1
|
Amonoo HL, Newcomb R, Lorenz KA, Psenka R, Holmbeck K, Farnam EJ, Tse A, Desai S, Vassev N, Waldman LP, El-Jawahri A. A novel psychosocial virtual reality intervention (BMT-VR) for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Pilot randomized clinical trial design and methods. Contemp Clin Trials 2024; 142:107550. [PMID: 38685401 PMCID: PMC11180582 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2024.107550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) must cope with psychological distress and isolation during an extended transplant hospitalization, psychosocial interventions to address these unmet needs are lacking. Virtual reality offers an innovative modality to deliver a patient-centered psychosocial intervention to address psychosocial needs of patients undergoing HSCT. However, there are currently no supportive care interventions leveraging virtual reality in patients undergoing HSCT. OBJECTIVE To describe the methods of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a self-administered, virtual reality-delivered psychosocial intervention (BMT-VR) to improve psychological distress and quality of life (QOL) for patients hospitalized for HSCT. METHODS This study entails a single-center RCT of BMT-VR compared to usual transplant care in 80 patients hospitalized for HSCT. Adult patients with hematologic malignancies hospitalized for autologous or allogeneic HSCT are eligible. BMT-VR includes psychoeducation about the HSCT process, psychosocial skill building to promote effective coping and acceptance, and self-care and positive psychology skills to promote post-HSCT recovery. The primary aim is to assess the feasibility defined a priori as ≥60% of eligible patients enrolling in the study, and of those enrolled and randomized to the BMT-VR, ≥ 60% completing 4/6 BMT-VR modules. Secondary objectives include assessing the preliminary effects on psychological distress and QOL. DISCUSSION This is the first RCT of a virtual reality-delivered psychosocial intervention for the HSCT population. If deemed feasible, a future larger multi-site clinical trial can evaluate the efficacy of BMT-VR on outcomes for patients hospitalized for HSCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hermioni L Amonoo
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Richard Newcomb
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karl A Lorenz
- Division of Primary Care and Population Health, Section of Palliative Care, Palo Alto VA Health Care System, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Riley Psenka
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine Holmbeck
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emelia J Farnam
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra Tse
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Lauren P Waldman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lázaro-García A, Láinez-González D, González-Rodríguez M, Cano Alsua S, Suárez M EU, Solán-Blanco L, Cornago-Navascués J, López-Lorenzo JL, Llamas-Sillero P, Alonso-Domínguez JM. Music Listening in Stem Cell Transplantation and Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pain Symptom Manage 2024; 67:501-511.e12. [PMID: 38447622 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.02.567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Music listening (ML) has been shown to have a beneficial effect on patients with cancer. However, novel intervention approaches are needed. OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine whether ML based on the iso-principle, conducted using a mobile application (GloMus), improves symptom burden, quality of life (QoL), anxiety, and depression in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT) and intensive induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS In this randomized controlled clinical trial, we assigned 71 patients to the ML or standard care (SC) groups, stratified by the reason for admission (AML, allogeneic-SCT, or inpatient/outpatient autologous-SCT). Upon admission, participants in the ML groups were invited to undergo daily ML sessions designed to change negative moods into positive ones (iso-principle). The intervention consisted of listening to pre-recorded classical music ordered by beats per minute and tonality. Symptom burden (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-Revised) was assessed in the ML groups before and after each session. Anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and QoL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation/Leukemia) were measured weekly in the ML and SC groups. RESULTS Symptom burden in both allogeneic- and inpatient autologous-SCT ML groups reduced after the intervention. In all experimental groups, clinically important improvements were observed after ML sessions. No differences were found between the groups (ML vs. SC) at different weeks of admission regarding anxiety, depression, and QoL. CONCLUSIONS ML based on our innovative iso-principle strategy, conducted using GloMus, reduced the symptom burden in patients undergoing allogeneic- and inpatient autologous-SCT (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05696457).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Lázaro-García
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Daniel Láinez-González
- Experimental Hematology (D.L.-G., P.L.-S., J.M.A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute - Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Santiago Cano Alsua
- Computing Services (S.C.A.), Research Support Center, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edwin Uriel Suárez M
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Solán-Blanco
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Cornago-Navascués
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis López-Lorenzo
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Llamas-Sillero
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Experimental Hematology (D.L.-G., P.L.-S., J.M.A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute - Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Alonso-Domínguez
