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Shimer S, Allen OS, Yang C, Canavan M, Westvold S, Kim N, Morillo J, Parker T, Wallace N, Smith CB, Adelson KB. Prognostic Understanding, Goals of Care, and Quality of Life in Hospitalized Patients with Leukemia or Multiple Myeloma. J Palliat Med 2024. [PMID: 38990245 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Prior studies reveal a lack of illness understanding and prognostic awareness among patients with hematological malignancies. We evaluated prognostic awareness and illness understanding among patients with acute leukemia and multiple myeloma (MM) and measured patient-hematologist discordance. Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with acute leukemia and MM at Mount Sinai Hospital or Yale New Haven Hospital between August 2015 and February 2020. Patients were administered a survey assessing prognostic awareness, goals of care (GOC), and quality of life. Hematologists completed a similar survey for each patient. We assessed discordance across the cohort of patients and hematologists using the likelihood-ratio chi-square test and within patient-hematologist pairs using the kappa (κ) statistic. Results: We enrolled 185 patients (137 with leukemia and 48 with MM) and 29 hematologists. Among patients, 137 (74%) self-identified as White, 27 (15%) as Black, and 21 (11%) as Hispanic. Across the entire cohort, patients were significantly more optimistic about treatment goals compared with hematologists (p = 0.027). Within patient-hematologist pairs, hematologists were significantly more optimistic than patients with respect to line of treatment (κ = 0.03). For both leukemia and MM cohorts, patients were significantly more likely to respond "don't know" or deferring to a faith-based response with 88 (64%) and 34 (71%), respectively, compared with only 28 (20%) and 11 (23%) of hematologists, respectively. Conclusions: We observed significant discordance regarding prognosis and GOC among patients with hematological malignancies and their hematologists. These data support future interventions to improve prognostic understanding among this patient population to facilitate informed treatment choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Shimer
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Olivia S Allen
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chen Yang
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Nina Kim
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jose Morillo
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Terri Parker
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Cardinale B Smith
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kerin B Adelson
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Maoz SL, Golzar A, Choby G, Hwang PH, Wang EW, Kuan EC, Adappa ND, Geltzeiler M, Getz AE, Humphreys IM, Le CH, Pinheiro-Neto CD, Fischer JL, Chan EP, Abuzeid WM, Chang EH, Jafari A, Kingdom TT, Kohanski MA, Lee JK, Lazor JW, Nabavizadeh A, Nayak JV, Palmer JN, Patel ZM, Resnick AC, Smith TL, Snyderman CH, St John MA, Storm PB, Suh JD, Wang MB, Sim MS, Beswick DM. University of Washington Quality of Life subdomain outcomes after treatment of sinonasal malignancy: A prospective, multicenter study. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol 2024. [PMID: 38884276 DOI: 10.1002/alr.23386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sinonasal malignancies (SNMs) adversely impact patients' quality of life (QOL) and are frequently identified at an advanced stage. Because these tumors are rare, there are few studies that examine the specific QOL areas that are impacted. This knowledge would help improve the care of these patients. METHODS In this prospective, multi-institutional study, 273 patients with SNMs who underwent definitive treatment with curative intent were evaluated. We used the University of Washington Quality of Life (UWQOL) instrument over 5 years from diagnosis to identify demographic, treatment, and disease-related factors that influence each of the 12 UWQOL subdomains from baseline to 5 -years post-treatment. RESULTS Multivariate models found endoscopic resection predicted improved pain (vs. nonsurgical treatment CI 2.4, 19.4, p = 0.01) and appearance versus open (CI 27.0, 35.0, p < 0.001) or combined (CI 10.4, 17.1, p < 0.001). Pterygopalatine fossa involvement predicted worse swallow (CI -10.8, -2.4, p = 0.01) and pain (CI -17.0, -4.0, p < 0.001). Neck dissection predicted worse swallow (CI -14.8, -2.8, p < 0.001), taste (CI -31.7, -1.5, p = 0.02), and salivary symptoms (CI -28.4, -8.6, p < 0.001). Maxillary involvement predicted worse chewing (CI 9.8, 33.2; p < 0.001) and speech (CI -21.8, -5.4, p < 0.001) relative to other sites. Advanced T stage predicted worse anxiety (CI -13.0, -2.0, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Surgical approach, management of cervical disease, tumor extent, and site of involvement impacted variable UWQOL symptom areas. Endoscopic resection predicted better pain, appearance, and chewing compared with open. These results may aid in counseling patients regarding potential QOL expectations in their SNM treatment and recovery course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina L Maoz
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Autreen Golzar
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Garret Choby
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Peter H Hwang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Eric W Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Edward C Kuan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA
| | - Nithin D Adappa
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mathew Geltzeiler
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Anne E Getz
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Ian M Humphreys
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher H Le
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Carlos D Pinheiro-Neto
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jakob L Fischer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erik P Chan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Waleed M Abuzeid
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Eugene H Chang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Aria Jafari
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Todd T Kingdom
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael A Kohanski
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jivianne K Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jillian W Lazor
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ali Nabavizadeh
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jayakar V Nayak
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - James N Palmer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zara M Patel
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Adam C Resnick
- Center for Data-Driven Discovery in Biomedicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Timothy L Smith
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Carl H Snyderman
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maie A St John
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Phillip B Storm
- Center for Data-Driven Discovery in Biomedicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Suh
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Marilene B Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Myung S Sim
- Department of Medicine-Statistics Core, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Daniel M Beswick
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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3
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Poco LC, Andres EB, Balasubramanian I, Chaudhry I, Malhotra C. Prognostic understanding among advanced heart failure patients and their caregivers: A longitudinal dyadic study. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2024; 127:108359. [PMID: 38905752 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine heart failure patients' and caregivers' prognostic understanding (PU) over time, and patient and caregiver factors associated with their own and each other's PU. METHODS We used longitudinal dyadic data from Singapore, involving surveys with 95 heart failure patient-caregiver dyads every 4 months for up to 4 years. We assessed the association of PU with patient health status, caregiver psychological distress and caregiving hours using random effects multinomial logistic models, controlling for patient and caregiver characteristics. RESULTS At baseline, half of patients and caregivers reported correct PU. Patient and caregiver variables were associated with their own and each other's PU. Patients with poorer functional well-being were less likely to report correct PU [Average Marginal Effects (95 % CI) 0.008 (0.002, 0.015)] versus incorrect PU. Greater caregiver psychological distress was associated with a lower likelihood of caregivers reporting a correct PU [- 0.008 (-0.014, -0.002)]. Higher caregiving hours reduced the likelihood of patients reporting correct [- 0.002 (-0.003, -0.001)] and increased the likelihood of patients reporting uncertain [0.001 (0, 0.002)] PU. CONCLUSIONS We found PU among patients and caregivers was influenced by their own and each other's experience. Our findings highlight the importance of ongoing communication to enhance PU of patients and caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Isha Chaudhry
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School,169857, Singapore
| | - Chetna Malhotra
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School,169857, Singapore; Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857, Singapore.
