Alessio Lo Cascio

• Laurea magistrale in scienze infermieristiche ed ostetriche
• Research Nurse at La Maddalena Cancer Center

Background: Colonoscopy is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), assessing disease activity, and detecting dysplasia. However, patient adherence to surveillance remains suboptimal due to discomfort, anxiety, and concerns about bowel preparation. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study assessed patient satis...

Purpose of Review Chronic non-cancer pain in children and adolescents represents a significant public health issue, affecting physical, psychological, and social well-being. Defined as pain persisting for over three months, this condition is influenced by developmental, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. However, its prevalence remains uncertain...

Background: Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs) and midline catheters are crucial for chemotherapy and supportive care in cancer patients. Their use requires ongoing monitoring to prevent late complications such as infections, dislodgements, and replacements. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged healthcare systems, potentially increasing th...

Background/Aim: Omega-3 fatty acids, a key component of immunonutrition, have been used to modulate immune responses and improve clinical outcomes in various settings, including hematological patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study aimed to summarize the effects of omega-3 supplementation on inflammation, long...

Objectives: In Italy a recent law was approved for providing patients’ wishes regarding end of life issues, commonly referred internationally to as “living wills”, (Dichiarazione anticipata di trattamento, DAT). Regardless of this official document, advance care planning (ACP) is often used in a palliative care setting to share the treatments to st...

Background: Complexity of care, adequate staffing levels, and workflow are key factors affecting nurses’ workloads. There remain notable gaps in the current evidence regarding clinical complexity classification and related staffing adjustment, limiting the capacity for optimal staffing practices. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Winnipeg...

Aim To evaluate the characteristics of patients with advanced cancer who die in an acute palliative care unit (APCU), and the risk factors for death in APCU. Methods Adult consecutive patients with advanced cancer admitted to the APCU in a period of 13 months were prospectively assessed. At APCU admission, epidemiologic data, characteristics of ad...

Aim The aim was to assess the characteristics of patients who required imaging studies during admission to an acute supportive palliative care unit (ASPCU). Methods A consecutive number of patients who performed imaging studies during ASPCU admission in a month period were assessed. Epidemiological data, ongoing anticancer treatment, cancer diagno...

Aim: To evaluate the characteristics of patients with advanced cancer who die in an acute palliative care unit (APCU). The second outcome was to evaluate the risk factors for death in APCU. Methods: Consecutive patients with advanced cancer admitted to the APCU in a period of 13 months were prospectively assessed. At APCU admission epidemiologic da...

Objective Information regarding the nutrition profile of advanced cancer patients followed at home is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients who were admitted to specialized home palliative care, and examine eventual factors associated with malnutrition. Design Cross-sectional. Setting/subject: patients who...

Aim To examine the intensity of care in the last 3 days of life in different medical settings of a comprehensive cancer centre. Methods In this retrospective study, the charts of patients who died in hospital from July 2019 to June 2023 were reviewed. The units taken into consideration were acute palliative care unit (APCU), oncology (ONC) and hae...

Simple Summary Catastrophism was not associated with the levels of pain intensity, PSG, PSGR, and PGI for pain, except the rumination subscale that was independently associated with pain intensity at T0. A comprehensive palliative care management provided the relevant changes in symptom burden and annulled the pain expression associated with rumina...

The transition from in-hospital intravenous administration to subcutaneous therapies to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can raise some concerns among patients due to the self-administration concerns, the management of potential side effects and the overall worries related to a change of treatment. This study aimed at evaluating patients’ opi...

Aim To assess the mortality rate and the use of palliative sedation (PS) in an advanced long-standing acute palliative care unit (APCU) Methods The charts of patients who died and eventually received PS, consecutively admitted to the APCU for 4 years, were reviewed. Patients’ characteristics and symptom intensity were recorded at admission, 3 days...

AbstractBackground:"Stress overload” (SO) represents an imbalance where psychosocial, work, environmental, orhealth-related burdens exceed an individual's adaptive capacity, engendering negative physicaland mental health outcomes. Nursing diagnoses play an important role in increasing the earlyactivation of specific multidisciplinary prevention pla...

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of opioid switching to intravenous methadone (IV-ME) in patients admitted to an acute supportive/palliative care unit (ASPCU). The secondary outcome was to assess the conversion ratio from IV-ME to oral methadone at time of hospital discharge. Methods: We retrieved from the pharmacy registry t...

Aim: To assess the characteristics of patients who had never received anticancer treatments at admission of an acute supportive palliative care unit (ASPCU). Methods: From a consecutive sample of 422 advanced cancer patients, 62 patients with no previous anticancer therapy were selected and compared with a random sample of patients who had recei...

Background The final conversion ratios among opioids used for successful switching are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the initial and final conversion ratios used for a successful opioid switching in cancer patients, and eventual associated factors.Methods Ninety-five patients who were successfully switched were evaluated. The foll...

Objectives To determine the patterns of storing, using and disposing of opioids among patients with advanced cancer followed at home. Methods Patients who were prescribed opioids were selected. Prescribed opioids and their doses used for background pain and breakthrough pain were collected, as well as CAGE (cut down, annoyed, guilty and eye opener...

Aim to assess a dose titration with intravenous oxycodone to achieve rapid pain relief of cancer pain of severe intensity. The second objective was to provide a conversion ratio with the oral route. Methods Cancer patients admitted for severe pain were prospectively assessed. At admission (T0) previous opioid doses were recorded. Edmonton symptom...

Background: The final conversion ratios among opioids used for successful switching are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the initial and final conversion ratios used for a successful opioid switching in cancer patients, and eventual associated factors. Methods: Ninety-five patients who were successfully switched were evaluated. The f...

Evaluation of opioid switching (OS) for cancer pain has not been properly assessed. The aim of this study was to assess an integrated score (Maddalena Opioid Switching Score, MOSS) as a simple and repeatable tool to evaluate the outcomes of OS, facilitating the interpretation and comparison of studies, and information exchange among researchers. Th...

Objectives To assess the use of complementary alternative medicines (CAM) in advanced cancer patients followed at home. Methods A consecutive sample of advanced cancer patients admitted to a home palliative care program was invited to participate in the study in a period of two months. Demographic characteristics, religious belief, education level...