The Effect of Prognostic Communication on Patient Outcomes in Palliative Cancer Care: a Systematic Review

Perspectives on Death and Dying by the Bereaved Designated Personal Representatives of Women Diagnosed With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a complex disease with variability in disease subtype, length of survival, treatment selection, symptom burden, and, ultimately, end-of-life (EOL) care. Influencing factors that contribute to the complexity of this disease are socioeconomic factors, provider differences, and patient and family preferences. Because of this variability, it is challenging for health care providers to know when treatments are no longer helpful but contribute to a poor quality of end-of-life care and a poor death experience for both patients and their families. Determining the unique point, based on their own values and goals, at which patients and their family members feel that MBC treatment becomes unhelpful and unwanted, is difficult to ascertain. Of the 25 individuals who participated in the Quality of Death and Dying survey, 16 individuals participated in an interview to provide a reflection of the patient's EOL experience and its congruence with their wishes. Four major categories emerged as primary priorities essential to high quality end-of-life care, that is, resilience, communication, support, and knowledge. Without tailored and precise care, patients with MBC will continue to receive prolonged, inappropriate, and costly treatment, resulting in a potentially unacceptable poor-quality EOL and death experience.

Accessing breast cancer care in a protracted conflict: Qualitative exploration of the perspectives of women with breast cancer in northwest Syria

BACKGROUND

Women with breast cancer in northwest Syria, an area of protracted armed conflict, face multiple intersecting challenges to accessing care which may relate to gender, social structures, and financial constraints. Our aim was to explore the perspectives of women with breast cancer in northwest Syria about the impact of their diagnosis and experiences of accessing care.

METHODS

Women who accessed diagnosis or clinical care at the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) oncology centre in Idlib city during 2022 were identified from hospital records; they were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews conducted in Arabic by four local female-trained researchers. Participation was voluntary and informed consent was sought. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in August and September 2022 until thematic saturation was reached. Data were audio recorded and transcribed in Arabic before translation and thematic analysis using Nvivo to identify key emerging themes.

RESULTS

22 women with breast cancer were interviewed. Findings were categorised into three themes: 1. Challenges to accessing oncology care in northwest Syria 2. Interactions with healthcare workers 3. The role of community and society. All participants noted the financial strains which the breast cancer diagnosis placed on them and their families. Most also noted the additional strains of travelling long distances, either in northwest Syria or to Turkey, where referral would entail additional costs, bureaucracy or isolation from family or social support. Some participants described social impacts including the expectation that they would continue with household chores and childcare even while ill. Patients reported that strong faith, having children, compassion from healthcare staff and peer support as being important factors for coping with their diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSION

Though there have been improvements to breast cancer care in northwest Syria, stock-outs and the lack of availability of radiotherapy may still force women to travel to Turkey for further investigations or treatment. Our findings suggest increased support for women with breast cancer as well as their families is required. This work is a starting point for future research on this topic both in northwest Syria and other areas in Syria.

Information Needs in Patients with Potentially Curable Gastroesophageal Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Gastroesophageal cancer patients' information needs remain understudied, despite their complex treatment trajectories.

METHODS

This study examined the (i) information needs of patients with or without postoperative complications, (ii) information needs of male and female patients, and (iii) the association between information needs and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Patients completed the EORTC-QLQ-INFO25, QLQ-C30, and QLQ-OG25 questionnaires before and after curative surgery. Five information needs domains were investigated: information about the disease, about treatments, about medical tests, about things patients can do to help themselves, and overall helpfulness. Additionally, HR-QoL domains global health status, eating restrictions, and anxiety were explored.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients completed the questionnaires at baseline, 216 patients at 6-12 months, 184 patients at 18-24 months, and 163 patients at 3-5 years post-operation. There were no significant differences in information needs between patients with or without complications or between male and female patients. Patients with a higher global health status found the information more helpful at 6-12 months (p < 0.001), 18-24 months (p < 0.001), and 3-5 years (p < 0.001) postoperatively, as did patients who experienced more anxiety at 18-24 months (p = 0.009) and 3-5 years (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Gastroesophageal cancer patients, regardless of sex or postoperative complications, have consistent information needs, yet those with higher global health status and elevated anxiety levels find the information particularly helpful, emphasizing the importance of tailored communication strategies.

Effects of Prognostic Communication Strategies on Prognostic Perceptions, Treatment Decisions and End-Of-Life Anticipation in Advanced Cancer: An Experimental Study among Analogue Patients

CONTEXT

Evidence-based guidance for oncologists on how to communicate prognosis is scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of prognostic communication strategies (prognostic disclosure vs. communication of unpredictability vs. non-disclosure; standard vs. standard and best-case vs. standard, best- and worst-case survival scenarios; numerical vs. word-based estimates) on prognostic perceptions, treatment decision-making and end-of-life anticipation in advanced cancer.

METHODS

This experimental study used eight videos of a scripted oncological consultation, varying only in prognostic communication strategies. Cancer-naive individuals, who imagined being the depicted patient, completed surveys before and after watching one video (n = 1036).

RESULTS

Individuals generally perceived dying within 1 year as more likely after prognostic disclosure, compared to communication of unpredictability or non-disclosure (P < 0.001), and after numerical versus word-based estimates (P < 0.001). Individuals felt better informed about prognosis to decide about treatment after prognostic disclosure, compared to communication of unpredictability or non-disclosure (P < 0.001); after communication of unpredictability versus non-disclosure (P < 0.001); and after numerical versus word-based estimates (P = 0.017). Chemotherapy was more often favored after prognostic disclosure versus non-disclosure (P = 0.010), but less often after numerical versus word-based estimates (P < 0.001). Individuals felt more certain about the treatment decision after prognostic disclosure, compared to communication of unpredictability or non-disclosure (P < 0.001). Effects of different survival scenarios were absent. No effects on end-of-life anticipation were observed. Evidence for moderating individual characteristics was limited.

CONCLUSION

If and how oncologists discuss prognosis can influence how individuals perceive prognosis, which treatment they prefer, and how they feel about treatment decisions. Communicating numerical estimates may stimulate prognostic understanding and informed treatment decision-making.

Parent and oncologist perspectives on prognostic disclosure in advanced childhood cancer: communication pearls and pitfalls

PURPOSE

For children with advanced cancer and their families, communication about prognosis is critical. Unfortunately, data demonstrate that prognostic communication occurs infrequently and inconsistently across advancing illness. Prior to developing an intervention to improve prognostic communication, we aimed to (1) characterize parent and oncologist perspectives on "best" approaches for prognostic communication, and (2) explore similarities and differences between parent and oncologist perspectives.