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4
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Weissman GE, Greer JA, Temel JS. Use of Machine Learning to Optimize Referral for Early Palliative Care: Are Prognostic Predictions Enough? J Clin Oncol 2024; 42:1603-1606. [PMID: 38489555 DOI: 10.1200/jco.24.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gary E Weissman
- Palliative and Advanced Illness Research (PAIR) Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- Departments of Medicine and Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Joseph A Greer
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jennifer S Temel
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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5
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Hasegawa T, Okuyama T, Akechi T. The trajectory of prognostic cognition in patients with advanced cancer: is the traditional advance care planning approach desirable for patients? Jpn J Clin Oncol 2024; 54:507-515. [PMID: 38336476 PMCID: PMC11075734 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyae006] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Most patients with advanced cancer initially express a desire to be informed of their prognosis, and prognostic discussions between patients and their oncologists can trigger the subsequent trajectory of prognostic cognitions. On the continuum of prognostic cognition, including inaccurate/accurate prognostic awareness (awareness of incurability of cancer, terminal nature of illness or life expectancy) and prognostic acceptance (accepting one's prognosis), patients' perceptions of being informed of their prognosis by oncologists and patients' coping strategy for serious medical conditions regulate prognostic cognitions. However, nearly half of the patients with advanced cancer have poor prognostic awareness, and few patients achieve prognostic acceptance. These phenomena partly act as barriers to participation in advance care planning. When oncologists engage in advance care planning conversations, they must assess the patient's prognostic cognition and readiness for advance care planning. Considering the inaccurate prognostic awareness in a non-negligible proportion of patients and that astatic patients' preferences for future treatment and care are influenced by prognostic cognition, more research on decision-making support processes for high-quality and goal-concordant end-of-life care is needed along with research of advance care planning. In addition to making decisions regarding future medical treatment and care, oncologists must engage in continuous and dynamic goal-of-care conversations with empathic communication skills and compassion from diagnosis to end-of-life care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaaki Hasegawa
- Center for Psycho-oncology and Palliative Care, Nagoya City University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Toru Okuyama
- Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry/Palliative Care Center, Nagoya City University West Medical Center, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Akechi
- Center for Psycho-oncology and Palliative Care, Nagoya City University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
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6
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Mathews J, Merchant S, Galica J, Palmer MJ, O'Donnell J, Koven R, Booth C, Brundage M. Measuring prognostic awareness in patients with advanced cancer: a scoping review and interpretive synthesis of the impact of hope. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:506-517. [PMID: 38134429 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessment of prognostic awareness (PA) in patients with advanced cancer is challenging because patient responses often indicate their hopes. The objectives of this scoping review were to summarize studies that measured PA in patients with advanced cancer and to synthesize data about how PA was measured and whether hope was incorporated into the measurement. METHODS MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched from inception to December 14, 2021. Data regarding the impact of hope on assessment of PA were extracted when studies reported on patients' beliefs about prognosis and patients' beliefs about their doctor's opinion about prognosis. An interpretive synthesis approach was used to analyze the data and to generate a theory regarding the incorporation of hope into the assessment of PA. RESULTS In total, 52 studies representing 23 766 patients were included. Most were conducted in high-income countries and measured PA based on the goal of treatment (curable vs incurable). Five studies incorporated hope into the assessment of PA and reported that among patients who responded that their treatment goal was a cure, an average of 30% also acknowledged that their doctors were treating them with palliative intent. Interpretive synthesis of the evidence generated a trinary conceptualization of PA patients who are aware and accepting of their prognosis; aware and not accepting; and truly unaware. Each of these groups will benefit from different types of interventions to support their evolving PA. CONCLUSION The trinary conceptualization of PA may promote understanding of the impact of hope in the assessment of PA and guide future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Mathews
- Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Shaila Merchant
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Division of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Galica
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
- School of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Michael J Palmer
- Department of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer O'Donnell
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Rachel Koven
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher Booth
- Department of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's Cancer Research Institute, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Brundage
- Department of Oncology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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Barata A, Dhawale T, Newcomb RA, Amonoo HL, Nelson AM, Yang D, Karpinski K, Holmbeck K, Farnam E, Frigault M, Johnson PC, El-Jawahri A. Quality of Life and Prognostic Awareness in Caregivers of Patients Receiving Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy. Transplant Cell Ther 2024; 30:452.e1-452.e11. [PMID: 38242441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.01.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Caregivers of patients undergoing chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T) play a critical role during treatment, yet their experience remains largely unaddressed. We aimed to longitudinally describe quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress, as well as prognostic awareness, in caregivers and explore the association of prognosis awareness with baseline psychological distress. We conducted a longitudinal study of caregivers of patients undergoing CAR-T and examined QoL (CAReGiverOncology QoL questionnaire) and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) prior to CAR-T (baseline) and at days 7, 30, 90, and 180 post-CAR-T. At baseline, caregivers and patients completed the Prognostic Awareness Impact Scale, which examines cognitive understanding of prognosis, emotional coping with prognosis, and adaptive response (ie, capacity to use prognostic awareness to inform life decisions). We enrolled 58% (69 of 120) of eligible caregivers. Caregivers reported QoL impairments that did not change over time (B = 0.09; P = .452). The rates of clinically significant depression and anxiety symptoms were 47.7% and 20.0%, respectively, at baseline, and 39.1% and 17.4% at 180 days. One-third (32%) of the caregivers and patients reported that their oncologist said the cancer is curable. Caregivers' greater emotional coping with prognosis was associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety (B = -.17; P < .001) and depression (B = -.02; P < .001). Cognitive understanding of prognosis and adaptive response were not associated with psychological distress. Caregivers reported QoL impairments throughout the study period. A substantial proportion of caregivers experienced psychological distress and reported misperceptions about the prognosis, highlighting the need for supportive care interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Barata
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Tejaswini Dhawale
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Richard A Newcomb
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hermioni L Amonoo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashley M Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kyle Karpinski
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Katherine Holmbeck
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Emelia Farnam
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Matt Frigault
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - P Connor Johnson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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8
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Newcomb R, Amonoo HL, Nelson AM, Choe J, Holmbeck K, Nabily A, Lee SJ, LeBlanc TW, El-Jawahri A. Coping in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood Adv 2024; 8:1369-1378. [PMID: 38181820 PMCID: PMC10945147 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) must cope with physical and psychological symptoms. Yet, studies examining pre-HCT coping are limited. We aimed to characterize pre-HCT coping, evaluate the association of coping with baseline quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress, and identify sociodemographic factors associated with pre-HCT coping. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a multisite randomized supportive care intervention trial among patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic or autologous HCT. We assessed patient-reported QOL, psychological distress, and coping within 72 hours of admission for HCT. We used the median split method to dichotomize coping and multivariate regression analyses to characterize the association of coping with psychological distress and QOL. Of patients awaiting HCT (n = 360; mean age, 55.4 years; 49.7% autologous), 43.5% were high users of approach-oriented coping, whereas 31.3% were high users of avoidant coping. Patients reported high use of emotional support (60.9%), acceptance (51.2%), self-blame (33%), and denial (31.3%). Older age (≥65 years) was associated with less frequent use of avoidant coping (odds ratio, 0.5; P = .01). Approach-oriented coping was associated with better pre-HCT QOL (Beta(B) = 6.7; P = .001), and lower depression (B = -1.1; P = .001) and anxiety (B = -0.9; P = .02) symptoms. Avoidant coping was associated with worse pre-HCT QOL (B = -13.3; P < .001) and symptoms of depression (B = 1.9; P < .001), anxiety (B = 3.1; P < .001), and posttraumatic stress disorder (B = 8.1; P < .001). Pre-HCT coping is strongly associated with psychological distress and QOL. These data support the need for interventions to address coping during HCT hospitalization. This clinical trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03641378.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Newcomb
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Hermioni L. Amonoo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Ashley M. Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Joanna Choe
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Katherine Holmbeck
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Anisa Nabily
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Stephanie J. Lee
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Thomas W. LeBlanc
- Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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9
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Putranto R, Shatri H, Irawan C, Gondhowiardjo S, Finkelstein E, Malhotra C, Ozdemir S, Teo I, Yang GM. The association of prognostic awareness with quality of life, spiritual well-being, psychological distress, and pain severity in patients with advanced cancer: Results from the APPROACH Study in Indonesia. Palliat Support Care 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38450453 DOI: 10.1017/s1478951524000269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Advanced cancer patients' understanding of their illness is key for making informed treatment decisions. Despite the known importance of patients' awareness of their disease prognosis, it is debatable whether this awareness is positively, negatively, or not associated with clinical and psychological outcomes among patients with advanced cancer. This paper aims to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with prognostic awareness and its association with quality of life (QoL), spiritual well-being, pain control, and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer in Indonesia. METHODS This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was part of a multicountry study titled "Asian Patient Perspectives Regarding Oncology Awareness, Care and Health (APPROACH)." Patients were asked what they knew about their cancer and treatment. QoL and spiritual well-being were measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-Sp) questionnaire. Psychological distress experienced by patients was recorded via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Pain severity was also assessed. Data from 160 patients were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models. RESULTS Of the 160 patients who participated, 55 (34.4%) were unaware of their cancer stage. Those who were aware of their stage of cancer were younger than those who were not aware (45.7 years vs 50.4 years, p = .015). There was no significant difference in spiritual well-being and other domains of QoL between those who were aware and those who were not aware of their advanced cancer stage. There was also no significant difference in anxiety depression or pain severity, even after adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics. SIGNIFICANT OF RESULTS Given the high prevalence of patients who wrongly thought their cancer was curable, more could be done to improve disease and prognostic understanding among patients with advanced cancer in Indonesia. Those who were aware of their advanced cancer stage did not have a poorer QoL, nor did they have more anxiety or depression than those who were unaware. This finding suggests that concerns about the negative impact of prognostic disclosure may be unfounded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudi Putranto
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Hamzah Shatri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Cosphiadi Irawan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Soehartati Gondhowiardjo
- Department of Radiotherapy, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Eric Finkelstein
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Chetna Malhotra
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Semra Ozdemir
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Irene Teo
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, National Cancer Centre, Singapore
| | - Grace Meijuan Yang
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, National Cancer Centre, Singapore
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10
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Al Sharji A, Alaloul F, Al Yazeedi B, Alharrasi M. Fatalistic and Optimistic Coping Strategies Predict Depression in Arab Muslim Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease. J Transcult Nurs 2024; 35:134-141. [PMID: 38140779 DOI: 10.1177/10436596231217696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is one of the common psychological problems in patients on hemodialysis. We aimed to identify the predictors associated with depressive symptoms among patients on hemodialysis from a population under-represented in research and minoritized in countries like the United States. METHODS This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of patients in Oman. Data were analyzed using linear multiple regression. RESULTS A total of 157 patients on hemodialysis participated in the study, with 40.5% reporting different levels of depressive symptoms. Higher stress levels (β = .643; p < .01) and higher perceived effectiveness of the fatalistic coping style (β = .144; p < .05) were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. Patients with a higher optimistic coping style (β = -.182; p < .01) had lower levels of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION Arab Muslim hemodialysis patients have significant levels of depressive symptoms. Identifying predictors of depressive symptoms may help identify those at risk and provide culturally appropriate interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Al Sharji
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Fawwaz Alaloul
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Basma Al Yazeedi
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Maryam Alharrasi
- College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
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11
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Pozzar RA, Wall JA, Tavormina A, Thompson E, Enzinger AC, Matulonis UA, Campos S, Meyer LA, Wright AA. Experiences of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis-related complex care needs and their caregivers. Gynecol Oncol 2024; 181:68-75. [PMID: 38141533 PMCID: PMC10922890 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.12.013] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Pozzar
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Jaclyn A Wall
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | | | | | - Andrea C Enzinger
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ursula A Matulonis
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Susana Campos
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Larissa A Meyer
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alexi A Wright
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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12
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Bandieri E, Borelli E, Bigi S, Mucciarini C, Gilioli F, Ferrari U, Eliardo S, Luppi M, Potenza L. Positive Psychological Well-Being in Early Palliative Care: A Narrative Review of the Roles of Hope, Gratitude, and Death Acceptance. Curr Oncol 2024; 31:672-684. [PMID: 38392043 PMCID: PMC10888238 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31020049] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In the advanced cancer setting, low psychological functioning is a common symptom and its deleterious impact on health outcomes is well established. Yet, the beneficial role of positive psychological well-being (PPWB) on several clinical conditions has been demonstrated. Early palliative care (EPC) is a recent value-based model consisting of the early integration of palliative care into standard care for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. While the late palliative care primary offers short-term interventions, predominantly pharmacological in nature and limited to physical symptom reduction, EPC has the potential to act over a longer term, enabling specific interventions aimed at promoting PPWB. This narrative review examines nine English studies retrieved from MEDLINE/PubMed, published up to October 2023, focusing on EPC and three dimensions of PPWB: hope, gratitude, and death acceptance. These dimensions consistently emerge in our clinical experience within the EPC setting for advanced cancer patients and appear to contribute to its clinical efficacy. The choice of a narrative review reflects the novelty of the topic, the limited existing research, and the need to incorporate a variety of methodological approaches for a comprehensive exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bandieri
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, Unità Sanitaria Locale (USL), 41012 Carpi, Italy; (E.B.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (U.F.); (S.E.)
