Cancer-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Intervention Adherence Among Breast Cancer Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Study

A 2-Year, Randomized, Clinical Trial Examining the Effects of Speed of Processing Cognitive Training on Quality-of-Life Indicators in Adults With HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder in Birmingham, Alabama: Results of the Think Fast Study

ABSTRACT

Speed of processing (SOP) cognitive training may improve indicators of the quality of life (QoL) in people living with HIV. In this 2-year, longitudinal, randomized, controlled trial, 216 participants ages 40 years and older with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder or borderline HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder were assigned to one of three groups: (a) 10 hr of SOP training (n = 70); (b) 20 hr of SOP training (n = 73), or (c) 10 hr of internet navigation control training (a contact control group; n = 73). Participants completed several QoL measures at baseline, posttest, and Year 1 and Year 2 follow-ups. Using linear mixed-effect models, no strong pattern of training effects across QoL outcomes was apparent, with small-magnitude, nonsignificant, between-group differences in depression, locus of control, and Medical Outcomes Study-HIV scales. In conclusion, despite prior work showing some transfer of SOP cognitive training improving QoL, that was not observed. Implications for research and practice are posited.

Cognitive intra-individual variability in breast cancer survivors: A systematic review

Subjective and objective cognitive impairments in Breast Cancer Survivors (BCS) often do not correlate. One important contribution to the reported disparities may be the reliance on mean-based cognitive performance. Cognitive intra-individual variability (IIV) may provide important insights into these reported disparities. Cognitive IIV refers to the fluctuation in performance for an individual on either one cognitive task across a trial or dispersed across tasks within a neuropsychological test battery. The purpose of this systematic review was to search for and examine the literature on cognitive IIV in BCS. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach was used to search for all articles related to cognitive IIV in BCS. MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and Scopus databases were searched using detailed search terms and strategies. Initially, 164 articles were retrieved but only 4 articles met the criteria for this systematic review. BCS differed from healthy controls in similar ways across the four studies, generally demonstrating similar performance but showing increased cognitive IIV for the more difficult tasks. Differences were enhanced later during chemotherapy. The four studies provide support for cognitive IIV as a useful measure to detect the subtle objective cognitive change often reported by BCS but frequently not detected by standard normed-based cognitive testing. Unexpectedly, measures of cognitive IIV were not consistently associated with self-reported measures of cognition.

Effects of different psychological interventions on quality of life and remission rate in patients with acute leukemia receiving chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial

Aims

This study aimed to examine and compare different psychological intervention effects on the quality of life (QoL) and remission rates of patients with acute leukemia receiving chemotherapy.

Methods

A total of 180 participants were randomly divided into a cognitive intervention group, a progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) group, a cognitive intervention plus PMR group, and a usual care control group. QoL via the Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 and remission rate were assessed at baseline and immediate post-intervention. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model was used for statistical analysis. Cost-effectiveness analysis with the value of the Incremental Cost-effectiveness Ratio was conducted to realize the economic evaluation of psychological interventions.

Results

The total score of QoL and its most dimensions were significantly improved for participants in the intervention groups compared with the control group. The cognitive intervention plus PMR intervention was the most effective concerning QoL with cost-effectiveness. No significant improvements were indicated in participants' remission rates among the groups.

Conclusion

The cognitive intervention plus PMR intervention is the most effective in improving QoL with cost-effectiveness among patients with acute leukemia receiving chemotherapy. More rigorous randomized controlled trials with multiple follow-up points are suggested to clarify the psychological interventions on remission rates in this population.

The Motivation Journey: A Grounded Theory Study on Female Cancer Survivors' Experience of a Psychological Intervention for Quality of Life

Psychological interventions are proposed to cancer survivors to support their quality of life against the emotional trauma of cancer and the side effects of treatment. Psychological interventions often require patient engagement and commitment to activities that could be more or less demanding in terms of lifestyle change (e.g., psychotherapy, sports). Analyzing participant motivations (personal aims, expectations, needs) prior to participation is useful to predict their adherence to the intervention as well as final outcomes. Yet, participant motivations may evolve during the intervention because the intervention experience turns out to be meaningful and positively challenging. The present study aimed to obtain a preliminary understanding of the process of motivation change in female cancer survivors who participated in a sport-based intervention to promote quality of life by employing a grounded theory approach. Data analysis took place alongside data collection and according to the procedure of grounded theory ("open coding", "axial coding", and "selective coding") in order to describe the process of motivation change during women's participation in psychological intervention for quality of life. On 14 women interviewed, 13 reported changing their motivation to participate during the first months of involvement, mostly changing from individualistic to group-related motivations (i.e., from self-care to friendship with other participants and enriching group membership), and from physical to psychological growth (i.e., pursuing not only physical health but also self-fulfillment). The discussion explains the preliminary aspects of the motivation change process and highlights the importance to monitor motivation dynamics within psychological interventions.

Symptoms in long-term breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study in primary care

Purpose

Various long-term symptoms can manifest after breast cancer treatment, but we wanted to clarify whether these are more frequent among long-term breast cancer survivors than matched controls and if they are associated with certain diagnoses.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, population-based study of 350 breast cancer survivors treated with chemo- and/or radiotherapy ≥5 years (median 10) after diagnosis and 350 women without cancer matched by age and primary care physician. All women completed a questionnaire enquiring about symptoms, underwent echocardiography to assess the left ventricle ejection fraction, and completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Cardiovascular diseases were diagnosed from primary care records. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, symptoms were adjusted for the long-term effects and compared between cohorts and within the survivor group.

Results

Concentration difficulties, forgetfulness, dizziness, and nocturia were more frequent among breast cancer survivors compared with controls, but differences could not be explained by cardiac dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases, depression, or anxiety. Intermittent claudication and appetite loss were more frequent among breast cancer survivors than controls and associated with cardiac dysfunction, depression, and anxiety. Breast cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy with/without radiotherapy were at significantly higher odds of forgetfulness and nocturia, but significantly lower odds of dizziness, compared with breast cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy alone.

Conclusions

Intermittent claudication and appetite loss are common among breast cancer survivors and are associated with cardiac dysfunction and mood disorders. Other symptoms varied by whether the patient underwent chemotherapy with/without radiotherapy (forgetfulness and nocturia) radiotherapy alone (dizziness).

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Even 10 years after diagnosis, breast cancer survivors experience various long-term symptoms.

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Some symptoms are more common among breast cancer survivors than among controls without cancer.

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Not all symptoms are associated with known cardiovascular or psychological diagnoses.

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A symptom-specific approach may be appropriate.

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This study does not evaluate a causal relation.