METHODS

Children with poor-prognosis solid tumors, their parents, and oncologists were followed prospectively for 24 months or until death. Matched semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and oncologists 0-7 days after medical encounters at timepoints of disease progression or relapse. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to describe parent and oncologist impressions of communication quality.

RESULTS

A total of 68 interviews were conducted following serial disease reevaluation encounters involving 13 parents and five oncologists. Nine main themes were identified as "best" approaches: (1) speaking with honesty and clarity, (2) leaving room for hope, (3) leaning into a long-standing relationship, (4) personalizing language, (5) empowering the patient and family, (6) collaborating with the multidisciplinary team, (7) providing anticipatory guidance, (8) setting the scene, and (9) creating a therapeutic space. Parents and oncologists generally agreed on themes related to helpful communication approaches, while parents more explicitly described communication pitfalls.

CONCLUSION

Parents and oncologists described clear recommendations for helpful communication strategies and pitfalls to avoid during difficult prognostic disclosure. Future work should integrate patient perspectives in the design and testing of an intervention to improve prognostic communication in advanced childhood cancer.

Prognostic Communication Between Parents and Clinicians in Pediatric Oncology: An Integrative Review

Background: Prognostic communication between clinicians and parents in pediatric oncology is complex. However, no review has exclusively examined research on prognostic communication in pediatric oncology. In this review, we synthesize the evidence on prognostic communication in pediatric oncology and provide recommendations for future research. Methods: We conducted an integrative review searching six databases for studies on prognostic communication in pediatric oncology as of August 2022. We applied descriptive and narrative approaches to data analysis. Results: Fourteen quantitative and five qualitative studies were included. All studies were conducted in Western developed countries. In total, 804 parents of 770 children with cancer were included. Across studies, parents were predominately female, Non-Hispanic White, and had high school or higher levels of education. Most parents reported that prognostic communication was initiated in the first year after their children's diagnosis. High-quality prognostic communication was positively associated with trust and hope and negatively associated with parental distress and decisional regret. In qualitative studies, parents suggested that prognostic communication should be open, ongoing, and delivered with sensitivity. Most studies were of moderate quality. The main gaps included inconsistent definitions of prognostic communication, and a lack of comprehensive and validated measurements, high-quality longitudinal studies, and diverse settings and participants. Conclusions: Clinicians should initiate high-quality prognostic communication early on in clinical practice. Future research should consider conducting high-quality longitudinal studies, developing prognostic communication definitions and measurements, and conducting studies across settings with diverse populations.

Cultivating Relationship-Centered Care: Patient, Caregiver, and Provider Communication Preferences for and Experiences with Prognostic Conversations

Prognostic conversations present many challenges for patients, caregivers, and providers alike. Most research examining the context of prognostic conversations have used a more siloed approach to gather the range of perspectives of those involved, typically through the lens of patient-centered care. However, the mutual influence evident in prognostic conversations suggests a relationship-centered care model may be useful in cancer communication research. Similarities and differences in preferences for and experiences with prognostic conversations among oncology patients, caregivers, and providers (N = 32) were explored. Identified themes were then mapped to the principles of the relationship-centered care framework to extend our understanding of prognostic conversations and contribute to a new direction in the application of relationship-centered care. Findings suggest fewer similarities than differences, point to important discrepancies among participant perspectives, and reinforce the utility of relationship-centered care in identifying communication practices that enhance the prognostic conversation experience.

Effects of prognostic communication strategies on emotions, coping, and appreciation of consultations: An experimental study in advanced cancer

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate effects of prognostic communication strategies on emotions, coping, and appreciation of consultations in advanced cancer.

METHODS

For this experimental study, we created 8 videos of a scripted oncological consultation, only varying in prognostic communication strategies. Disease-naive individuals (n = 1036) completed surveys before and after watching 1 video, while imagining being the depicted cancer patient. We investigated effects of the type of disclosure (prognostic disclosure vs. communication of unpredictability vs. non-disclosure) and content of disclosure (standard vs. standard and best-case vs. standard, best- and worst-case survival scenarios; numerical vs. word-based estimates) on emotions, coping, and appreciation of consultations. Moderating effects of individual characteristics were tested.

RESULTS

Participants generally reported more satisfaction (p < .001) after prognostic disclosure versus communication of unpredictability and less uncertainty (p = .042), more satisfaction (p = .005), and more desirability (p = .016) regarding prognostic information after numerical versus word-based estimates. Effects of different survival scenarios were absent. Prognostic communication strategies lacked effects on emotions and coping. Significant moderators included prognostic information preference and uncertainty tolerance.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

In an experimental setting, prognostic disclosure does not cause more negative emotions than non-disclosure and numerical estimates are more strongly appreciated than words. Oncologists' worries about harming patients should not preclude disclosing (precise) prognostic information, yet sensitivity to individual preferences and characteristics remains pivotal.

Experiences of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis-related complex care needs and their caregivers

BACKGROUND

Patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) frequently undergo palliative procedures, yet these patients and their caregivers report being unprepared to manage ostomies, drains, and other complex care needs at home. The purpose of this study was to characterize the unique needs of these patients and their caregivers during care transitions.

METHODS

Patients completed measures of health status and advance care planning, caregivers completed measures of preparedness and burden, and all participants completed measures of depression and anxiety. Participants detailed their experiences in individual, semi-structured interviews. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty-one patients and 39 caregivers completed baseline measures. Twenty-four (39.3%) patients acknowledged their terminal illness and seven (11.5%) had discussed end-of-life care preferences with clinicians. Most (26/39, 66.7%) caregivers provided daily care. Among caregivers who managed symptoms, few were taught how to do so (6/20, 30%). Seven patients (11.5%) and seven caregivers (17.9%) met case criteria for anxiety, while 15 patients (24.6%) and two caregivers (5.1%) met case criteria for depression. Interview participants described a diagnosis of PC as a turning point for which there is no road map and identified the need for health systems change to minimize suffering.

CONCLUSION

Patients with PC and their caregivers are highly burdened by symptoms and care needs. Patients' prognostic understanding and advance care planning are suboptimal. Interventions that train patients with PC and their caregivers to perform clinical care tasks, facilitate serious illness conversations, and provide psychosocial support are needed.

Potential Adverse Outcomes of Shared Decision Making about Palliative Cancer Treatment: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

While shared decision making (SDM) is advocated for ethical reasons and beneficial outcomes, SDM might also negatively affect patients with incurable cancer. The current study explored whether SDM, and an oncologist training in SDM, are associated with adverse outcomes (i.e., patient anxiety, tension, helplessness/hopelessness, decisional uncertainty, and reduced fighting spirit).

