Submited on: 16 Oct 2013 07:53:23 PM GMT
Published on: 17 Oct 2013 04:30:35 AM GMT
 
Treating PTSD in cancer patients
Posted by Ms. Lauren Mehanna on 21 Nov 2016 01:42:51 AM GMT Reviewed by Interested Peers

  • What are the main claims of the paper and how important are they?

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been diagnosed in patients with a number of diseases including cancer. Unlike persons who experience PTSD as a result of a traumatic event such an accident or personal violence, PTSD may take longer to appear (usually one month after diagnosis) in the cancer patient and it offers unique challenges when designing specific treatment plans with the ultimate goal of the patient achieving “post-traumatic growth” (PTG). 


  • Are these claims novel? If not, please specify papers that weaken the claims to the originality of this one.

    These claims are novel in that that authors examine different treatment strategies used in patients with PTSD and describe how each could best be used for cancer patients, taking great care to address distinctive psychological symptoms that different patients might exhibit.


  • Are the claims properly placed in the context of the previous literature?

    The authors conducted an extensive literature review of current practice in treating persons with PTSD as well as psychological issues unique to cancer patients. Their claims are presented thoughtfully and they thoroughly explain these within the context of the current line of thinking found in the literature.


  • Do the results support the claims? If not, what other evidence is required?

    Their results are fully supported by their claims. The authors present an exhaustive review of studies that have incorporated different PTSD treatment strategies used with cancer patients which support their claims.


  • If a protocol is provided, for example for a randomized controlled trial, are there any important deviations from it? If so, have the authors explained adequately why the deviations occurred?

    Not applicable to this paper.


  • Is the methodology valid? Does the paper offer enough details of its methodology that its experiments or its analyses could be reproduced?

    The authors offer a wealth of details to validate the methodology.


  • Would any other experiments or additional information improve the paper? How much better would the paper be if this extra work was done, and how difficult would such work be to do, or to provide?

    No other experiments or additional information is needed to improve this paper.  


  • Is this paper outstanding in its discipline? (For example, would you like to see this work presented in a seminar at your hospital or university? Do you feel these results need to be incorporated in your next general lecture on the subject?) If yes, what makes it outstanding? If not, why not?

    This paper is an outstanding example of how a review of the current treatment practices for one condition can be clinically translated and applied to benefit another.  


  • Other Comments:

    This paper is an excellent reference for oncologists and other practitioners who work with those who have received a diagnosis of cancer.

  • Competing interests:
    .
  • Invited by the author to review this article? :
    No
  • Have you previously published on this or a similar topic?:
    No
  • References:

    .

  • Experience and credentials in the specific area of science:

    I have conducted some cancer research as it pertains to chemical engineering.

  • How to cite:  Mehanna L .Treating PTSD in cancer patients[Review of the article 'Treating PTSD in cancer patients ' by Heathcote D].WebmedCentral 2016;7(11):WMCRW003329
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Treating PTSD in cancer patients. A Critical Review
Posted by Mr. Brian Thompson on 24 Nov 2013 07:17:51 PM GMT Reviewed by Author Invited Reviewers

  • What are the main claims of the paper and how important are they?

    Cancer patients also have often have post-traumatic stress disorder related to diagnosis. Treatment options are discussed as this remains a debated topic.


  • Are these claims novel? If not, please specify papers that weaken the claims to the originality of this one.

    Yes as treatment in both PTSD and in cancer patients is not necessarily straight forward or comonly agreed.


  • Are the claims properly placed in the context of the previous literature?

    Definitely so - they are placed correctly in the context of existing treatment approaches for PTSD (non-cancer related) as well as the newly emerging problems related with diagnoses of cancers.


  • Do the results support the claims? If not, what other evidence is required?

    Yes they do as the literature supports the authors' recommendations.


  • If a protocol is provided, for example for a randomized controlled trial, are there any important deviations from it? If so, have the authors explained adequately why the deviations occurred?

    Not relevant to this paper.


  • Is the methodology valid? Does the paper offer enough details of its methodology that its experiments or its analyses could be reproduced?

    Yes it is valid. It follows other similar considerations of the topic and so is in-keeping with both methodology and topic.


  • Would any other experiments or additional information improve the paper? How much better would the paper be if this extra work was done, and how difficult would such work be to do, or to provide?

    No I do not think so as the paper, as it stands, is a good contribution to the topic area.


  • Is this paper outstanding in its discipline? (For example, would you like to see this work presented in a seminar at your hospital or university? Do you feel these results need to be incorporated in your next general lecture on the subject?) If yes, what makes it outstanding? If not, why not?

    Yes, I think it should be presented elswewhere in addition such as at hospital conferences since it has direct relevance for people treating patients with cancer as well people themselves who have cancers.