| | - Eleonora Borelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (M.L.); (L.P.)
| | - Sarah Bigi
- Department of Linguistic Sciences and Foreign Literatures, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy;
| | - Claudia Mucciarini
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, Unità Sanitaria Locale (USL), 41012 Carpi, Italy; (E.B.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (U.F.); (S.E.)
| | - Fabio Gilioli
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, Unità Sanitaria Locale (USL), 41012 Carpi, Italy; (E.B.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (U.F.); (S.E.)
| | - Umberto Ferrari
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, Unità Sanitaria Locale (USL), 41012 Carpi, Italy; (E.B.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (U.F.); (S.E.)
| | - Sonia Eliardo
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, Unità Sanitaria Locale (USL), 41012 Carpi, Italy; (E.B.); (C.M.); (F.G.); (U.F.); (S.E.)
| | - Mario Luppi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (M.L.); (L.P.)
- Hematology Unit and Chair, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
| | - Leonardo Potenza
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy; (M.L.); (L.P.)
- Hematology Unit and Chair, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, 41124 Modena, Italy
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13
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Jackson VA, Emanuel L. Navigating and Communicating about Serious Illness and End of Life. N Engl J Med 2024; 390:63-69. [PMID: 38118003 DOI: 10.1056/nejmcp2304436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vicki A Jackson
- From the Department of Medicine, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine (V.A.J.), and the Center for Aging and Serious Illness Research (V.A.J., L.E.) and Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program (V.A.J.), the Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care (V.A.J.) - both in Boston; and the Department of Supportive Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern Medical Group, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago (L.E.)
| | - Linda Emanuel
- From the Department of Medicine, Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine (V.A.J.), and the Center for Aging and Serious Illness Research (V.A.J., L.E.) and Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program (V.A.J.), the Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care (V.A.J.) - both in Boston; and the Department of Supportive Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern Medical Group, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago (L.E.)
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14
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Arnold RM, Levoy K, Hickman SE, Jawahri AE, Jackson V, Tulsky JA. JPSM Controversies in Palliative Care: "What is the Most Important, Measurable Goal of Serious Illness Conversations in the Ambulatory Setting?". J Pain Symptom Manage 2024; 67:e105-e110. [PMID: 37591321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
There is widespread agreement that clinicians should talk to seriously ill patients and their families about their illnesses. However, advance directives as a quality metric have been called into question because of the lack of data that these conversations lead to goal-concordant care. The controversy has led many to reexamine the purpose of conversations with seriously ill patients and what should be discussed in ambulatory visits. In this Controversies in Palliative care, experts in palliative care review the literature and suggest both how it influences their clinical practice and what research needs to be done to clarify the controversy. While there is not a single outcome that the experts agree on, they posit a variety of different ways to assess these conversations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M Arnold
- Department of Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (R.M.A.), UPMC Health System, Palliative and Supportive Care Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Kristin Levoy
- Department of Community and Health Systems (K.L., S.E.H.), Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Center for Aging Research (K.L., S.E.H.), Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center (K.L.), Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Susan E Hickman
- Department of Community and Health Systems (K.L., S.E.H.), Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Center for Aging Research (K.L., S.E.H.), Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Areej El Jawahri
- Cancer Center (A.E.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Vicki Jackson
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine (V.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - James A Tulsky
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (J.A.T.), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA; Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine (J.A.T.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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15
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Post KE, Ahmad Z, Jankauskaite G, Centracchio J, Oswald L, Horick N, Park ER, Temel JS, Greer JA, Jacobs J. Managing Symptom Distress: Key Factors for Patients on Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage 2024; 67:88-97. [PMID: 37816436 PMCID: PMC10842924 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.10.001] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Patients with breast cancer taking adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) experience significant symptoms impacting mood, quality of life (QOL), and AET adherence and satisfaction. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which coping ability and self-efficacy for symptom management moderate the relationships between patients' symptom distress and their mood, QOL, and AET adherence and satisfaction. METHODS As part of a randomized controlled trial, participants completed baseline measures including: sociodemographics, symptom distress (breast cancer prevention trial symptom checklist), coping skills (measure of current status), self-efficacy (self-efficacy for managing symptoms), anxiety and depression (hospital anxiety and depression scale), QOL (functional assessment of cancer therapy - general), AET adherence (medication adherence report scale), and AET satisfaction (cancer therapy satisfaction questionnaire). We conducted moderated regression analyses to examine whether coping and self-efficacy moderated the associations of symptom distress with baseline measures. RESULTS Coping skills moderated the associations of symptom distress with depression and QOL. Among those with lower coping, higher symptom distress was associated with worse depression symptoms (p=.04) and worse QOL (p < 0.001). Self-efficacy moderated the associations of symptom distress with depression symptoms and AET adherence and satisfaction. Among those with higher self-efficacy, higher symptom distress was associated with worse depression symptoms (p < 0.001), worse AET adherence (p < 0.001), and less AET satisfaction (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION Coping skills may buffer the effect of AET symptom distress. Findings indicate the relationship between symptom distress and self-efficacy is more nuanced and requires further research to better understand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Post
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Zeba Ahmad
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Greta Jankauskaite
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joely Centracchio
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura Oswald
- Moffitt Cancer Center (O.L.), Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Nora Horick
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elyse R Park
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer S Temel
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joseph A Greer
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jamie Jacobs
- Massachusetts General Hospital (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., C.J., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School (P.K.E., A.Z., J.G., H.N., P.E.R., T.J.S., G.J.A., J.J.), Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Loučka M, Althouse AD, Arnold RM, Smith TJ, Smith KJ, White DB, Rosenzweig MQ, Schenker Y. Hope and illness expectations: A cross-sectional study in patients with advanced cancer. Palliat Med 2024; 38:131-139. [PMID: 38087831 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231214422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The fear of taking away hope hinders clinicians' willingness to share serious news with patients with advanced disease. Unrealistic illness expectations, on the other hand, can complicate decision making and end-of-life care outcomes. Exploration of the association between hope and illness expectations can support clinicians in better communication with their patients. AIM The aim of this study was to explore whether realistic illness expectations are associated with reduced hope in people with advanced cancer. DESIGN This is a cross-sectional secondary analysis of baseline data from a primary palliative care cluster-randomized trial CONNECT (data collected from July 2016 to October 2020). Hope was measured by Herth Hope Index. Illness expectations were measured by assessing patients' understanding of their treatment goals, life expectancy, and terminal illness acknowledgement. Multivariable regression was performed, adjusting for demographical and clinical confounders. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Adult patients with advanced solid cancers recruited across 17 oncology clinics. RESULTS Data from 672 patients were included in the study, with mean age of 69.3 years (±10.2), 53.6% were female. Proportion of patients indicating realistic expectations varied based on which question was asked from 10% to 46%. Median level of hope was 39 (IQR = 36-43). Multivariate non-inferiority regression did not find any significant differences in hope between patients with more and less realistic illness expectations. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that hope can be sustained while holding both realistic and unrealistic illness expectations. Communication about serious news should focus on clarifying the expectations as well as supporting people's hopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Loučka
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Center for Palliative Care, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew D Althouse
- Department of Medicine, Center for Research on Health Care Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert M Arnold
- Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Palliative Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Thomas J Smith
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kenneth J Smith
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Douglas B White
- Palliative Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Program on Ethics and Decision Making in Critical Illness, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Margaret Q Rosenzweig
- Palliative Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- School of Nursing, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yael Schenker
- Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Palliative Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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17
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LoCastro M, Mortaz-Hedjri S, Wang Y, Mendler JH, Norton S, Bernacki R, Carroll T, Klepin H, Liesveld J, Huselton E, Kluger B, Loh KP. Telehealth serious illness care program for older adults with hematologic malignancies: a single-arm pilot study. Blood Adv 2023; 7:7597-7607. [PMID: 38088668 PMCID: PMC10733103 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) feel shocked and bewildered when diagnosed. Serious illness conversations (SICs) may increase disease understanding and preparations for the future. However, SICs often happen late, in part because of clinician-perceived patient discomfort. Telehealth may promote patient comfort by allowing SICs to take place at home. This study assesses the feasibility and usability of a telehealth-delivered Serious Illness Care Program (SICP) for older adults with AML and MDS. We conducted a single-arm pilot study including 20 older adults with AML and MDS. Feasibility was measured using retention rate, with >80% considered feasible. Usability was measured using telehealth usability questionnaire (TUQ; range, 1-7): >5 considered usable. We collected other outcomes including acceptability and disease understanding and conducted post-visit qualitative interviews to elicit feedback. Hypothesis testing was performed at α = 0.10 owing to the pilot nature and small sample size. Retention rate was 95% (19/20); mean TUQ scores were 5.9 (standard deviation [SD], 0.9) and 5.9 (SD, 1.1) for patients and caregivers, respectively. We found the SICP to be acceptable. The majority of patients found the SICP to be very or extremely worthwhile (88.2%; 15/17), and reported it increased closeness with their clinician (75.0%; 12/16). After their visit, patient estimates of curability, and overall life expectancy aligned more closely with those of their clinicians. In qualitative interviews, most patients said that they would recommend this program to others (89.5%, 17/19). This study demonstrated that delivery of the telehealth SICP to older patients with AML and MDS is feasible, usable, and acceptable. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04745676.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa LoCastro