DESIGN

A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of SDM interventions in the context of advanced cancer. The relations between observed SDM (OPTION12), specific SDM elements (4SDM), oncologist SDM training, and adverse outcomes were analyzed. We modeled adverse outcomes as a multivariate phenomenon, followed by univariate regressions if significant.

RESULTS

In total, 194 patients consulted by 31 oncologists were included. In a multivariate analysis, observed SDM and adverse outcomes were significantly related. More specifically, more observed SDM in the consultation was related to patients reporting more tension (P = 0.002) and more decisional uncertainty (P = 0.004) at 1 wk after the consultation. The SDM element "informing about the options" was especially found to be related to adverse outcomes, specifically to more helplessness/hopelessness (P = 0.002) and more tension (P = 0.016) at 1 wk after the consultation. Whether the patient consulted an oncologist who had received SDM training or not was not significantly related to adverse outcomes. No relations with long-term adverse outcomes were found.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important for oncologists to realize that for some patients, SDM may temporarily be associated with negative emotions. Further research is needed to untangle which, when, and how adverse outcomes might occur and whether and how burden may be minimized for patients.

HIGHLIGHTS

Observed shared decision making was related to more tension and uncertainty postconsultation in advanced cancer patientsHowever, training oncologists in SDM did not affect adverse outcomes.Further research is needed to untangle which, when, and how adverse outcomes might occur and how burden may be minimized.

The Communication of Bad News in Palliative Care: The View of Professionals in Spain

BACKGROUND

Communication is one of the central axes around which end-of-life care revolves in the context of palliative care. Communication of bad news is reported as one of the most difficult and stressful tasks by palliative care professionals. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify aspects related to the communication of bad news in palliative care in Spain.

METHODS

Descriptive cross-sectional study. An ad hoc questionnaire was designed and sent by e-mail to all palliative care teams in Spain.

RESULTS

Overall, 206 professionals (102 nurses, 88 physicians and 16 psychologists) completed the questionnaire. A total of 60.2% considered their communication of bad news skills to be good or very good. This was related to older age, experience in both the profession and palliative care, and to having received specific postgraduate training (P < .001). Around 42.2% perform communication of bad news with the patient first, which is associated with lower skill (P = .013). About 78.15% of the professionals do not use any specific protocol.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that patients access palliative care with little information about their diagnosis and prognosis. The barriers identified in the communication of bad news are the lack of specific education and training in protocol management, the difficult balance between hope and honesty, the young age of the patient, and the family.

Cancer patients' awareness of extent of disease: anxiety, depression, quality of life

OBJECTIVE

In Asian cultures, the belief that full disclosure would harm the patient's health would lead to non-disclosure. The study aimed to determine whether making patients aware of the extent of their disease will lead to psychological morbidity and poor quality of life (QOL).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study among 195 patients with stage 4 cancer who were aware of their cancer diagnosis at the medical oncology, radiation oncology and palliative care units at an academic cancer centre. Participants were asked about their cancer stage, treatment goal and if they prefer to know their life expectancy. They answered the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and 27-item validated Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General questionnaires. Determination of the association of patients' awareness of the extent of the disease with psychological status and QOL was analysed using univariate and multivariate statistics.

RESULTS

About three-fourths of patients with cancer knew they had an advanced disease, but very few were aware that the current treatments they were taking for their cancer would not cure them. No association between awareness of the extent of the disease and psychological morbidity was found. Still, those aware of the advanced disease had significantly higher QOL scores for social well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that physicians should not hesitate to communicate the cancer diagnosis and prognosis to patients, as the disclosure was not associated with psychological morbidity. Open communication between physicians, patients and their families on the extent of the disease could empower patients to make informed decisions about their treatment, engage in advance care planning and seek the necessary support.

Effective communication in palliative care from the perspectives of patients and relatives: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

In palliative care, effective communication is essential to adequately meet the needs and preferences of patients and their relatives. Effective communication includes exchanging information, facilitates shared decision-making, and promotes an empathic care relationship. We explored the perspectives of patients with an advanced illness and their relatives on effective communication with health-care professionals.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted. We searched Embase, Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane for original empirical studies published between January 1, 2015 and March 4, 2021.

RESULTS

In total, 56 articles on 53 unique studies were included. We found 7 themes that from the perspectives of patients and relatives contribute to effective communication: (1) open and honest information. However, this open and honest communication can also trigger anxiety, stress, and existential disruption. Patients and relatives also indicated that they preferred (2) health-care professionals aligning to the patient's and relative's process of uptake and coping with information; (3) empathy; (4) clear and understandable language; (5) leaving room for positive coping strategies, (6) committed health-care professionals taking responsibility; and (7) recognition of relatives in their role as caregiver. Most studies in this review concerned communication with physicians in a hospital setting.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

Most patients and relatives appreciate health-care professionals to not only pay attention to strictly medical issues but also to who they are as a person and the process they are going through. More research is needed on effective communication by nurses, in nonhospital settings and on communication by health-care professionals specialized in palliative care.

Latino advanced cancer patients' prognostic awareness and familial cultural influences on advance care planning engagement: a qualitative study

Background

Advanced cancer patients need an accurate understanding of their prognoses in order to engage in informed end-of-life care treatment decision-making. Latino cancer patients experience disparities around prognostic understanding, in part due to a lack of culturally competent communication around prognosis and advance care planning (ACP).

Objective

The objective of the present study of Latino patients with advanced, terminally ill cancer is to examine their understanding of prognosis, and how cultural factors may influence this understanding and engagement in ACP.

Methods

A mixed methods study was conducted, which consisted of surveys and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics were used for sociodemographic information and self-reported prognostic understanding. Interviews around prognostic understanding and cultural influences on this understanding and engagement in ACP were recorded, transcribed, and then coded and analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Findings

Latino patients with advanced cancer (n = 20) completed a self-reported survey and participated in a semi-structured interview. Results indicate that among terminally ill patients, 50% of the patients inaccurately believed they had early-stage cancer, 85% did not believe their cancer was terminal, and 70% believed their cancer was curable. Moreover, interviews yielded two main themes: varying levels of awareness of the incurability of their cancer and diverse end-of-life care decision-making and treatment preferences based on prognostic understanding. Within these themes, patients expressed denial or acceptance of their prognosis through communication with the oncologist, the importance of family, and incorporating their pre-existing beliefs.

Conclusion

Findings indicate the importance of communication, family involvement, and incorporation of beliefs for promoting an accurate prognostic understanding among Latino patients. It is imperative to address disparities in Latino advanced cancer patients' prognostic understanding so they can engage in informed treatment decision-making around end-of-life care.