- Department of Hematology (A.L.-G., E.U.S.M., L.S.-B., J.C.-N., J.L.L.-L., P.L.-S., J.M..A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Experimental Hematology (D.L.-G., P.L.-S., J.M.A.-D.), Fundación Jiménez Díaz Health Research Institute - Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kuczmarski TM, Roemer L, Odejide OO. Depression in patients with hematologic malignancies: The current landscape and future directions. Blood Rev 2024; 65:101182. [PMID: 38402023 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2024.101182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Patients with hematologic malignancies experience high rates of depression. These patients are vulnerable to depression throughout the disease trajectory, from diagnosis to survivorship, and at the end of life. In addition to the distressing nature of depression, it has substantial downstream effects including poor quality of life, increased risk of treatment complications, and worse survival. Therefore, systematic screening for depression and integration of robust psychological interventions for affected patients is crucial. Although depression has been historically studied mostly in patients with solid malignancies, research focusing on patients with hematologic malignancies is growing. In this article, we describe what is known about depression in patients with hematologic malignancies, including its assessment, prevalence, risk factors, and implications. We also describe interventions to ameliorate depression in this population. Future research is needed to test effective and scalable interventions to reduce the burden of depression among patients with blood cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lizabeth Roemer
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA
| | - Oreofe O Odejide
- Division of Population Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA; Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bentsen L, Hanghøj S, Hjerming M, Bergmann MB, Thycosen M, Borup A, Larsen C, Pappot H. Development of Quality of Life in Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer Using a Patient Support Smartphone App: Prepost Interventional Study. JMIR Cancer 2023; 9:e49735. [PMID: 38048144 PMCID: PMC10734624 DOI: 10.2196/49735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescents and young adults often experience existential concerns in addition to side effects during a cancer trajectory, which they often carry alone. Thus, cohesion with other adolescents and young adults with cancer is essential but difficult due to the relatively small, widely dispersed nationwide population. In cocreation, a smartphone app has been developed and includes an information bank, a symptom tracker, and a social community platform, aiming to improve the quality of life (QoL) in this patient group. OBJECTIVE This nationwide, multicenter study aimed to investigate the QoL in adolescents and young adults undergoing a cancer trajectory as they used the app for 6 weeks. METHODS Via youth support initiatives, participants were recruited from hospitals in all regions of Denmark. Inclusion criteria were patients with cancer aged 15-29 years who either initiated any cancer treatment or started follow-up after cancer treatment within 30 days. Participants used the adolescents and young adults cancer app for 6 weeks. Before and after the 6 weeks of app use, they completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). The participants were divided into a treatment and a follow-up group for analysis. A high score for a functional scale or the global health or overall QoL represents a high or healthy level of functioning or high QoL, respectively; however, a high score for a symptom scale or item represents a high level of symptomatology. RESULTS Overall, 81 participants were recruited. However, 4 participants did not answer the questionnaire and 6 participants did not use the app. In the treatment group (n=36), significant improvement was found in 2 domains: "Role functioning" (baseline median 33.33, IQR 16.67-83.33 vs 6 weeks median 66.67, IQR 33.33-83.33; P=.04) and "Pain" (baseline median 33.33, IQR 16.67-50.00 vs 6 weeks median 16.67, IQR 0.00-33.33; P=.04). The "Global health/Overall QoL" scale remained stable (baseline median 58.33, IQR 45.83-77.08 vs 6 weeks median 62.50, IQR 41.67-75.00; P=.25). In the follow-up group (n=35), significant improvement was found in 3 domains: "Physical functioning" (baseline median 79.23, IQR 73.33-93.33 vs 6 weeks median 82.86, IQR 73.33-100.00; P=.03), "Cognitive functioning" (baseline median 62.38, IQR 50.00-83.33 vs 6 weeks median 69.52, IQR 50.00-100.00; P=.02), and "Social functioning" (baseline median 76.19, IQR 50.00-100.00 vs 6 weeks median 85.71, IQR 83.33-100.00; P=.05), as well as in the "Global health/Overall QoL" scale (baseline median 57.14, IQR 83.33-100.00 vs 6 weeks median 75.0, IQR 62.91-85.73; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found an improvement in specific QoL scales for both participants in treatment and follow-up when using the app for 6 weeks. The global health or overall QoL score improved significantly in the follow-up group. In the treatment group, it remained stable. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/10098.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Line Bentsen
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Signe Hanghøj
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maiken Hjerming
- Department of Haematology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Anette Borup
- Department of Blood Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Camilla Larsen
- Department of Haematology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Helle Pappot
- Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kayastha N, Kavanaugh AR, Webb JA, LeBlanc TW. Innovations for the integration of palliative care for hematologic malignancies. Curr Probl Cancer 2023; 47:101011. [PMID: 37718232 DOI: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2023.101011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Specialist palliative care provides additional support to facilitate living well with a serious illness, like cancer, even while pursuing disease-directed therapy. For patients with hematologic malignancies, integrated specialist palliative care improves symptom burden, mood, and quality of life, with benefits even extending to caregivers. Despite this, patients with hematologic malignancies continue to have significant unmet palliative care needs and typically access palliative care late in their disease trajectories, if at all. In this paper, we will define specialist palliative care and review its benefits for patients with hematologic malignancies. We will discuss the unmet palliative care needs of this patient population and the barriers to integrating palliative care and oncologic care. Finally, we will explore innovations and areas of future research to enhance and optimize palliative care integration into usual cancer care treatment for patients with hematologic malignancies. We will explore the importance of ongoing clinical trials that are examining the correct "dose" of palliative care; the use of technology and telehealth; and the use of novel treatments for this patient population. Together, we will consider innovative avenues to provide palliative care to patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neha Kayastha
- Section of Palliative Care, Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC.
| | - Alison R Kavanaugh
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jason A Webb
- Section of Palliative Care, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Thomas W LeBlanc
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| |
Collapse
|