non-inferior in terms of patients’ outcomes and would improve toxicity, quality of life, or both.

Link to full-text [Open access]

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Partial-breast radiotherapy after breast conservation surgery for patients with early breast cancer (UK IMPORT LOW trial): 5-year results from a multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 3, non-inferiority trial (2017)

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Type of publication:
Randomised controlled trial

Author(s):
Charlotte E Coles, Clare L Griffin, Anna M Kirby, Jenny Titley, *Rajiv K Agrawal, Abdulla Alhasso, Indrani S Bhattacharya, Adrian M Brunt, Laura Ciurlionis, Charlie Chan, Ellen M Donovan, Marie A Emson, Adrian N Harnett, Joanne S Haviland, Penelope Hopwood, Monica L Jefford, Ronald Kaggwa, Elinor J Sawyer, Isabel Syndikus, Yat M Tsang, Duncan A Wheatley, Maggie Wilcox, John R Yarnold, Judith M Bliss, on behalf of the IMPORT Trialists

Citation:
Lancet, Sep 2017; vol. 390 (no. 10099); p. 1048-1060

Abstract:
Local cancer relapse risk after breast conservation surgery followed by radiotherapy has fallen sharply in many countries, and is influenced by patient age and clinicopathological factors. We hypothesise that partial-breast radiotherapy restricted to the vicinity of the original tumour in women at lower than average risk of local relapse will improve the balance of beneficial versus adverse effects compared with whole-breast radiotherapy.

Link to full-text [Open access]

The SGLT2 inhibitors - where are we now? (2017)

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Type of publication:
Journal article

Author(s):
*Morris, David

Citation:
Journal of Diabetes Nursing; Jun 2017; vol. 21 (no. 5); p. 162-167

Abstract:
Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are once-daily oral agents effective in treating hyperglycaemia in people with type 2 diabetes, with additional benefits including weight loss and a low risk of hypoglycaemia. This review provides a basic guide to the SGLT2 inhibitors licensed in the UK, including their mechanism of action, benefits, adverse effects and limitations, and place in treatment. Advice on avoiding the rare but serious adverse effect of diabetic ketoacidosis is also provided.

Link to full-text: http://www.thejournalofdiabetesnursing.co.uk/media/content/_master/4984/files/pdf/jdn_21-5_162-7.pdf

Improving Oxygen Delivery on Wards (2017)

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Type of publication:
Post on the Academy of Fab NHS Stuff website

Author(s):
*Nawaid Ahmad

Full text:
Oxygen (O2) is a drug and should be prescribed if administered to a patient. The British Thoracic Society has published guidelines on emergency oxygen delivery and a recent audit showed that out of 100 patients on O2, 42 did not have a written order.

Cycle 1: 2 FY1s collected data on O2 prescription and delivery on the respiratory ward at the Princess Royal Hospital, a part of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS trust. At our trust, O2 is prescribed on the patient’s drug chart and saturation targets are mentioned on the prescription. 61% patients on O2 had a written order and 58% had the target mentioned along with the prescription.

 

Cycle 2: After the data collection, we started doing face to face education about O2 prescription in the acute medical unit and the respiratory ward. We targeted the Drs, nurses and the health care assistants. This was done for a week. A prompt card was developed (Pic 1) which was attached next to the O2 delivery system on the wall to prompt nurses to get the O2 prescribed. A card mentioning O2 targets was attached to the board above the patients bed. Another data collection was done a month later which showed that O2 prescription rates had gone up to 79% and 77% had a target mentioned.

Cycle 3: This involved forming an O2 team comprising the 2FY1s, one staff nurse and one healthcare assistant from the ward. They are called ‘O2 Ninjas’ and wear a badge (Pic 2). Their main role now will be to continue the education of all staff, each at their own level. We plan to roll out an educational programme through the trust staff education department and teach using scenarios. The idea is to spread this process to other specialties within the trust. Work is on going.

Our Motto: “ An idea needs to become a movement, for change to happen”

Link to more details or full-text: http://fabnhsstuff.net/2017/05/27/improving-oxygen-delivery-wards/