Clinicians' and Advanced Cancer Patients' Estimates of Treatment Efficacy and Toxicity in Oncologic Treatment

The purpose of the study was to compare curability expectations between clinicians and patients and examine the influence of sociodemographic and clinical variables on these expectations and satisfaction within the clinician-patient relationship. This prospective study, conducted from February 2020 to May 2023, involved 986 advanced cancer patients. The patients completed questionnaires assessing treatment efficacy and toxicity predictions and the Scale to Assess the Therapeutic Relationship (STAR). Seventy-four percent of advanced cancer patients had an inaccurate perception of treatment curability. Clinicians perceived male patients with lung or digestive cancer without adenocarcinoma at locally advanced stages, with fewer comorbidities and better functional status (ECOG), as having higher curability expectations. Clinicians tended to have more realistic expectations than patients, since they had to consider the presence of treatment's side effects, while patients underestimated the possibility of experiencing these adverse effects. Patients who had more favorable expectations regarding survival and quality of life were found to be more satisfied with the care provided by their oncologists. It is crucial for patients to understand the treatment goals and establish realistic expectations in order to actively participate in decision-making and achieve a better quality of life at the end of life.

Perception of prognosis and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced cancer: results of a multicentre observational study (eQuiPe)

PURPOSE

To assess perception of prognosis in patients with advanced cancer, its association with patient's characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

METHODS

In a multicentre observational cohort study (eQuiPe), conducted on patients with advanced cancer, perceived prognosis, coping strategies, and HRQoL were assessed. Clinical data were obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients with vs. without a perception of prognosis, patients who perceived their prognosis as limited (< 1 year) vs. longer (> 1 year), and patients who did not want to know their prognosis vs. those who did not know for other reasons were compared.

RESULTS

Of 1000 patients with advanced cancer, 29% perceived their prognosis as > 1 year, 13% < 1 year, and 4% non-life threatening. Thirty-six percent did not know their prognosis and another 15% did not want to know. Patients without a perception were older, lower educated, coped differently (less accepting, planning, active; more denial), and received treatment more often (p < 0.05). Global QoL was lower in patients with vs. without a perceived prognosis (66 (SD21) vs. 69 (SD19), p = 0.01), specifically in patients who perceived a limited rather than a longer prognosis (57 (SD22) vs. 70 (SD19), p < 0.01). Global QoL of patients who did not want to know their prognosis was comparable to patients who did not know for other reasons (71 (SD19) vs. 69 (SD19), p = 0.22).

CONCLUSION

More than half of the patients with advanced cancer have no perception of their prognosis. Patients with a perceived prognosis have lower HRQoL, but only in patients who perceived their prognosis as limited (< 1 year) and were probably closer to the end of life, which more likely determines their poorer HRQoL, rather than prognostic perception. Ignorance of prognosis is not associated with lower HRQoL, however, should not hamper appropriate palliative care.

Patient-Caregiver Dyads' Prognostic Information Preferences and Perceptions in Advanced Cancer

CONTEXT

Prognostic information is considered important for advanced cancer patients and primary informal caregivers to prepare for the end of life. Little is known about discordance in patients' and caregivers' prognostic information preferences and prognostic perceptions, while such discordance complicates adaptive dyadic coping, clinical interactions and care plans.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the extent of patient-caregiver discordance in prognostic information preferences and perceptions, and the factors associated with discordant prognostic perceptions.

METHODS

We conducted secondary analyses of a cross-sectional study (PROSPECT, 2019-2021). Advanced cancer patients (median overall survival ≤12 months) from seven Dutch hospitals and caregivers completed structured surveys (n = 412 dyads).

RESULTS

Seven percent of patient-caregiver dyads had discordant information preferences regarding the likelihood of cure; 24%-25% had discordant information preferences regarding mortality risk (5/2/1 year). Seventeen percent of dyads had discordant perceptions of the likelihood of cure; 12%-25% had discordant perceptions of mortality risk (5/2/1 year). Dyads with discordant prognostic information preferences (P < 0.05) and dyads in which patients reported better physical functioning (P < 0.01) were significantly more likely to perceive the one-year mortality risk discordantly.

CONCLUSION

Physicians should be sensitive to discordant prognostic information preferences and prognostic perceptions among patient-caregiver dyads in advanced cancer care.

Relevant Study: Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Clinically-Meaningful Outcomes in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis and significant symptom burden. This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate expectations and priorities of patients with advanced PDAC and their clinicians through a study survey and two quality of life (QoL) questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and PAN26) at three time-points: baseline (T1), before (T2) and after (T3) their 1st on-treatment CT scan. Over a 1-year period, 106 patients were approached, 71 patients and 12 clinicians were recruited. Choosing between treatment options, patients prioritised: 54% overall survival (OS), 26% balance between side-effects and OS, 15% could not choose and 5% favoured symptom control. These were significantly different from the clinician's answers (p < 0.001). Patients who prioritised OS had higher symptom burden (p = 0.03) and shorter OS compared to those who prioritised balance (p = 0.01). Most (86%) patients had personal goals they wanted to reach; clinicians knew of these in 12% of instances. Patient and clinicians' views regarding survival improvement from chemotherapy were significantly different: 81% of clinicians and 12% of patients thought 1-2 or 3-6 months extension, 58% of patients and 0% physicians thought 1-5 or >5 years (p < 0.001). At T1, patients had low QoL and worst symptoms were: 'Future worries', 'planning of activities', fatigue and pain. Patients were willing to accept significantly higher amounts of side-effects as a trade-off for extra time, than clinicians thought (p < 0.001). Overall, there are significant discrepancies between patient and clinicians' views about the aims, priorities and expected extension of life.

End-of-life communication strategies for healthcare professionals: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Timely and effective communication about end-of-life issues, including conversations about prognosis and goals of care, are extremely beneficial to terminally ill patients and their families. However, given the context, healthcare professionals may find it challenging to initiate and facilitate such conversations. Hence, it is critical to improving the available communication strategies to enhance end-of-life communication practices.

AIM

To summarise the end-of-life communication strategies recommended for healthcare professionals, identify research gaps and inform future research.

DESIGN

A scoping review performed in accordance with the Arksey and O'Malley framework.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search was conducted between January 1990 and January 2022 using PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases and Google, Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Studies that described recommended end-of-life communication strategies for healthcare professionals were included.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine documents were included. Seven themes of communication strategies were found: (a) preparation; (b) exploration and assessment; (c) family involvement; (d) provision and tailoring of information; (e) empathic emotional responses; (f) reframing and revisiting the goals of care; and (g) conversation closure.

CONCLUSIONS

The themes of communication strategies found in this review provide a framework to integrally promote end-of-life communication. Our results will help inform healthcare professionals, thereby promoting the development of specialised training and education on end-of-life communication.

Receiving and breaking bad news: A qualitative study of family carers managing a cancer diagnosis and interactions with healthcare services

AIMS

To explore family carer experiences of managing the process of receiving and breaking bad news about cancer.