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
| | - Soroush Mortaz-Hedjri
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Jason H. Mendler
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Sally Norton
- School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | | | - Thomas Carroll
- Divisions of General Medicine and Palliative Care, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Heidi Klepin
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Jane Liesveld
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Eric Huselton
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Benzi Kluger
- Divisions of General Medicine and Palliative Care, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
| | - Kah Poh Loh
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, James P. Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
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18
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Bergerot CD, Philip EJ, Govindarajan A, Castro D, Malhotra J, Bergerot P, Salgia S, Salgia M, Salgia N, Hsu J, Meza L, Zengin ZB, Liu S, Chehrazi-Raffle A, Tripathi A, Dorff T, Pal S. Changes in Perception of Cure Among Patients With Genitourinary Cancers Initiating Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Longitudinal Study. Clin Genitourin Cancer 2023; 21:626-630.e3. [PMID: 37391301 PMCID: PMC11225089 DOI: 10.1016/j.clgc.2023.05.018] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We explored changes in perceptions of cure among patients with genitourinary (GU) cancers starting Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS This longitudinal study assessed patients before starting therapy and 3-months later with a questionnaire that included patient perceptions of ICIs and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety scale. General linear modeling was used to investigate changes in expectation of cure over time, and chi-square tests were used to determine the association between expectation of cure and perceptions of ICIs and anxiety. RESULTS A total of 45 patients were recruited (73% male, 84% diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma). The proportion of patients who possessed an accurate expectation of cure increased over time (55.6%-66.7%, P = .001). An accurate expectation of cure was associated with lower rates of anxiety over time. Patients with inaccurate expectation of cure reported more severe side effects and worse self-reported ECOG score at the follow-up assessment (P = .04). CONCLUSION We found that patients with GU metastatic cancer treated with ICI therapy have increasingly accurate expectations of cure over time. Accurate expectation of cure is associated with decreased anxiety. Further research is needed to fully explore this dynamic over time and help inform interventions that can help patients develop accurate expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane Decat Bergerot
- Centro de Cancer de Brasilia, Instituto Unity de Ensino e Pesquisa, Oncoclinicas, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Errol J Philip
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Ameish Govindarajan
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Daniela Castro
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Jasnoor Malhotra
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Paulo Bergerot
- Centro de Cancer de Brasilia, Instituto Unity de Ensino e Pesquisa, Oncoclinicas, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | | | | | - Nicholas Salgia
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY
| | - JoAnn Hsu
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Luis Meza
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Zeynep B Zengin
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Sandy Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope Orange County Medical Center, Irvine, CA
| | - Alex Chehrazi-Raffle
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Abhishek Tripathi
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Tanya Dorff
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA
| | - Sumanta Pal
- Department of Medical Oncology & Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA.
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Carmona-Bayonas A, Rodriguez-Gonzalez A, García-García T, Velasco-Durantez V, Hernández-San Gil R, Cruz-Castellanos P, Fernandez-Montes A, Castillo-Trujillo A, Ballester I, Rogado J, Calderon C, Jimenez-Fonseca P. Can Oncologists Prompt Patient Prognostic Awareness to Enhance Decision-Making? Data From the NEOetic Study. Oncologist 2023; 28:986-995. [PMID: 37185783 PMCID: PMC10628594 DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anti-neoplastic therapy improves the prognosis for advanced cancer, albeit it is not curative. An ethical dilemma that often arises during patients' first appointment with the oncologist is to give them only the prognostic information they can tolerate, even at the cost of compromising preference-based decision-making, versus giving them full information to force prompt prognostic awareness, at the risk of causing psychological harm. METHODS We recruited 550 participants with advanced cancer. After the appointment, patients and clinicians completed several questionnaires about preferences, expectations, prognostic awareness, hope, psychological symptoms, and other treatment-related aspects. The aim was to characterize the prevalence, explanatory factors, and consequences of inaccurate prognostic awareness and interest in therapy. RESULTS Inaccurate prognostic awareness affected 74%, conditioned by the administration of vague information without alluding to death (odds ratio [OR] 2.54; 95% CI, 1.47-4.37, adjusted P = .006). A full 68% agreed to low-efficacy therapies. Ethical and psychological factors oriented first-line decision-making, in a trade-off in which some lose quality of life and mood, for others to gain autonomy. Imprecise prognostic awareness was associated with greater interest in low-efficacy treatments (OR 2.27; 95% CI, 1.31-3.84; adjusted P = .017), whereas realistic understanding increased anxiety (OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.01-2.65; adjusted P = 0.038), depression (OR 1.96; 95% CI, 1.23-3.11; adjusted P = .020), and diminished quality of life (OR 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29-0.75; adjusted P = .011). CONCLUSION In the age of immunotherapy and targeted therapies, many appear not to understand that antineoplastic therapy is not curative. Within the mix of inputs that comprise inaccurate prognostic awareness, many psychosocial factors are as relevant as the physicians' disclosure of information. Thus, the desire for better decision-making can actually harm the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Carmona-Bayonas
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, University of Murcia, UMU, IMIB, Murcia, Spain
| | - Adán Rodriguez-Gonzalez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, ISPA, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Teresa García-García
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital General Universitario Santa Lucia, Cartagena, Spain
| | - Verónica Velasco-Durantez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, ISPA, Oviedo, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | | | - Ana Fernandez-Montes
- Department of Medical Oncology, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense, Orense, Spain
| | - Alfredo Castillo-Trujillo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, ISPA, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Ballester
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, University of Murcia, UMU, IMIB, Murcia, Spain
| | - Jacobo Rogado
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain
| | - Caterina Calderon
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology. University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Jimenez-Fonseca
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, ISPA, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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20
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Rizvi F, Korst MR, Young M, Habib MH, Kra JA, Shah A, Mayer TM, Saraiya B, Jarrín OF, Mattes MD. Pilot Study Evaluating Cross-Disciplinary Educational Material to Improve Patients' Knowledge of Palliative Radiation Therapy. JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER EDUCATION 2023; 38:1466-1470. [PMID: 36905555 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-023-02283-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Palliative radiation therapy (PRT) is underutilized, partially due to misconceptions about its risks, benefits, and indications. The objective of this pilot study was to determine if patients with metastatic cancer would gain knowledge from educational material describing PRT and perceive it as useful in their care. A one-page handout conveying information about the purpose, logistics, benefits, risks, and common indications for PRT was offered to patients undergoing treatment for incurable, metastatic solid tumors in one palliative care clinic and four medical oncology clinics. Participants read the handout, then completed a questionnaire assessing its perceived value. Seventy patients participated between June and December 2021. Sixty-five patients (93%) felt they learned from the handout (40% learned "lots"), and 69 (99%) felt the information was useful (53% "very useful"). Twenty-one patients (30%) were previously unaware that PRT can relieve symptoms, 55 (79%) were unaware that PRT can be delivered in five treatments or less, and 43 (61%) were unaware that PRT usually has few side effects. Sixteen patients (23%) felt they currently had symptoms not being treated well enough, and 34 (49%) felt they had symptoms that radiation might help with. Afterwards, most patients felt more comfortable bringing symptoms to a medical oncologist's (n = 57, 78%) or radiation oncologist's (n = 51, 70%) attention. Patient-directed educational material about PRT, provided outside of a radiation oncology department, was perceived by patients as improving their knowledge and adding value in their care, independent of prior exposure to a radiation oncologist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faryal Rizvi
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Mark R Korst
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | | | - Muhammad Hamza Habib
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua A Kra
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Ankit Shah
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Tina M Mayer
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Biren Saraiya
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olga F Jarrín
- School of Nursing, Rutgers, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Malcolm D Mattes
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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21
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Spooner C, Vivat B, White N, Bruun A, Rohde G, Kwek PX, Stone P. What outcomes do studies use to measure the impact of prognostication on people with advanced cancer? Findings from a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Palliat Med 2023; 37:1345-1364. [PMID: 37586031 PMCID: PMC10548779 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231191148] [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] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies evaluating the impact of prognostication in advanced cancer patients vary in the outcomes they measure, and there is a lack of consensus about which outcomes are most important. AIM To identify outcomes previously reported in prognostic research with people with advanced cancer, as a first step towards constructing a core outcome set for prognostic impact studies. DESIGN A systematic review was conducted and analysed in two subsets: one qualitative and one quantitative. (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022320117; 29/03/2022). DATA SOURCES Six databases were searched from inception to September 2022. We extracted data describing (1) outcomes used to measure the impact of prognostication and (2) patients' and informal caregivers' experiences and perceptions of prognostication in advanced cancer. We classified findings using the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) initiative taxonomy, along with a narrative description. We appraised retrieved studies for quality, but quality was not a basis for exclusion. RESULTS We identified 42 eligible studies: 32 quantitative, 6 qualitative, 4 mixed methods. We extracted 70 outcomes of prognostication in advanced cancer and organised them into 12 domains: (1) survival; (2) psychiatric outcomes; (3) general outcomes; (4) spiritual/religious/existential functioning/wellbeing, (5) emotional functioning/wellbeing; (6) cognitive functioning; (7) social functioning; (8) global quality of life; (9) delivery of care; (10) perceived health status; (11) personal circumstances; and (12) hospital/hospice use. CONCLUSION Outcome reporting and measurement varied markedly across the studies. A standardised approach to outcome reporting in studies of prognosis is necessary to enhance data synthesis, improve clinical practice and better align with stakeholders' priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Spooner
