The chemotherapy unit of our hospital came into existence in April 2002. Since then, we, nurses, have teamed up together in support of cancer patients who visited us for receiving chemotherapy. We investigated the use of the facilities during the first 12 months since the opening of the unit, and made a questionnaire survey to sound out the degree of the patients’ satisfaction and needs. This paper describes our findings.The number of patients who used the chemotherapy unit came to 1,213. The questionnaire survey were conducted on 40 outpatients who initially had visited the department of surgery of our hospital. Of the patient supporting tools, the self-help notebooks were utilized by 27 patients. Those patients who said they took nurses into their confidence numbered 34. They expressed their anguish and uneasy feelings in connection with the condition of their disease and treatment. The same number of patients replied that they wanted to receive chemotherapy even if extra charges were involved. From these findings, it could be said that the patients’satisfaction was great. However, it was also suggested that to obtain the informed consent from the patients there should be explanatory leaflet which explain the therapeutic procedure and additional fees in plain language, that repeated instructions about side effects should be given orally, and that nurses are required to occasionally act as moderators between the unit and other departments in accordance with the patients’wishes. These are some of the patients’needs. To fill them, further studies must be made.
Chemotherapy-Oncologic Procedure ; Unit ; findings ; Satisfaction ; One

OBJECTIVE: Although radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) are the global standards for adjuvant therapy treatment in cervical cancer, many Japanese institutions choose chemotherapy (CT) because of the low frequency of irreversible adverse events. In this study, we aimed to clarify the trends of adjuvant therapy for intermediate/high-risk cervical cancer after radical surgery in Japan. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted by the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group to 186 authorized institutions active in the treatment of gynecologic cancer. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 129 facilities. Adjuvant RT/CCRT and intensity-modulated RT were performed in 98 (76%) and 23 (18%) institutions, respectively. On the other hand, CT was chosen as an alternative in 93 institutions (72%). The most common regimen of CT, which was used in 66 institutions (51%), was a combination of cisplatin/carboplatin with paclitaxel. CT was considered an appropriate alternative option to RT/CCRT in patients with risk factors such as bulky tumors, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, parametrial invasion, and stromal invasion. The risk of severe adverse events was considered to be lower for CT than for RT/CCRT in 109 institutions (84%). CONCLUSION: This survey revealed a variety of policies regarding adjuvant therapy among institutions. A clinical study to assess the efficacy or non-inferiority of adjuvant CT is warranted.
Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Japan/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/prevention & control ; *Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/radiotherapy/*therapy