BACKGROUND

Family carers' experiences of bad news are underrepresented in the literature. This study involved oncology staff with personal experience of caregiving and carers to develop broader insights into the range of needs and difficulties experienced by family members in the process of managing a cancer diagnosis. This can help facilitate subsequent interactions with healthcare professionals and improve continuity of care.

DESIGN

This is a descriptive qualitative study informed by the theory of social constructionism. Data were analysed using template analysis.

METHODS

Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 4 healthcare professionals and 17 family carers between January and July 2018. A purposive sampling strategy was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim to explore participant experiences and perspectives on family carers managing a cancer diagnosis.

FINDINGS

Three key themes were identified: (1) receiving the bad news; (2) management of bad news and (3) interaction with healthcare and support services. These and associated subthemes are discussed, with recommendations for future research and practice.

CONCLUSIONS

There was variability in the experiences and needs of carers involved in receiving and breaking the bad news.

IMPACT

Although family members experienced a multitude of difficult emotions when the bad news was shared, they were not often able to discern help from healthcare professionals with sharing the diagnosis with the patient and others. This impacted on access to and use of healthcare and support services. Individualized approaches to communication are needed to enable carers to seek support and provide perspectives on the patient home environment and family structure. This can help tailor breaking the bad news and care plans.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Anonymised results were shared with family carers to validate the congruency of the codes with their experiences.

Examining how physician factors influence patient satisfaction during clinical consultations about cancer prognosis and pain

Objective

Patient-physician communication affects cancer patients' satisfaction, health outcomes, and reimbursement for physician services. Our objective is to use machine learning to comprehensively examine the association between patient satisfaction and physician factors in clinical consultations about cancer prognosis and pain.

Methods

We used data from audio-recorded, transcribed communications between physicians and standardized patients (SPs). We analyzed the data using logistic regression (LR) and random forests (RF).

Results

The LR models suggested that lower patient satisfaction was associated with more in-depth prognosis discussion; and higher patient satisfaction was associated with a greater extent of shared decision making, patient being black, and doctor being young. Conversely, the RF models suggested the opposite association with the same set of variables.

Conclusion

Somewhat contradicting results from distinct machine learning models suggested possible confounding factors (hidden variables) in prognosis discussion, shared decision-making, and doctor age, on the modeling of patient satisfaction. Practitioners should not make inferences with one single data-modeling method and enlarge the study cohort to help deal with population heterogeneity.

Innovation

Comparing diverse machine learning models (both parametric and non-parametric types) and carefully applying variable selection methods prior to regression modeling, can enrich the examination of physician factors in characterizing patient-physician communication outcomes.

Oncology nurse perceptions about life expectancy discussions: a cross-sectional study exploring what patients want to know, and why doctors don't disclose

Background: Sensitive and patient-centred discussion about life expectancy has clear benefits for patients with advanced cancer and their families. The perceptions of oncology nurses about disclosure of life expectancy, and the barriers to disclosure, have rarely been explored. Objectives/Aims/Hypotheses: To examine oncology nurses' perceptions of the: (1) proportion of patients with advanced cancer who want, receive and understand estimates of life expectancy; (2) reasons why doctors may not provide estimates of life expectancy. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Australian oncology nurses who were members of a professional society or worked at a participating metropolitan cancer centre were emailed a link to an anonymous online survey. Participants provided socio-demographic characteristics and their perceptions about the proportion of patients with advanced cancer who (a) want, (b) are provided with, (c) receive and (d) understand estimates of life expectancy, as well as the reasons estimates of life expectancy may not be provided. Results: A total of 104 nurses participated. While 51% of nurses perceived that most patients (>75%) want to be provided with an estimate of their life expectancy, 63% of nurses reported that <50% of patients were provided with an estimate. Further, 85% of nurses indicated that <50% of patients understand the estimate. The most frequent reason nurses perceived doctors did not provide an estimate of life expectancy was because the doctor didn't have an accurate idea of life expectancy (80.8%). Almost one-fifth of nurses (18.3%) thought that doctors did not provide estimates because they felt it was not their responsibility to do so. Conclusions: Strategies to ensure a patient-centred approach to life expectancy discussions with patients with advanced cancer are urgently needed. Impact statement: Oncology nurses perceive that many patients with advanced cancer are not provided with an accurate estimate of their life expectancy and few understand the information provided to them.

Characteristics of patients with advanced cancer preferring not to know prognosis: a multicenter survey study

Background

For some patients with advanced cancer not knowing prognosis is essential. Yet, in an era of informed decision-making, the potential protective function of unawareness is easily overlooked. We aimed to investigate 1) the proportion of advanced cancer patients preferring not to know prognosis; 2) the reasons underlying patients’ prognostic information preference; 3) the characteristics associated with patients’ prognostic information preference; and 4) the concordance between physicians’ perceived and patients’ actual prognostic information preference.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study with structured surveys (PROSPECT). Medical and thoracic oncologists included patients (n = 524), from seven Dutch hospitals, with metastatic/inoperable cancer and an expected median overall survival of ≤ 12 months. For analysis, descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used.

Results

Twenty-five to 31% of patients preferred not to know a general life expectancy estimate or the 5/2/1-year mortality risk. Compared to patients preferring to know prognosis, patients preferring unawareness more often reported optimism, avoidance and inability to comprehend information as reasons for wanting limited information; and less often reported expectations of others, anxiety, autonomy and a sense of control as reasons for wanting complete information. Females (p < .05), patients receiving a further line of systemic treatment (p < .01) and patients with strong fighting spirit (p < .001) were more likely to prefer not to know prognosis. Concordance between physicians’ perceived and patients’ actual prognostic information preference was poor (kappa = 0.07).

Conclusions

We encourage physicians to explore patients’ prognostic information preferences and the underlying reasons explicitly, enabling individually tailored communication. Future studies may investigate changes in patients’ prognostic information preferences over time and examine the impact of prognostic disclosure on patients who prefer unawareness.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09911-8.

Symptom burden and emotional distress in advanced lung cancer: the moderating effects of physicians' communication skills and patients' disease understanding

PURPOSE

The elevated physical symptom burden in advanced lung cancer can disrupt patients' emotional well-being, and current literature suggests that physicians' good communication skills might be a buffer. However, little is known about for which group of patients this buffering effect is most effective. Based on a cross-sectional study in patients with advanced lung cancer, the present study examined whether the moderating effect of physicians' communication skills on the association between physical symptoms and emotional distress would further depend on patients' perceived disease understanding.

METHODS

Patients with advanced lung cancer (n = 199) completed a questionnaire including measures of physical symptoms related to lung cancer, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, perceptions of physicians' communication skills, and self-reported understanding of their disease.