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Bella Vivat
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicola White
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Bruun
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gudrun Rohde
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Pei Xing Kwek
- University College Dublin School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Patrick Stone
- Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, University College London, London, UK
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22
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Davis S, Serfaty M, Low J, Armstrong M, Kupeli N, Lanceley A. Experiential Avoidance in Advanced Cancer: a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. Int J Behav Med 2023; 30:585-604. [PMID: 36284042 PMCID: PMC10522753 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-022-10131-4] [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] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with advanced cancer experience psychological distress due to physical symptoms, functional decline, and a limited prognosis. Difficult thoughts, feelings, and emotions may exacerbate distress and lead to avoidance of these experiences which is sometimes referred to as experiential avoidance (EA). Advanced cancer patients may be more likely to engage in EA especially when no obvious solutions to their problems exist. This study aims to examine the terms used to describe EA, the processes that might indicate EA, associations between EA and psychological distress, and to understand why individuals might engage in EA. METHODS A mixed-methods review. Literature search of Medline, Embase, Psych INFO, and CINAHL 1980-October 2019. INCLUSION adults ≥ 18 years; advanced cancer not amenable to cure. EXCLUSION no measures of EA or psychological distress. Risk of bias and study quality assessed. Evidence of statistical techniques collected. Themes coded, grouped, and developed based on meaning. RESULTS Nineteen studies identified, 13 quantitative studies and 6 qualitative. The quantitative of which 6 compared early-stage cancers with advanced cancers and examined subscales of EA alongside mood, quality of life, and psychological distress. EA covers a range or terms of which 'avoidant coping' is the commonest. EA is manifest as cognitive, behavioural, and emotional avoidance. A thematic synthesis suggests the function of EA is to protect people from distress, and from confronting or expressing difficult emotions by avoiding communication about cancer, controlling negative information, and maintaining normality and hope and optimism. CONCLUSIONS EA may be beneficial in the short term to alleviate distress, but in the longer term, it can impair function and limit engagement in life. Greater clinical awareness of the complexity of EA behaviours is needed. Clinicians and researchers should define EA precisely and be aware of the function it may serve in the short and longer term. Future research studies may consider using specific measures of EA as a primary outcome, to assess the impact of psychological interventions such as ACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Davis
- Division of Psychiatry, Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Dept, University College London, Maple House, Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK.
| | - Marc Serfaty
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joe Low
- Division of Psychiatry, Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Dept, University College London, Maple House, Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Megan Armstrong
- Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nuriye Kupeli
- Division of Psychiatry, Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Dept, University College London, Maple House, Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Anne Lanceley
- EGA Institute for Women's Health, Department of Women's Cancer, University College London, London, UK
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23
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Martina D, Angka RN, Putranto R, Shatri H, Sudoyo AW, van der Heide A, van der Rijt CCD, Rietjens JAC. Cancer Survivors' Experiences With and Preferences for Medical Information Disclosure and Advance Care Planning: An Online Survey Among Indonesian Cancer Support Groups. JCO Glob Oncol 2023; 9:e2300003. [PMID: 37043710 DOI: 10.1200/go.23.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To understand the experiences and preferences of Indonesian cancer survivors regarding medical information disclosure and advance care planning. METHODS On the basis of systematic reviews of the scientific literature, qualitative studies, and expert-panel input, we developed an online survey that was distributed to nine cancer survivor support groups in Indonesia. RESULTS A total of 1,030 valid responses were received. Most participants were younger than 60 years (92%), female (91%), married (78%), Muslim (75%), diagnosed with breast cancer (68%), highly educated (64%), and more than one year beyond diagnosis of their cancer. If diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, participants wished to be informed about their diagnosis (74%), disease severity (61%), estimated curability (81%), expected disease trajectory (66%), and estimated life expectancy (37%). Between 46%-69% of the participants wished to discuss four topics of advance care planning (end-of-life treatments, resuscitation, health care proxies, and what matters at the end of life); 21%-42% had done so. Of those who wished to discuss these topics, 36%-79% preferred to do so with their family members. The most important reasons for not being willing to engage in advance care planning were the desire to surrender to God's will and to focus on here and now. CONCLUSION In a group of cancer survivors, most of them were highly educated, young, female, and diagnosed with breast cancer. Their preferences for medical information and advance care planning varied, with the majority wishing for information and involvement in advance care planning. Culturally sensitive advance care planning involves health care professionals eliciting individuals' preferences for medical information disclosure and discussing different topics in advance care planning conversations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diah Martina
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Division of Psychosomatic and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Rudi Putranto
- Division of Psychosomatic and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Hamzah Shatri
- Division of Psychosomatic and Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Aru Wisaksono Sudoyo
- Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia
- Indonesian Cancer Foundation, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Agnes van der Heide
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carin C D van der Rijt
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith A C Rietjens
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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24
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Bade BC, Faiz SA, Ha DM, Tan M, Barton-Burke M, Cheville AL, Escalante CP, Gozal D, Granger CL, Presley CJ, Smith SM, Chamberlaine DM, Long JM, Malone DJ, Pirl WF, Robinson HL, Yasufuku K, Rivera MP. Cancer-related Fatigue in Lung Cancer: A Research Agenda: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:e6-e28. [PMID: 36856560 PMCID: PMC10870898 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202210-1963st] [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] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Fatigue is the most common symptom among cancer survivors. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) may occur at any point in the cancer care continuum. Multiple factors contribute to CRF development and severity, including cancer type, treatments, presence of other symptoms, comorbidities, and medication side effects. Clinically, increasing physical activity, enhancing sleep quality, and recognizing sleep disorders are integral to managing CRF. Unfortunately, CRF is infrequently recognized, evaluated, or treated in lung cancer survivors despite more frequent and severe symptoms than in other cancers. Therefore, increased awareness and understanding of CRF are needed to improve health-related quality of life in lung cancer survivors. Objectives: 1) To identify and prioritize knowledge and research gaps and 2) to develop and prioritize research questions to evaluate mechanistic, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches to CRF among lung cancer survivors. Methods: We convened a multidisciplinary panel to review the available literature on CRF, focusing on the impacts of physical activity, rehabilitation, and sleep disturbances in lung cancer. We used a three-round modified Delphi process to prioritize research questions. Results: This statement identifies knowledge gaps in the 1) detection and diagnostic evaluation of CRF in lung cancer survivors; 2) timing, goals, and implementation of physical activity and rehabilitation; and 3) evaluation and treatment of sleep disturbances and disorders to reduce CRF. Finally, we present the panel's initial 32 research questions and seven final prioritized questions. Conclusions: This statement offers a prioritized research agenda to 1) advance clinical and research efforts and 2) increase awareness of CRF in lung cancer survivors.
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25
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Gray TF, Plotke R, Heuer L, Topping CE, Nipp RD, Wang AC, Gasca Banda J, Greer JA, Temel JS, El-Jawahri A. Perceptions of prognosis and end-of-life care outcomes in patients with advanced lung and gastrointestinal cancer. Palliat Med 2023; 37:740-748. [PMID: 36802979 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231155511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many patients with advanced cancer have misperceptions of their prognosis, which may impact end-of-life decision-making. Data regarding associations between prognostic perceptions over time and end-of-life care outcomes are lacking. AIM To describe patients' perceptions of their prognosis with advanced cancer and examine associations between these perceptions and end-of-life care outcomes. DESIGN Secondary analysis of longitudinal data from a randomized controlled trial of a palliative care intervention for patients with newly diagnosed incurable cancer. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Conducted at an outpatient cancer center in the northeastern United States and patients were within 8 weeks of a diagnosis with incurable lung or non-colorectal gastrointestinal cancer. RESULTS We enrolled 350 patients in the parent trial, of which 80.5% (281/350) died during the study period. Overall, 59.4% (164/276) of patients reported they were terminally ill, and 66.1% (154/233) reported that their cancer was likely curable at the assessment closest to death. Patient acknowledgment of terminal illness was only associated with lower risk of hospitalizations in the last 30 days of life (OR = 0.52, p = 0.025). Patients who reported their cancer as likely curable were less likely to utilize hospice (OR = 0.25, p = 0.002) or die at home (OR = 0.56, p = 0.043), and they were more likely to be hospitalized in the last 30 days of life (OR = 2.28, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS Patients' perceptions of their prognosis are associated with important end-of-life care outcomes. Interventions are needed to enhance patients' perceptions of their prognosis and optimize their end-of-life care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamryn F Gray
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Plotke
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lauren Heuer
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ryan D Nipp
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annie C Wang
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Joseph A Greer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer S Temel
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA
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26
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Perception of prognosis and health-related quality of life in patients with advanced cancer: results of a multicentre observational study (eQuiPe). Support Care Cancer 2023; 31:165. [PMID: 36781515 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07631-8] [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: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
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.
