A number of clinical guidelines, evidence summaries and algorithms have been developed to support evidence based approaches to providing appropriate supportive care interventions and reduce variations in care.61 There is limited data that suggests implementation of palliative and supportive care guidelines can improve patient outcomes.62
Examples of resources which have been developed in Australia and internationally have been collated in Table 4.
Clinicians are cautioned to consider possible limitations when utilising resources:
- Guideline efficacy may not have been evaluated.62
- Dissemination into standard care is variable in practice.62
- Standards for guideline development are variable.63
Table 4: Examples of resources to guide appropriate supportive care interventions
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Key resources |
Key content |
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Cancer Learning Evidence Summaries. |
Symptom management: evidence summary (EdCaN)
Cancer Survivorship factsheets providing evidence based information about key symptoms and factors affecting survivorship wellness. |
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ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines: Supportive Care. European Society for Medical Oncology. 2014
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The ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) are intended to provide the user with a set of recommendations for the best standards of cancer care, based on the findings of evidence-based medicine. ESMO published Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of a variety of issues:
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MASCC Guidelines and Assessment Tools. MASCC Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. 2013
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Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines
MASCC Endorsed Guidelines Partnerships
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Symptom Management Guidelines. BC Cancer Agency. 2014
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Consensus guidelines include: |
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Symptom Assessment and Management Tools. Cancer Care Ontario. 2014
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The Symptom Management Guides help healthcare professionals assess and appropriately manage a person’s cancer-related symptoms. Available as:
These symptoms can include:
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eviQ Cancer Treatments Online. Cancer Institute NSW. 2014 |
eviQ provides nurses with evidence based information and treatment protocols with the aim of promoting best practice, improving standards and ultimately, patient outcomes.
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Putting Evidence Into Practice (PEP) resources. Oncology Nursing Society. 2014 |
ONS PEP resources are designed to provide evidence-based interventions for patient care and teaching. PEP topic teams of nurse scientists, advanced practice nurses, and staff nurses summarize and synthesize the available evidence in PEP topic areas. PEP topics include:
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Supportive Care and Quality of Life Guidelines. ASCO. American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2014. |
Using the best available evidence, ASCO expert panels identify and develop practice recommendations for specific areas of cancer care that would benefit from using practice guidelines. Examples of ASCO supportive care and survivorship guidelines include:
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NCCN Guidelines for Supportive Care, National Comprehensive Cancer Centre. 2014 |
The NCCN guidelines detail interventions and treatment algorithms based on best available evidence, providing tools and knowledge that can help guide decision-making in the management of cancer. Supportive care guidelines include:
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