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant three-way interaction among physical symptoms, perceptions of physicians' communication skills, and perceived disease understanding on both anxiety and depression. Specifically, physicians' good communication skills exerted a buffering effect only for patients with lower levels of disease understanding.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that improving physicians' communication skills may be especially beneficial for reducing the maladaptive emotional reactions to symptom burden for patients with limited disease understanding. When time and resources for communication are restricted, enhanced awareness and focused training may be directed at communicating with patients who possess limited knowledge about their disease.

Clinician perspectives on machine learning prognostic algorithms in the routine care of patients with cancer: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

Oncologists may overestimate prognosis for patients with cancer, leading to delayed or missed conversations about patients' goals and subsequent low-quality end-of-life care. Machine learning algorithms may accurately predict mortality risk in cancer, but it is unclear how oncology clinicians would use such algorithms in practice.

METHODS

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess oncology clinicians' perceptions on the utility and barriers of machine learning prognostic algorithms to prompt advance care planning. Participants included medical oncology physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) practicing in tertiary and community practices within a large academic healthcare system. Transcripts were coded and analyzed inductively using NVivo software.

RESULTS

The study included 29 oncology clinicians (19 physicians, 10 APPs) across 6 practice sites (1 tertiary, 5 community) in the USA. Fourteen participants had previously had exposure to an automated machine learning-based prognostic algorithm as part of a pragmatic randomized trial. Clinicians believed that there was utility for algorithms in validating their own intuition about prognosis and prompting conversations about patient goals and preferences. However, this enthusiasm was tempered by concerns about algorithm accuracy, over-reliance on algorithm predictions, and the ethical implications around disclosure of an algorithm prediction. There was significant variation in tolerance for false positive vs. false negative predictions.

CONCLUSION

While oncologists believe there are applications for advanced prognostic algorithms in routine care of patients with cancer, they are concerned about algorithm accuracy, confirmation and automation biases, and ethical issues of prognostic disclosure.

'I Don't Like Uncertainty, I Like to Know': How and why uveal melanoma patients consent to life expectancy prognostication

BACKGROUND

Technological advances have led to cancer prognostication that is increasingly accurate but often unalterable. However, a reliable prognosis of limited life expectancy can cause psychological distress. People should carefully consider offers of prognostication, but little is known about how and why they decide on prognostication. Using uveal melanoma (UM) patients, we aimed to identify (i) how and why do people with UM decide to accept prognostication and (ii) alignment and divergence of their decision-making from conceptualizations of a 'well-considered' decision.

METHODS

UM provides a paradigm to elucidate clinical and ethical perspectives on prognostication, because prognostication is reliable but prognoses are largely nonameliorable. We used qualitative methods to examine how and why 20 UM people with UM chose prognostication. We compared findings to a template of 'well-considered' decision-making, where 'well-considered' decisions involve consideration of all likely outcomes.

RESULTS

Participants wanted prognostication to reduce future worry about uncertain life expectancy. They spontaneously spoke of hoping for a good prognosis when making their decisions, but largely did not consider the 50% possibility of a poor prognosis. When pressed, they argued that a poor outcome at least brings certainty.

CONCLUSIONS

While respecting decisions as valid expressions of participants' wishes, we are concerned that they did not explicitly consider the realistic possibility of a poor outcome and how this would affect them. Thus, it is difficult to see their decisions as 'well-considered'. We propose that nondirective preference exploration techniques could help people to consider the possibility of a poor outcome.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This paper is a direct response to a patient-identified and defined problem that arose in therapeutic and conversational discourse. The research was informed by the responses of patient participants, as we used the material from interviews to dynamically shape the interview guide. Thus, participants' ideas drove the analysis and shaped the interviews to come.

Discussing Personalized Prognosis Empowers Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to Regain Control over Their Future: A Qualitative Study

The ENCALS survival prediction model offers patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) the opportunity to receive a personalized prognosis of survival at the time of diagnosis. We explored experiences of patients with ALS, caregivers, and physicians with discussing personalized prognosis through interviews with patients and their caregivers, and in a focus group of physicians. Thematic analysis revealed four themes with seven subthemes; these were recognized by the focus group. First, tailored communication: physician’s communication style and information provision mediated emotional impact and increased satisfaction with communication. Second, personal factors: coping style, illness experiences, and information needs affected patient and caregiver coping with the prognosis. Third, emotional impact ranged from happy and reassuring to regret. Fourth, regaining control over the future: participants found it helpful in looking towards the future, and emphasized the importance of quality over quantity of life. Personalized prognosis can be discussed with minimal adverse emotional impact. How it is communicated—i.e., tailored to individual needs—is as important as what is communicated—i.e., a good or poor prognosis. Discussing personalized prognosis may help patients with ALS and their caregivers regain control over the future and facilitate planning of the future (care). For many patients, quality of life matters more than quantity of time remaining.

Mind your words: Oncologists' communication that potentially harms patients with advanced cancer: A survey on patient perspectives

BACKGROUND

Many complaints in medicine and in advanced illnesses are about communication. Little is known about which specific communications harm. This study explored the perspectives of patients with advanced cancer about potentially harmful communication behaviors by oncologists and helpful alternatives.

METHODS

An online survey design was used that was based on literature scoping and patient/clinician/researcher input. Patients with advanced cancer (n = 74) reflected on the potential harmfulness of 19 communication situations. They were asked whether they perceived the situation as one in which communication could be harmful (yes/no). If they answered "yes," they were asked whether they perceived the examples as harmful (yes/no) or helpful (yes/no) and to provide open comments. Results were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively (content analysis).

RESULTS

Communication regarding information provision, prognosis discussion, decision-making, and empathy could be unnecessarily potentially harmful, and this occurred in various ways, such as making vague promises instead of concrete ones (92%), being too directive in decision-making (qualitative), and not listening to the patient (88%). Not all patients considered other situations potentially harmful (eg, introducing the option of refraining from anticancer therapy [49%] and giving too much [prognostic] information [60%]). Exploring each individual patients' needs/preferences seemed to be a precondition for helpful communication.

CONCLUSIONS

This article provides patient perspectives on oncologists' unnecessarily potentially harmful communication behaviors and offers practical tools to improve communication in advanced cancer care. Both preventable pitfalls and delicate challenges requiring an individualized approach, where exploration might help, are described. Although providing difficult and unwelcome news is a core task for clinicians, this study might help them to do so while preventing potentially unnecessary harm.

'I Don't Have a Crystal Ball' - Why Do Doctors Tend to Avoid Prognostication?