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27
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Proposed Implementation of a Patient-Centered Self-Assessment Tool for Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors among Academic and Community Practice Sites: The City of Hope Model. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12031229. [PMID: 36769875 PMCID: PMC9917881 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12031229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine tumors are a rare type of cancer found in hormone-producing cells throughout the body. Research on disease-specific patient education assessments in this population is lacking. We previously demonstrated the feasibility and validity of NET VITALS, a patient-centered self-assessment designed to improve patients' knowledge of their neuroendocrine tumor diagnosis/treatment and facilitate communication with their physician. In this report, we provide a brief overview of patient assessments that have been used for patients with neuroendocrine tumors. We summarize NET VITALS and present a proposed infrastructure for its implementation into standard clinical care in both academic and community practice settings at City of Hope. Incorporating NET VITALS into standard of care treatment for patients with neuroendocrine tumors may improve patients' overall clinical care experience.
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28
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Emanuel LL, Solomon S, Chochinov HM, Delgado Guay MO, Handzo G, Hauser J, Kittelson S, O'Mahony S, Quest TE, Rabow MW, Schoppee TM, Wilkie DJ, Yao Y, Fitchett G. Death Anxiety and Correlates in Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care. J Palliat Med 2023; 26:235-243. [PMID: 36067074 PMCID: PMC9894592 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Death anxiety is powerful, potentially contributes to suffering, and yet has to date not been extensively studied in the context of palliative care. Availability of a validated Death Anxiety and Distress Scale (DADDS) opens the opportunity to better assess and redress death anxiety in serious illness. Objective: We explored death anxiety/distress for associations with physical and psychosocial factors. Design: Ancillary to a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of Dignity Therapy (DT), we enrolled a convenience sample of 167 older adults in the United States with cancer and receiving outpatient palliative care (mean age 65.9 [7.3] years, 62% female, 84% White, 62% stage 4 cancer). They completed the DADDS and several measures for the stepped-wedged RCT, including demographic factors, religious struggle, dignity-related distress, existential quality of life (QoL), and terminal illness awareness (TIA). Results: DADDS scores were generally unrelated to demographic factors (including religious affiliation, intrinsic religiousness, and frequency of prayer). DADDS scores were positively correlated with religious struggle (p < 0.001) and dignity-related distress (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with existential QoL (p < 0.001). TIA was significantly nonlinearly associated with both the total DADDS (p = 0.007) and its Finitude subscale (p ≤ 0.001) scores. There was a statistically significant decrease in Finitude subscale scores for a subset of participants who completed a post-DT DADDS (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Findings, if replicable, suggest that further research on death anxiety and prognostic awareness in the context of palliative medicine is in order. Findings also raise questions about the optimal nature and timing of spiritual and psychosocial interventions, something that might entail evaluation or screening for death anxiety and prognostic awareness for maximizing the effectiveness of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda L. Emanuel
- Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sheldon Solomon
- Department of Psychology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA
| | - Harvey Max Chochinov
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Marvin Omar Delgado Guay
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - George Handzo
- Health Services Research and Quality, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joshua Hauser
- Department of Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sheri Kittelson
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine and University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sean O'Mahony
- Section of Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Health, and Human Values, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Tammie E. Quest
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Michael W. Rabow
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tasha M. Schoppee
- Community Hospice and Palliative Care, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
- Center for Palliative Care Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Diana J. Wilkie
- Center for Palliative Care Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yingwei Yao
- Center for Palliative Care Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - George Fitchett
- Department of Religion, Health, and Human Values, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Ozdemir S, Chaudhry I, Ng S, Teo I, Malhotra C, Finkelstein EA. Prognostic awareness and its association with health outcomes in the last year of life. Cancer Med 2023; 12:4801-4808. [PMID: 36200706 PMCID: PMC9972138 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little research has examined changes in prognostic awareness (PA) in the last year of life and the extent PA change was associated with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well-being among metastatic cancer patients. METHODS Two surveys were administered in the last year of life to 176 conveniently sampled Singaporean patients with stage 4 solid cancers. PA was assessed by asking patients whether they were aware that their treatments were unlikely to cure their cancer. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate the association of PA change with anxiety, depression, and spiritual well-being. RESULTS The proportion of patients with accurate PA increased (39.2%-45.5%; p < 0.05) from the second-last assessment to the last assessment before death. Those with inaccurate PA decreased (26.1%-20.4%; p < 0.05) while a third of patients remained uncertain at both assessments (34.7% and 34.1%). Compared to patients with inaccurate PA at both assessments, patients who reported accurate PA at both assessments reported worsened anxiety (β = 2.08), depression (β = 3.87), and spiritual well-being (β = -4.45) while patients who reported being uncertain about their prognosis at both assessments reported worsened spiritual well-being (β = - 6.30) at the last assessment before death (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS Interventions should dually focus on decreasing prognostic uncertainty at the end-of-life while minimising the psychological and spiritual sequelae associated with being prognostically aware. More research is needed to clarify the causes of prognostic uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semra Ozdemir
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Isha Chaudhry
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Sean Ng
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Irene Teo
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chetna Malhotra
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Eric Andrew Finkelstein
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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30
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Dhawale TM, Johnson PC, Gaballa MR, Nelson AM, Lavoie MW, Boateng KY, Greydanus C, Frigault MJ, El-Jawahri A. Perception of prognosis, quality of life, and distress in patients receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. Cancer 2023; 129:441-449. [PMID: 36457279 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell is potentially curative therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies but can cause life-threatening toxicities. Data on perceptions of prognosis and psychological distress are lacking. METHODS The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of patients receiving CAR-T. Before hospitalization for CAR-T, patients completed assessments of quality of life (QOL) (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General), anxiety and depression symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist). Patients also completed the Prognostic Awareness Impact Scale (PAIS), which measures three domains: cognitive understanding of prognosis, emotional coping with prognosis, and adaptive response. RESULTS A total of 71.8% (102 of 142) of eligible patients were enrolled. A total of 34% of patients reported that their oncologist said their cancer is curable and 64% reported there was >50% chance of cure. Overall, 26%, 30%, and 21% of patients reported clinically significant depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, respectively. We found no association between patients' cognitive understanding of prognosis and QOL or mood. Higher emotional coping with prognosis was associated with better QOL (Β = 0.72; SE = 0.10; p = <.001) and lower depression (Β = -0.17; SE = 0.02; p = <.001), anxiety (Β = -0.21; SE = 0.02; p = <.001), and PTSD (Β = -0.43; SE = 0.06; p = <.001) symptoms. Higher adaptive response was associated with better QOL (Β = 0.19; SE = 0.09; p = .028) and lower depression (Β = -0.05; SE = 0.02; p = .023), anxiety (Β = -0.09; SE = 0.02; p = <.001), and PTSD (Β = -0.19; SE = 0.05; p = <.001) symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing CAR-T report overly optimistic perception of their prognosis and have high rates of psychological distress. Higher emotional coping with prognosis and adaptive response were associated with better QOL and less psychological distress, underscoring the need to develop interventions to promote coping with this treatment. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY Patients undergoing chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy experience report overly optimistic perceptions of their prognosis and have high rates of psychological distress. Notably, higher emotional coping with prognosis and adaptive response were associated with better quality of life and less psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejaswini M Dhawale
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - P Connor Johnson
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mahmoud R Gaballa
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashley M Nelson
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mitchell W Lavoie
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kofi Y Boateng
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Claire Greydanus
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew J Frigault
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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31
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Sowerbutts AM, Lal S, Pironi L, Jones D, French C, Riis M, Clamp A, McCracken J, Williamson L, Wheatley C, Johnson B, Burden S. Patients, family members and healthcare professionals' top ten research priorities for adults receiving home parenteral nutrition for malignant or benign disease. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2023; 53:151-158. [PMID: 36657907 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.12.010] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is the primary treatment for chronic intestinal failure (CIF) due to non-malignant disease and is increasingly used in patients with a diagnosis of cancer. This project engaged with patients, family members and healthcare professionals to ascertain what questions they want researched. METHODS This study followed the five-stage process of the James Lind Alliance that involved (1) setting up a steering group, (2) carrying out an initial survey to gather participants' questions, (3) data processing, (4) an interim priority setting survey and (5) final priority setting workshop. Surveys were translated and back translated into Italian, Danish and French. RESULTS The project was delivered by an international steering committee with representation from Denmark, Italy, the United Kingdom and United States consisting of three patients, six healthcare professionals and facilitated by University researchers. For the first survey, 633 questions were submitted by 292 respondents from 12 countries. There were 79 questions removed as out of scope or already in the published literature. Responses were collated into two interim surveys of 41 questions for benign CIF and 13 questions for HPN and cancer. In the second survey, 216 respondents prioritised their top ten questions. The ordering from the cancer and HPN survey was taken as definitive; top priorities were quality of life, survival, when to commence HPN, using HPN with anti-cancer treatments, access barriers, measuring benefit and ethical implications. For CIF with benign disease, 18 questions were discussed in two workshops attended by 13 patients and 7 healthcare professionals. The questions were ranked using a modified nominal group technique; the top research priorities were prevention and treatment of liver disease, improving central infusion lines, oral absorption, avoiding long-term negative consequences, vascular access, side effects, line infections, decreasing stoma output, quality of life and sleep. CONCLUSIONS Priorities identified will assist researchers to focus on research questions important to patients, family members and healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon Lal
- Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Salford, UK; School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Loris Pironi
- Alma Mater Studiorum -University of Bologna, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Italy; IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Center for Chronic Intestinal Failure - Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Unit, Italy
| | - Debra Jones
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Chloe French
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Andrew Clamp
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Jennifer McCracken
- Richard Wells Rehabilitation Centre, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, UK
| | | | | | | | - Sorrel Burden
- School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
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32
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Finlayson CS, Rosa WE, Mathew S, Applebaum A, Squires A, Fu MR. Awareness of Disease Status Among Patients With Cancer: An Integrative Review. Cancer Nurs 2023; 47:00002820-990000000-00091. [PMID: 36728162 PMCID: PMC10349894 DOI: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000001170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the quality of cancer care improves, oncology patients face a rapidly increasing number of treatment options. Thus, it is vital that they are full and active partners in the treatment decision-making process. Awareness of disease status has been investigated in the literature; it has been inconsistently conceptualized and operationalized. OBJECTIVE The aim of this integrative review was to develop a conceptual definition and model of the awareness of disease status among patients with cancer. METHODS Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methodology guided this article. We obtained data through a systematic search of 8 databases. Key terms utilized were awareness, perception, truth disclosure, diagnosis, prognosis, terminal illness, status, neoplasm, and metastasis. Dates through January 2020 were searched to capture all relevant articles. Sixty-nine articles met inclusion criteria. RESULTS The integrative review methodology guided the development of a conceptual definition and model. The concept of "awareness of disease status" was defined as the individual patient's understanding of being diagnosed and treated for cancer based on the multifactorial components of individual patient characteristics and contextually driven communication practices of healthcare providers. This understanding is dynamic and changes throughout the disease trajectory. CONCLUSION These findings will inform consistency in the literature. Such consistency may improve person-centered clinical communication, care planning practices, and, ultimately, cancer-related outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE With a greater understanding of the complexity of patients' awareness of disease status, nurses will be able to guide their patients to make informed decisions throughout their disease trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S Finlayson
- Author Affiliations: Department of PhD in Nursing, Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing, Pleasantville (Dr Finlayson and Ms Mathew); and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Drs Rosa and Applebaum); New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing (Dr Squires), New York; and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Nursing, New Brunswick, New Jersey (Dr Fu)
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33
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Chichua M, Mazzoni D, Brivio E, Pravettoni G. Prognostic Awareness in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients: A Narrative Literature Review of the Processes Involved. Cancer Manag Res 2023; 15:301-310. [PMID: 36994111 PMCID: PMC10042252 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s395259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
High prognostic awareness (PA) is seen by many as a threat to terminal patients' psychological well-being. Whether this concern is supported by evidence or not is still a matter of discussion, given the heterogeneity of existing findings. This ambiguity points to the importance of considering contextual processes involved in the relationship between high PA and psychological outcomes, as a possible mediator and moderator mechanism. Aiming to capture a holistic image of the relationship between PA and the psychological experiences of patients, we adapted a narrative method to synthesize and discusses patient-related (physical symptoms, coping strategy, spirituality) and external (family support, received medical care) processes as potential explaining mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Chichua
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20121, Italy
| | - Davide Mazzoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
| | - Eleonora Brivio
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20121, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pravettoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, 20122, Italy
- Applied Research Division for Cognitive and Psychological Science, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, 20121, Italy
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34
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Coping with cancer: the role of different sources of psychosocial support and the personality of patients with cancer in (mal)adaptive coping strategies. Support Care Cancer 2022; 31:27. [PMID: 36513853 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-022-07454-z] [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: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cancer is a serious event in a person's life. However, certain coping strategies in relation to selected social, emotional, and personality factors appear to manage the disease. METHODS Sources of social support were tested in cancer survivors (N = 696) using hierarchical linear regression. Selected personality variables in terms of sociodemographic, clinical, and emotional factors were used as predictors of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. RESULTS It was found that adaptive coping strategies were more frequent in younger patients, in patients who attended cancer support groups and those with a greater level of optimism. Maladaptive coping was related to the higher level of experience of pain and sadness, neuroticism, and pessimism. The absence of a relapse and the time since the disease had been diagnosed were also important factors in coping with cancer. CONCLUSIONS The results point to the importance of considering various individual factors in the process of intervention to facilitate adaptive coping and to reduce maladaptive coping.
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35
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Parikh RB, Hasler JS, Zhang Y, Liu M, Chivers C, Ferrell W, Gabriel PE, Lerman C, Bekelman JE, Chen J. Development of Machine Learning Algorithms Incorporating Electronic Health Record Data, Patient-Reported Outcomes, or Both to Predict Mortality for Outpatients With Cancer. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2022; 6:e2200073. [PMID: 36480775 PMCID: PMC10166444 DOI: 10.1200/cci.22.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Machine learning (ML) algorithms that incorporate routinely collected patient-reported outcomes (PROs) alongside electronic health record (EHR) variables may improve prediction of short-term mortality and facilitate earlier supportive and palliative care for patients with cancer. METHODS We trained and validated two-phase ML algorithms that incorporated standard PRO assessments alongside approximately 200 routinely collected EHR variables, among patients with medical oncology encounters at a tertiary academic oncology and a community oncology practice. RESULTS Among 12,350 patients, 5,870 (47.5%) completed PRO assessments. Compared with EHR- and PRO-only algorithms, the EHR + PRO model improved predictive performance in both tertiary oncology (EHR + PRO v EHR v PRO: area under the curve [AUC] 0.86 [0.85-0.87] v 0.82 [0.81-0.83] v 0.74 [0.74-0.74]) and community oncology (area under the curve 0.89 [0.88-0.90] v 0.86 [0.85-0.88] v 0.77 [0.76-0.79]) practices. CONCLUSION Routinely collected PROs contain added prognostic information not captured by an EHR-based ML mortality risk algorithm. Augmenting an EHR-based algorithm with PROs resulted in a more accurate and clinically relevant model, which can facilitate earlier and targeted supportive care for patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi B Parikh
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jill S Hasler
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Yichen Zhang
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Manqing Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Corey Chivers
- Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - William Ferrell
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Peter E Gabriel
- Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Caryn Lerman
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Justin E Bekelman
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jinbo Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
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36
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van der Velden NC, van Laarhoven HW, Nieuwkerk PT, Kuijper SC, Sommeijer DW, Ottevanger PB, Fiebrich HB, Dohmen SE, Creemers GJ, de Vos FY, Smets EM, Henselmans I. Attitudes Toward Striving for Quality and Length of Life Among Patients With Advanced Cancer and a Poor Prognosis. JCO Oncol Pract 2022; 18:e1818-e1830. [DOI: 10.1200/op.22.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE: When deliberating palliative cancer treatment, insight into patients' attitudes toward striving for quality of life (QL) and length of life (LL) may facilitate goal-concordant care. We investigated the (1) attitudes of patients with advanced cancer toward striving for QL and/or LL and whether these change over time, and (2) characteristics associated with these attitudes (over time). METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial on improving shared decision making (SDM), without differentiation between intervention arms. Patients (n = 173) with advanced cancer, a median life expectancy of < 12 months without anticancer treatment, and a median survival benefit of < 6 months from systemic therapy were included in seven Dutch hospitals. We used audio-recorded consultations and surveys at baseline (T0), shortly after the consultation (T2), at 3 and 6 months (T3 and T4). Primary outcomes were patients' attitudes toward striving for QL and LL (Quality Quantity Questionnaire; T2, T3, and T4). RESULTS: Overall, patients' attitudes toward striving for QL became less positive over 6 months ( P < .01); attitudes toward striving for LL did not change on group level. Studying individual patients, 76% showed changes in their attitudes toward striving for QL and/or LL at some point during the study, which occurred in various directions. More helplessness/hopelessness ( P < .001), less fighting spirit ( P < .05), less state anxiety ( P < .001), and more observed SDM ( P < .05) related to more positive attitudes toward striving for QL. Lower education, less helplessness/hopelessness, more fighting spirit, and more state anxiety ( P < .001) related to more positive attitudes toward striving for LL. CONCLUSION: Oncologists may explore patients' attitudes toward striving for QL and LL repeatedly and address patients' coping style and emotions during SDM to facilitate goal-concordant care throughout the last phase of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi C.A. van der Velden
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hanneke W.M. van Laarhoven
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pythia T. Nieuwkerk
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Steven C. Kuijper
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dirkje W. Sommeijer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, Flevoziekenhuis, Almere, the Netherlands
| | - Petronella B. Ottevanger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Serge E. Dohmen
- Department of Medical Oncology, BovenIJ Ziekenhuis, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan Creemers
- Department of Medical Oncology, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Filip Y.F.L. de Vos
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ellen M.A. Smets
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Inge Henselmans
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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37
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Nipp RD. Palliative and Supportive Care for Individuals with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2022; 36:1053-1061. [PMID: 36154784 DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2022.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with pancreatic adenocarcinoma experience a complex constellation of palliative and supportive care needs. Notably, when caring for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, clinicians must carefully assess and address these individuals' palliative and supportive care needs, as these can have important implications related to their treatment experience and care outcomes. Importantly, prior research has consistently demonstrated the benefits of palliative and supportive care interventions for patients with cancer to help address symptom burden, illness understanding, coping mechanisms, and informed decision making. However, much of this research did not specifically tailor the interventions to the unique concerns of a pancreatic cancer population. Thus, an urgent need exists to design and conduct rigorous research with the goal of enhancing care delivery and outcomes for the highly symptomatic population of individuals with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D Nipp
