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Meixner E, Sandrini E, Hoeltgen L, Eichkorn T, Hoegen P, König L, Arians N, Lischalk JW, Wallwiener M, Weis I, Roob D, Debus J, Hörner-Rieber J. Return to Work, Fatigue and Cancer Rehabilitation after Curative Radiotherapy and Radiochemotherapy for Pelvic Gynecologic Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092330. [PMID: 35565459 PMCID: PMC9099439 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Rehabilitation from cancer treatment and therapy-induced toxicity requires individualized and specialized expertise. Beyond the resolution of treatment-related morbidity, socio-economic and psychological factors must be considered, and lifestyle or household characteristics can have a notable impact on the gradual return to normality and return-to-work rates following cancer therapy. A better identification of patients at a higher risk of prolonged impairment, and a more in-depth understanding of the impacts of treatment is needed to optimize post-therapy recovery. We aim to add to a limited body of literature exploring the posttreatment rehabilitative factors for women following curative radiotherapy for primary gynecologic malignancies. Herein we observed therapy-induced pain and fatigue were significantly more likely to interfere with return-to-work rates. Social support services and post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation programs were helpful in keeping patients connected to their professional lives. Mental issues and the development of depression during follow-up remains an issue particularly for younger patients. Abstract Pain, fatigue, and depression are a common cluster of symptoms among cancer patients that impair quality of life and daily activities. We aimed to evaluate the burden of cancer rehabilitation and return-to-work (RTW) rates. Tumor characteristics, lifestyle and household details, treatment data, the use of in-house social services and post-treatment inpatient rehabilitation, and RTW were assessed for 424 women, diagnosed with cervical, uterine, or vaginal/vulvar cancer, receiving curative radio(chemo)therapy. Progression-free RTW rate at 3 months was 32.3%, and increased to 58.1% and 63.2% at 12 and 18 months, respectively. Patients with advanced FIGO stages and intensified treatments significantly suffered more from acute pain and fatigue. A higher Charlson-Comorbidity-Index reliably predicted patients associated with a higher risk of acute fatigue during RT. Aside from the presence of children, no other household or lifestyle factor was correlated with increased fatigue rates. Women aged ≤ 45 years had a significantly higher risk of developing depression requiring treatment during follow-up. Post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation, including exercise and nutrition counseling, significantly relieved fatigue symptoms. The burdens for recovery from cancer therapy remain multi-factorial. Special focus needs to be placed on identifying high-risk groups experiencing fatigue or pain. Specialized post-treatment inpatient cancer rehabilitation can improve RTW rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Meixner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Elisabetta Sandrini
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Line Hoeltgen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Eichkorn
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp Hoegen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Laila König
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Arians
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jonathan W. Lischalk
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10023, USA;
| | - Markus Wallwiener
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Ilse Weis
- Social Service Counselling, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (I.W.); (D.R.)
| | - Daniela Roob
- Social Service Counselling, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (I.W.); (D.R.)
| | - Jürgen Debus
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Ion Therapy Center (HIT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Juliane Hörner-Rieber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; (E.S.); (L.H.); (T.E.); (P.H.); (L.K.); (N.A.); (J.D.); (J.H.-R.)
- Heidelberg Institute of Radiation Oncology (HIRO), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Clinical Cooperation Unit Radiation Oncology, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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