Uncertainty, fear to harm the patient, discomfort handling the discussion and lack of time are the most cited barriers to prognostic disclosure. Physicians can be reassured that patients desire the truth about prognosis and can manage the discussion without harm, including the uncertainty of the information, if approached in a sensitive manner. Conversational guides could provide support in preparing such difficult conversations. Communicating 'with realism and hope' is possible, and anxiety is normal for both patients and clinicians during prognostic disclosure. As a clinician pointed out: 'I had asked a mentor once if it ever got easier. - No. But you get better at it.'

Wish to die and hasten death in palliative care: a cross-sectional study factor analysis

OBJECTIVES

The wish to die (WTD) is a complex experience sometimes accompanied by intention to hasten death. The aim of this study is to identify the predictive factors for WTD and hastening death intention (HDI) in Spanish patients with advanced illness.

METHODS

This is a subanalysis of a larger cross-sectional study conducted on patients experiencing advanced illness (N=201). Sociodemographic data and data related to symptom burden (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-Revised), depressive and anxious symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), demoralisation (Spanish version of the Demoralisation Scale), perceived loss of dignity (Patient Dignity Inventory) and WTD (Assessing Frequency and Extent of Desire to Die) were collected. The analysis used univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The prevalence of WTD in the sample was 18%, with 8 out of 36 patients reporting HDI. The independent factors predictive of WTD were (1) knowledge of approximate prognosis (OR=4.78; 95% CI 1.20 to 10.8; p=0.001); (2) symptom burden (OR=1.05; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.09; p=0.038); and (3) the Demoralisation Scale subsection 'lack of meaning and purpose in life' (OR=1.61; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.99; p=0.000). An independent predictive factor for HDI was the Demoralisation Scale subsection 'patients' distress and coping abilities' (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.08; p=0.028), while having religious beliefs was a protective factor (OR=0.13; 95% CI0.17 to 0.97; p=0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

Demoralisation was found to be the only common triggering factor for WTD and HDI, although experiences share certain features. Identification of the predictive factors for WTD and HDI may contribute to their prevention and management.

Factors associated with distinct prognostic-awareness-transition patterns over cancer patients' last 6 months of life

Background

Cancer patients may develop prognostic awareness (PA) heterogeneously, but predictors of PA‐transition patterns have never been studied. We aimed to identify transition patterns of PA and their associated factors during cancer patients’ last 6 months.

Methods

For this secondary‐analysis study, PA was assessed among 334 cancer patients when they were first diagnosed as terminally ill and monthly till they died. PA was categorized into four states: (a) unknown and not wanting to know; (b) unknown but wanting to know; (c) inaccurate awareness; and (d) accurate awareness. The first and last PA states estimated by hidden Markov modeling were examined to identify their change patterns. Factors associated with distinct PA‐transition patterns were determined by multinomial logistic regressions focused on modifiable time‐varying variables assessed in the wave before the last PA assessment to ensure a clear time sequence for associating with PA‐transition patterns.

Results

Four PA‐transition patterns were identified: maintaining accurate PA (56.3%), gaining accurate PA (20.4%), heterogeneous PA (7.8%), and still avoiding PA (15.6%). Reported physician‐prognostic disclosure increased the likelihood of belonging to the maintaining‐accurate‐PA group than to other groups. Greater symptom distress predisposed patients to be in the still‐avoiding‐PA than the heterogeneous PA group. Patients with higher functional dependence and more anxiety/depressive symptoms were more and less likely to be in the heterogeneous PA group and in the still‐avoiding‐PA group, respectively, than in the maintaining‐ and gaining‐accurate PA groups.

Conclusions

Cancer patients heterogeneously experienced PA‐transition patterns over their last 6 months. Physicians’ prognostic disclosure, and patients’ symptom distress, functional dependence, and anxiety/depressive symptoms, all modifiable by high‐quality end‐of‐life care, were associated with distinct PA‐transition patterns.

Patients with cancer may not develop accurate prognostic awareness (PA) at the same rate or to the same degree and factors associated with PA‐transition patterns are unknown. Here, we identified PA‐transition patterns and their associated factors during the last six months of life for patients with advanced cancer and found that they developed PA in different ways. Four PA‐transition patterns were identified: maintaining accurate PA, gaining accurate PA, heterogeneous PA, and still avoiding PA. Prognostic disclosure by physicians, patient symptom distress, functional dependence, and anxiety/depression symptoms are major factors associated with PA‐transition patterns and can be acted on during high‐quality end‐of‐life care.

Association Between Caregiver-Oncologist Discordance in Patient's Life Expectancy Estimates and Caregiver Perceived Autonomy Support by the Oncologist

BACKGROUND

Caregiver perceived autonomy support by the oncologist is important for caregiver well-being and may be affected by the patient's survival. We determined the association of caregiver-oncologist discordance in patient's life expectancy estimates with perceived autonomy support over time and whether the association differed by patient survival status.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used data from a geriatric assessment cluster-randomized trial (URCC 13070) that recruited patients aged at least 70 years with incurable cancer considering or receiving treatment, their caregivers, and their oncologists. At baseline, caregivers and oncologists were asked to estimate patient's life expectancy (0-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, and >5 years; any difference in response was considered discordant). At 4-6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, caregivers completed the Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ), which measured perceived autonomy support by the oncologist. Generalized estimating equation modeling was conducted to assess the association of baseline caregiver-oncologist discordance with longitudinal HCCQ scores, stratified by patient 6-month survival status.

RESULTS

Discordant life expectancy estimates were present in 72.0% of dyads. In multivariate analyses, caregiver-oncologist discordance in patient's life expectancy estimates was associated with higher caregiver HCCQ scores. In stratified analysis, caregiver-oncologist discordance was associated with lower caregiver HCCQ scores (β = -3.46; 95% CI, -4.64 to -2.29) among patients who died within 6 months but with higher caregiver HCCQ scores (β = 1.33; 95% CI, 0.63-2.04) among patients who survived beyond 6 months.

CONCLUSION

Interventions aimed at mitigating discordance need to consider its association with caregiver perceived autonomy support and patient's survival in order to better inform caregiver expectations.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Among patients who died within the first 6 months, caregivers who estimated a different length of life for the patient compared with oncologists were more likely to report lower support from the oncologist, whereas the opposite relationship was seen within patients who survived beyond the first 6 months. When designing interventions to improve caregiver understanding of the patient's prognosis, its relationship with caregiver-perceived support and patient's survival needs to be considered.