  • Other Comments:

    I enjoyed reading the paper and it is a valued contribution to the area of cancer treatment. PTSD is still not fully understood in many diseases, and cancer survivors are often not heard in the same context as other diseases because of the special and often individual nature of their battles with the disease. Yet their experiece of PTSD is often similar to people who have undergone other traumas. 

  • Competing interests:
    None
  • Invited by the author to review this article? :
    Yes
  • Have you previously published on this or a similar topic?:
    No
  • References:

    None

  • Experience and credentials in the specific area of science:

    Rehabilitation assisted environments and instrument control to support such environments.

  • How to cite:  Thompson B .Treating PTSD in cancer patients. A Critical Review[Review of the article 'Treating PTSD in cancer patients ' by Heathcote D].WebmedCentral 2016;4(11):WMCRW002898
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Treating PTSD...A Review
Posted by Ms. Natalie Jones on 23 Nov 2013 07:51:53 PM GMT Reviewed by Author Invited Reviewers

  • What are the main claims of the paper and how important are they?

    There is controversy and debate amongst professionals over the best way to treat cancer patients suffering from PTSD. The authors present ways of treating these patients with reference to current practice with recommendations.


  • Are these claims novel? If not, please specify papers that weaken the claims to the originality of this one.

    Yes. They are helpful for professionals working in oncology and in research.


  • Are the claims properly placed in the context of the previous literature?

    They fit perfectly into previous literature as authors have been both careful and thorough in their discussions and presentations.


  • Do the results support the claims? If not, what other evidence is required?

    Yes. They carefully support the known literature together with adding to current approaches.


  • If a protocol is provided, for example for a randomized controlled trial, are there any important deviations from it? If so, have the authors explained adequately why the deviations occurred?

    Not applicable.


  • Is the methodology valid? Does the paper offer enough details of its methodology that its experiments or its analyses could be reproduced?

    Yes. Well presented and replicable approach conforming to standard methodology.


  • Would any other experiments or additional information improve the paper? How much better would the paper be if this extra work was done, and how difficult would such work be to do, or to provide?

    No. It already contributes significantly to the literature in this area.


  • Is this paper outstanding in its discipline? (For example, would you like to see this work presented in a seminar at your hospital or university? Do you feel these results need to be incorporated in your next general lecture on the subject?) If yes, what makes it outstanding? If not, why not?

    Yes. I believe this paper is significant and would help both professionals and patients if presented in hospital arenas.


  • Other Comments:

    Excellent paper, well written. I have read papers on similar work by these authors and believe they know how to write an informative paper.

  • Competing interests:
    None
  • Invited by the author to review this article? :
    Yes
  • Have you previously published on this or a similar topic?:
    No
  • References:

    None

  • Experience and credentials in the specific area of science:

    Rehabilitation experience.

  • How to cite:  Jones N .Treating PTSD...A Review[Review of the article 'Treating PTSD in cancer patients ' by Heathcote D].WebmedCentral 2016;4(11):WMCRW002897
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Treating PTSD in cancer patients
Posted by Dr. Nigel North on 22 Nov 2013 04:00:53 PM GMT Reviewed by Author Invited Reviewers

  • What are the main claims of the paper and how important are they?

    The paper makes a claim for treating PTSD in cancer patients as a way of facilitating post traumatic growth.  the claims are important as this is a largely neglected area of research yet the successful treatment of PTSD can enable peopple to negotiate their diagnosis and treatment in a positive and successful manner.  Non treatment may lead to individuals discontinuing life saving treatments.


  • Are these claims novel? If not, please specify papers that weaken the claims to the originality of this one.

    Yes the claims are novel and valuable.


  • Are the claims properly placed in the context of the previous literature?

    Yes the cliams are properly located in the literature. They draw together a body of knowledge into a novel and creatice therapeutic approach


  • Do the results support the claims? If not, what other evidence is required?

    Yes they do


  • If a protocol is provided, for example for a randomized controlled trial, are there any important deviations from it? If so, have the authors explained adequately why the deviations occurred?

    Not applicable


  • Is the methodology valid? Does the paper offer enough details of its methodology that its experiments or its analyses could be reproduced?

    Not applicable


  • Would any other experiments or additional information improve the paper? How much better would the paper be if this extra work was done, and how difficult would such work be to do, or to provide?

    Not applicable


  • Is this paper outstanding in its discipline? (For example, would you like to see this work presented in a seminar at your hospital or university? Do you feel these results need to be incorporated in your next general lecture on the subject?) If yes, what makes it outstanding? If not, why not?

    Yes the paper is outstanding.


  • Other Comments:

    None

  • Competing interests:
    None
  • Invited by the author to review this article? :
    Yes
  • Have you previously published on this or a similar topic?:
    No
  • References:
    None
  • Experience and credentials in the specific area of science:

    I have a PhD in this area of cancer care

  • How to cite:  North N .Treating PTSD in cancer patients[Review of the article 'Treating PTSD in cancer patients ' by Heathcote D].WebmedCentral 2016;4(11):WMCRW002894
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