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El-Jawahri A, Webb JA, Breffni H, Zimmermann C. Integrating Palliative Care and Hematologic Malignancies: Bridging the Gaps for Our Patients and Their Caregivers. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2024; 44:e432196. [PMID: 38768404 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_432196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs) struggle with immense physical and psychological symptom burden, which negatively affect their quality of life (QOL) throughout the continuum of illness. These patients are often faced with substantial prognostic uncertainty as they navigate their illness course, which further complicates their medical decision making, especially at the end of life (EOL). Consequently, patients with HM often endure intensive medical care at the EOL, including frequent hospitalization and intensive care unit admissions, and they often die in the hospital. Our EOL health care delivery models are not well suited to meet the unique needs of patients with HMs. Although studies have established the role of specialty palliative care for improving QOL and EOL outcomes in patients with solid tumors, numerous disease-, clinician-, and system-based barriers prevail, limiting the integration of palliative care for patients with HMs. Nonetheless, multiple studies have emerged over the past decade identifying the role of palliative care integration in patients with various HMs, resulting in improvements in patient-reported QOL, symptom burden, and psychological distress, as well as EOL care. Importantly, these studies have also identified active components of specialty palliative care interventions, including strategies to promote adaptive coping especially in the face of prognostic uncertainty. Future work can leverage the knowledge gained from specialty palliative care integration to develop and test primary palliative care interventions by training clinicians caring for patients with HMs to incorporate these strategies into their clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Areej El-Jawahri
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jason A Webb
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hannon Breffni
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Nelson AM, Yang D, Jagielo AD, D’Alotto J, Poliquin C, Rabideau DJ, Cronin KG, Newcomb RA, Chen YB, DeFilipp Z, Greer JA, El-Jawahri A, Traeger L. Group Coping Intervention in Patients With Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2024; 22:34-42. [PMID: 38394783 PMCID: PMC11112519 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2023.7080] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than half the long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation develop chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a debilitating inflammatory syndrome. Supportive interventions to assist survivors in coping with chronic GVHD are critically needed. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a pilot randomized clinical trial of a multidisciplinary group intervention (Horizons Program; n=39) versus minimally enhanced usual care (n=41) for patients with moderate or severe chronic GVHD. Horizons participants received 8 weekly sessions about GVHD and coping co-led by a transplant clinician and a behavioral health expert via a secure videoconferencing platform. Participants completed the following surveys before randomization, at 10 weeks, and at 18 weeks: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant Scale (FACT-BMT) for quality of life (QoL), Lee Symptom Scale for symptom burden, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression Symptoms (HADS) for mood. The primary endpoint was feasibility (≥50% enrollment, ≥80% attendance in half the sessions for the Horizons arm only, and ≥80% retention). We also explored preliminary efficacy of the Horizons intervention on changes in patient-reported outcomes with linear mixed effects models and estimates of effect size at 10 weeks. RESULTS We enrolled and registered 80 (67.2%) of 119 eligible patients (mean age, 62 years; 48.8% female). Of the participants in the Horizons Program, 84.6% attended at least half the sessions. Of registered participants, 91.3% completed assessment follow-ups (Horizons, 35/39 [89.7%]; minimally enhanced usual care, 38/41 [92.7%]). Horizons participants reported improvements in QoL (b = 2.24; d=0.53), anxiety symptoms (b = -0.10; d=0.34), and depression symptoms (b = -0.71; d=0.44) compared with participants who received minimally enhanced usual care. CONCLUSIONS Participation in a multidisciplinary group intervention study was feasible for patients with chronic GVHD, with promising signals for improving QoL and mood. A full-scale efficacy trial is needed to confirm effects on patient-reported outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. Nelson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Yang
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Jennifer D’Alotto
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Cathleen Poliquin
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dustin J. Rabideau
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Richard A. Newcomb
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yi-Bin Chen
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zachariah DeFilipp
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph A. Greer
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lara Traeger
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
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Baumrin E, Loren AW, Falk SJ, Mays JW, Cowen EW. Chronic graft-versus-host disease. Part I: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations. J Am Acad Dermatol 2024; 90:1-16. [PMID: 36572065 PMCID: PMC10287844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2022.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease is a major complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and a leading cause of long-term morbidity, nonrelapse mortality, and impaired health-related quality of life. The skin is commonly affected and presents heterogeneously, making the role of dermatologists critical in both diagnosis and treatment. In addition, new clinical classification and grading schemes inform treatment algorithms, which now include 3 U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies, and evolving transplant techniques are changing disease epidemiology. Part I reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis of chronic graft-versus-host disease. Part II discusses disease grading and therapeutic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Baumrin
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Alison W Loren
- Blood and Marrow Transplant, Cell Therapy and Transplant Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Sandy J Falk
- Adult Survivorship Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jacqueline W Mays
- Oral Immunobiology Unit, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Edward W Cowen
- Dermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Hong J, Fraebel J, Yang Y, Tkacyk E, Kitko C, Kim TK. Understanding and treatment of cutaneous graft-versus-host-disease. Bone Marrow Transplant 2023; 58:1298-1313. [PMID: 37730800 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-023-02109-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The skin is the outermost mechanical barrier where dynamic immune reactions take place and is the most commonly affected site in both acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). If not properly treated, pain and pruritis resulting from cutaneous GVHD can increase the risk of secondary infection due to erosions, ulcerations, and damage of underlying tissues. Furthermore, resulting disfiguration can cause distress and significantly impact patients' quality of life. Thus, a deeper understanding of skin-specific findings of GVHD is needed. This review will highlight some promising results of recent pre-clinical studies on the pathophysiology of skin GVHD and summarize the diagnostic and staging/grading procedures according to the clinical manifestations of skin GVHD. In addition, we will summarize outcomes of various GVHD treatments, including skin-specific response rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junshik Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Johnathan Fraebel
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yenny Yang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Eric Tkacyk
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health Care, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carrie Kitko
- Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital, Vanderbilt Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Tae Kon Kim
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health Care, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
- Vanderbilt Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Perić Z, Basak G, Koenecke C, Moiseev I, Chauhan J, Asaithambi S, Sagkriotis A, Gunes S, Penack O. Understanding the Needs and Lived Experiences of Patients With Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Real-World European Public Social Media Listening Study. JMIR Cancer 2023; 9:e42905. [PMID: 37948101 PMCID: PMC10674148 DOI: 10.2196/42905] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the major cause of short- and long-term morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Treatment options beyond corticosteroid therapy remain limited, and prolonged treatment often leads to impaired quality of life (QoL). A better understanding of the needs and experiences of patients with GVHD is required to improve patient care. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to explore different social media (SM) channels for gathering and analyzing the needs and experiences of patients and other stakeholders across 14 European countries. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of SM data from the public domain. The Talkwalker social analytics tool collected data from open-access forums, blogs, and various social networking sites using predefined search strings. The raw data set derived from the aggregator tool was automatically screened for the relevancy of posts, generating the curated data set that was manually reviewed to identify posts that fell within the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. This final data set was then used for the deep-dive analysis. RESULTS A total of 9016 posts relating to GVHD were identified between April 2019 and April 2021. Deduplication and relevancy checks resulted in 325 insightful posts, with Twitter contributing 250 (77%) posts; blogs, 49 (15%) posts; forums, 13 (4%) posts; Facebook, 7 (2%) posts; and Instagram and YouTube, 4 (1%) posts. Patients with GVHD were the primary stakeholders, contributing 63% of all SM posts. In 234 posts, treatment was the most discussed stage of the patient journey (68%), followed by symptoms (33%), and diagnosis and tests (21%). Among treatment-related posts (n=159), steroid therapy was most frequently reported (54/159, 34%). Posts relating to treatment features (n=110) identified efficacy (45/110, 41%), side effects (38/110, 35%), and frequency and dosage (32/110, 29%), as the most frequently discussed features. Symptoms associated with GVHD were described in 24% (77/325) of posts, including skin-related conditions (49/77, 64%), dry eyes or vision change (13/77, 17%), pain and cramps (16/77, 21%), and fatigue or muscle weakness (12/77, 16%). The impacts of GVHD on QoL were discussed in 51% (165/325) of all posts, with the emotional, physical and functional, social, and financial impacts mentioned in 69% (114/165), 50% (82/165), 5% (8/165), and 2% (3/165) of these posts, respectively. Unmet needs were reported by patients or caregivers in 24% (77/325) of analyzed conversations, with treatment-related side effects being the most common (35/77, 45%) among these posts. CONCLUSIONS SM listening is a useful tool to identify medical needs. Treatment of GVHD, including treatment-related side effects, as well as its emotional and physical impact on QoL, are the major topics that GVHD stakeholders mention on SM. We encourage a structured discussion of these topics in interactions between health care providers and patients with GVHD. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinaida Perić
- School of Medicine, University Hospital Center Zagreb, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Grzegorz Basak
- Department of Hematology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Ivan Moiseev
- RM Gorbacheva Research Institute, Pavlov University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | | | | | - Alexandros Sagkriotis
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG, Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Gilead Sciences Europe Ltd, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sibel Gunes
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG, Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Olaf Penack
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Nelson AM, Erdmann AA, Coe CL, Juckett MB, Morris K, Knight JM, Hematti P, Costanzo ES. Inflammatory cytokines and depression symptoms following hematopoietic cell transplantation. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 112:11-17. [PMID: 37236325 PMCID: PMC10524437 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased synthesis and release of inflammatory signalling proteins is common among individuals with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) due to intensive conditioning regimens and complications such as graft-versus-host-disease and infections. Prior research indicates that inflammatory responses can activate central nervous system pathways that evoke changes in mood. This study examined relationships between markers of inflammatory activity and depression symptoms following HCT. Individuals undergoing allogeneic (n = 84) and autologous (n = 155) HCT completed measures of depression symptoms pre-HCT and 1, 3, and 6 months post-HCT. Proinflammatory (IL-6, TNF-α) and regulatory (IL-10) cytokines were assessed by ELISA in peripheral blood plasma. Mixed-effects linear regression models indicated that patients with elevated IL-6 and IL-10 reported more severe depression symptoms at the post-HCT assessments. These findings were replicated when examining both allogeneic and autologous samples. Follow-up analyses clarified that relationships were strongest for neurovegetative, rather than cognitive or affective, symptoms of depression. These findings suggest that anti-inflammatory therapeutics targeting an inflammatory mediator of depression could improve quality of life of HCT recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra A Erdmann
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Christopher L Coe
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mark B Juckett
- Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Keayra Morris
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jennifer M Knight
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Peiman Hematti
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Erin S Costanzo
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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