Communication about Prognosis during Patient-Initiated Second Opinion Consultations in Advanced Cancer Care: An Observational Qualitative Analysis

Prognostic communication is essential for patients with advanced cancer to enable informed medical decision-making and end-of-life planning. Discussing prognosis is challenging, and might be especially complex for oncologists conducting a second opinion (SO). Survival data are often lacking, and consulting oncologists need to consider previously conveyed information and patients’ relationship with the referring oncologist. We qualitatively investigated how advanced cancer patients and consulting oncologists discuss prognosis during audio-recorded SO consultations (N = 60), including prognostic information received from the referring oncologist. Our results show that patients regularly expressed implicit cues to discuss prognosis or posed explicit questions tentatively. Consulting oncologists were mostly unresponsive to patients’ cues and cautious to prognosticate. They also seemed cautious when patients brought up the referring oncologist. Consulting oncologists checked which prognostic information patients had received from the referring oncologist, before estimating prognosis. They agreed with the first opinion or rectified discrepancies carefully. Altogether, this study exposes missed opportunities for open prognostic discussions in SOs. Consulting oncologists could explicitly explore patients’ information preferences and perceptions of prognosis. If desired, they can provide tailored, independent information to optimise patients’ prognostic awareness and informed medical decision-making. They may additionally support patients in dealing with prognosis and the uncertainties associated with it.

Wishes and Needs at the End of Life–Communication Strategies, Counseling, and Administrative Aspects

BACKGROUND

Managing the last phase of life properly, i.e., taking care that a patient's wishes are respected at the end of life and beyond, is very important and can relieve the patient and his or her family of unnecessary burdens.

METHODS

This review is based on guidelines, reviews, meta-analyses, selected publications, and the authors' own experiences from everyday clinical practice.

RESULTS

Most patients want frank information from their physicians about their condition at all times over the course of their treatment, from the moment of diagnosis to the end of their life. This has no lasting adverse effects, but rather enables patients to take decisions that are appropriate to their stage of disease. Early integration in palliative care can improve patients' quality of life, symptom control, and mood. In helping to manage the last phase of life, the physician often serves as a provider of impulses, or else determines which other types of professional should counsel or support the patient. Patients should be enabled to issue directives that reflect their wishes, as well as to choose representatives who are allowed to speak for them. Consideration should also be given to the patient's emotional legacy, e.g., letters or video messages with personal content.

CONCLUSION

In the care of patients with life-limiting diseases, more attention should be paid to the management of the last phase of life. Palliative-care physicians can take over this task from other medical disciplines, and early integration in palliative care is recommended.

External Validation of the Bone Metastases Ensemble Trees for Survival (BMETS) Machine Learning Model to Predict Survival in Patients With Symptomatic Bone Metastases

PURPOSE

The Bone Metastases Ensemble Trees for Survival (BMETS) model uses a machine learning algorithm to estimate survival time following consultation for palliative radiation therapy for symptomatic bone metastases (SBM). BMETS was developed at a tertiary-care, academic medical center, but its validity and stability when applied to external data sets are unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients treated with palliative radiation therapy for SBM from May 2013 to May 2016 at two hospital-based community radiation oncology clinics were included, and medical records were retrospectively reviewed to collect model covariates and survival time. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival from consultation to death or last follow-up. Model discrimination was estimated using time-dependent area under the curve (tAUC), which was calculated using survival predictions from BMETS based on the initial training data set.

RESULTS

A total of 216 sites of SBM were treated in 182 patients. Most common histologies were breast (27%), lung (23%), and prostate (23%). Compared with the BMETS training set, the external validation population was older (mean age, 67 v 62 years; P < .001), had more primary breast (27% v 19%; P = .03) and prostate cancer (20% v 12%; P = .01), and survived longer (median, 10.7 v 6.4 months). When the BMETS model was applied to the external data set, tAUC values at 3, 6, and 12 months were 0.82, 0.77, and 0.77, respectively. When refit with data from the combined training and external validation sets, tAUC remained > 0.79.

CONCLUSION

BMETS maintained high discriminative ability when applied to an external validation set and when refit with new data, supporting its generalizability, stability, and the feasibility of dynamic modeling.

Brain cancer patient and support persons' experiences of psychosocial care: a mapping of research outputs

BACKGROUND

People with brain cancer and their support persons (SPs) are critical sources of information on the components of care that contribute to psychosocial outcomes.

AIMS

To determine the proportion of studies that examined (1) at least one of 14 nominated components of psychosocial cancer care and (2) more than one component of care.

METHODS

Medline, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and Embase were electronically searched for publications from January 1999 to December 2019. Publications that met the inclusion criteria were coded according to the number and type of psychosocial care components assessed from 14 listed components, and whether patient and/or SPs' views about care were elicited.

RESULTS

Of the 113 included publications, 61 publications included patient-reported data only (54%), 27 included both patient and SP-reported data (24%) and 25 included SP-reported data only (22%). Most assessed a single component of care (77% of patient-reported and 71% of SP-reported). No publications assessed all 14 components. The "Psychosocial" component was the most frequently assessed component of care for patient-reported (n = 80/88, 91%) and SP-reported publications (n = 46/52, 88%).

CONCLUSIONS

Publications reporting on psychosocial care in brain cancer present a relatively narrow view of patient and support person experiences. The inclusion of both patient and support person perspectives and the assessment of multiple components of care are required in future research to optimize psychosocial outcomes in brain cancer.

The Importance of Prognostication: Impact of Prognostic Predictions, Disclosures, Awareness, and Acceptance on Patient Outcomes

OPINION STATEMENT

In the advanced cancer setting, patients, families, and clinicians are often confronted with an uncertain future regarding treatment outcomes and survival. Greater certainty on what to expect can enhance decision-making for many personal and healthcare issues. Although 70-90% of patients with advanced cancer desire open and honest prognostic disclosure, a small proportion do not want to know. Approximately half of patients with advanced cancer have an inaccurate understanding of their illness, which could negatively impact their decision-making. In this review, we use a conceptual framework to highlight 5 key steps along the prognostic continuum, including (1) prognostic formulation, (2) prognostic disclosure, (3) prognostic awareness, (4) prognostic acceptance, and (5) prognosis-based decision-making. We shall summarize the impact of prognostic predictions, disclosure, awareness, and acceptance on various patient and caregiver outcomes, such as hope, trust, anxiety, depression, chemotherapy use, and care planning. Based on where the patient is at along the prognostic continuum, we propose 5 different subgroups (avoidance: "I don't want to know"; discordant, "I never wanted to know"; anxious, "I don't know what's happening"; concerned, "I don't like this"; acceptance, "I know how to plan ahead"). Although prognostication is not necessarily a linear process, recognizing where the patient is at cognitively and emotionally along the prognostic continuum may allow clinicians to provide personalized interventions, such as specialist palliative care and psychology referral, towards personalizing prognostic disclosure, enhancing prognostic awareness, increasing prognostic acceptance, and supporting decision-making and, ultimately, improving patient outcomes.