SAN FRANCISCO—Many patients and some physicians do not understand the purpose and fundamental concepts of clinical trials, according to a study of informed consent. More »

Although patients with cancer pain reported lower levels of current pain than did patients with benign or treatmentrelated pain, their pain anxiety levels were higher, Mikki Miner, RN, MS, said in a poster presentation at the 8th World Congress on Pain. More »

By the time I interviewed Robyn in the emergency room, her panic attack had all but passed. But this 21-year-old woman was still shaken and tearful. This was her first panic attack, and she did not know what hit her. She thought she was having a heart attack. She had a tight feeling in her chest, she was hyperventilating. Her fingers and feet were numb and tingling. She experienced what she called a "closing in feeling." Robyn thought she was going to die. More »

Since sadness and anxiety are normal reactions to serious illness such as cancer, the challenge for the physician becomes determining which symptoms are appropriate to the situation and which are pathologic and require treatment, Susan J. Stagno, MD, said at a conference on palliative medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. More »