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, 800 Northeast 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
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38
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Gramling CJ, Durieux BN, Clarfeld LA, Javed A, Matt JE, Manukyan V, Braddish T, Wong A, Wills J, Hirsch L, Straton J, Cheney N, Eppstein MJ, Rizzo DM, Gramling R. Epidemiology of Connectional Silence in specialist serious illness conversations. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2022; 105:2005-2011. [PMID: 34799186 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Human connection can reduce suffering and facilitate meaningful decision-making amid the often terrifying experience of hospitalization for advanced cancer. Some conversational pauses indicate human connection, but we know little about their prevalence, distribution or association with outcomes. PURPOSE To describe the epidemiology of Connectional Silence during serious illness conversations in advanced cancer. METHODS We audio-recorded 226 inpatient palliative care consultations at two academic centers. We identified pauses lasting 2+ seconds and distinguished Connectional Silences from other pauses, sub-categorized as either Invitational (ICS) or Emotional (ECS). We identified treatment decisional status pre-consultation from medical records and post-consultation via clinicians. Patients self-reported quality-of-life before and one day after consultation. RESULTS Among all 6769 two-second silences, we observed 328 (4.8%) ECS and 240 (3.5%) ICS. ECS prevalence was associated with decisions favoring fewer disease-focused treatments (ORadj: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.12, 4.06). Earlier conversational ECS was associated with improved quality-of-life (p = 0.01). ICS prevalence was associated with clinicians' prognosis expectations. CONCLUSIONS Connectional Silences during specialist serious illness conversations are associated with decision-making and improved patient quality-of-life. Further work is necessary to evaluate potential causal relationships. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Pauses offer important opportunities to advance the science of human connection in serious illness decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ali Javed
- Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Jeremy E Matt
- Complex Systems & Data Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Tess Braddish
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Ann Wong
- University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | | | | | - Nicholas Cheney
- Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Donna M Rizzo
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Robert Gramling
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
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Agarwal R, Shin P, Knezevic A, Nelson JE, Romano DR, Bernal C, Desai AV, Epstein AS. Accuracy of curability expectations in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Cancer Med 2022; 12:20-29. [PMID: 35959986 PMCID: PMC9844646 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessment of illness and treatment understanding among cancer patients has largely focused on those with advanced disease. Less is known about patient expectations at earlier stages of cancer and potential modifiers of accurate understanding. METHODS We assessed accuracy of cure expectations in patients across all stages with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Accuracy was determined by independent reviews of patient health records by oncologists on the investigative team. Impact on cure accuracy of selected clinical variables and health-information preferences was analyzed. RESULTS Hundred and thirty five patients were included for analysis, with 100% interrater agreement for accuracy between oncologist reviewers. Sixety five patients (48%) had accurate cure expectations from their cancer treatment. Accuracy was lower in Stage IV versus Stage I-III disease (35% vs. 63%, p < 0.01), lower in unresectable versus resectable disease (35% vs. 67%, p < 0.01), and higher in patients with early-stage disease who received adjuvant chemotherapy versus those who did not (78% vs. 53%, p = 0.04). Accuracy did not differ by health-information preferences and remained stable over time. Of 63 patients who died, baseline accuracy differed by location of death (p = 0.03), with greater accuracy in those who died with home hospice (56%). Accuracy was lower in those who were hospitalized in the last 30 days of life versus those who were not (25% vs. 59%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Inaccurate cure expectations are prevalent across all stages of GI cancers, but particularly among those with metastatic or unresectable disease. High-quality, iterative communication strategies may facilitate patient illness and treatment understanding throughout the disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Agarwal
- Department of MedicineVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Paul Shin
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Judith E. Nelson
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Camila Bernal
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Anjali V. Desai
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Andrew S. Epstein
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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Koehler M, Hoppe S, Kropf S, Lux A, Bartsch R, Holzner B, Krauter J, Florschütz A, Jentsch-Ullrich K, Frommer J, Flechtner HH, Fischer T. Randomized Trial of a Supportive Psychotherapy for Parents of Adolescents and Young Adults With Hematologic Malignancies. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2022; 20:jnccn20614. [PMID: 35405661 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2021.7075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer regularly disrupts health and developmental trajectories in adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Parents have been shown to have a substantial impact on the health and cancer survivorship activities of AYA patients in the form of symptom management. However, no randomized controlled trial has evaluated a coping support intervention (CSI) program for parents of AYAs with cancer aged 18 to 40 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS From November 30, 2012, to August 29, 2016, parents of AYAs with hematologic malignancies were randomized in a phase III controlled trial (1:1 ratio, stratified sampling) to either the research-based CSI AYA-Parents group (CSI group; n=82) or the standard care (SC) group (n=70). CSI consisted of 5 sessions to achieve the enhancement of parental adaptive coping as the primary outcome (per the adaptive coping scale of the 28-item Brief COPE, a validated multidimensional self-assessment-questionnaire recommended for clinical cancer research). Measures of adaptive coping, depression, and mental health were collected at pre-CSI (measurement date T1), at the end of the intervention sessions (measurement date T2), and at follow-up (3 months). We calculated mean change scores in outcomes and estimated intervention effect sizes (Cohen's d) for changes from T1 to T2/T3, with 0.2 indicating a small effect, 0.5 a medium effect, and 0.8 a large effect. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS In the intention-to-treat analysis, the CSI group significantly improved their adaptive coping compared with the SC group (95% CI, 0.30-2.54; P=.013; d=0.405), whereas adaptive coping in the SC group deteriorated. The CSI group also experienced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and improved mental health with clinical significance (95% CI, -1.98 to -0.30; P=.008; d=0.433, and 95% CI, -0.19 to 3.97; P=.074; d=0.292, respectively). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the main intention-to-treat analysis. CONCLUSIONS CSI improved effectively adaptive coping and depression in parents of AYAs with hematologic malignancies. It may represent a novel family-based approach in AYA oncology care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Koehler
- 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Magdeburg.,2Gesundheitscampus Immunologie, Infektiologie und Inflammation (GCI3), Medical Center, and
| | - Susanne Hoppe
- 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Magdeburg.,2Gesundheitscampus Immunologie, Infektiologie und Inflammation (GCI3), Medical Center, and
| | - Siegfried Kropf
- 3Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anke Lux
- 3Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Bartsch
- 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Magdeburg.,2Gesundheitscampus Immunologie, Infektiologie und Inflammation (GCI3), Medical Center, and
| | - Bernhard Holzner
- 4Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Juergen Krauter
- 5Department of Hematology and Oncology, Braunschweig Municipal Hospital, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Axel Florschütz
- 6Department of Internal Medicine, Dessau Municipal Hospital, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | | | - Joerg Frommer
- 8Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Magdeburg, and
| | - Hans-Henning Flechtner
- 9Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Fischer
- 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Magdeburg.,2Gesundheitscampus Immunologie, Infektiologie und Inflammation (GCI3), Medical Center, and
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Han PKJ, Scharnetzki E, Anderson E, DiPalazzo J, Strout TD, Gutheil C, Lucas FL, Edelman E, Rueter J. Epistemic Beliefs: Relationship to Future Expectancies and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients. J Pain Symptom Manage 2022; 63:512-521. [PMID: 34952170 PMCID: PMC8930513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Expectations about the future (future expectancies) are important determinants of psychological well-being among cancer patients, but the strategies patients use to maintain positive and cope with negative expectancies are incompletely understood. OBJECTIVES To obtain preliminary evidence on the potential role of one strategy for managing future expectancies: the adoption of "epistemic beliefs" in fundamental limits to medical knowledge. METHODS A sample of 1307 primarily advanced-stage cancer patients participating in a genomic tumor testing study in community oncology practices completed measures of epistemic beliefs, positive future expectancies, and mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Descriptive and linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between these factors and test two hypotheses: 1) epistemic beliefs affirming fundamental limits to medical knowledge ("fallibilistic epistemic beliefs") are associated with positive future expectancies and mental HRQOL, and 2) positive future expectancies mediate this association. RESULTS Participants reported relatively high beliefs in limits to medical knowledge (M = 2.94, s.d.=.67) and positive future expectancies (M = 3.01, s.d.=.62) (range 0-4), and relatively low mental and physical HRQOL. Consistent with hypotheses, fallibilistic epistemic beliefs were associated with positive future expectancies (b = 0.11, SE=.03, P< 0.001) and greater mental HRQOL (b = 0.99, SE=.34, P = 0.004); positive expectancies also mediated the association between epistemic beliefs and mental HRQOL (Sobel Z=4.27, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Epistemic beliefs in limits to medical knowledge are associated with positive future expectancies and greater mental HRQOL; positive expectancies mediate the association between epistemic beliefs and HRQOL. More research is needed to confirm these relationships and elucidate their causal mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul K J Han
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine; Tufts University School of Medicine (P.K.J.H., E.A., T.D.S., F.L.L.), Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Elizabeth Scharnetzki
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine
| | - Eric Anderson
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine; Tufts University School of Medicine (P.K.J.H., E.A., T.D.S., F.L.L.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - John DiPalazzo
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine
| | - Tania D Strout
- Tufts University School of Medicine (P.K.J.H., E.A., T.D.S., F.L.L.), Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center (T.D.S.), Portland, Maine
| | - Caitlin Gutheil
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine
| | - F Lee Lucas
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Maine Medical Center (P.K.J.H., E.S., E.A., J.D., C.G., F.L.L.), Portland, Maine; Tufts University School of Medicine (P.K.J.H., E.A., T.D.S., F.L.L.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Emily Edelman
- The Jackson Laboratory (E.E., J.R.), Bar Harbor, Maine
| | - Jens Rueter
- The Jackson Laboratory (E.E., J.R.), Bar Harbor, Maine
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Sigler LE, Althouse AD, Thomas TH, Arnold RM, White D, Smith TJ, Chu E, Rosenzweig M, Smith KJ, Schenker Y. Effects of an Oncology Nurse-Led, Primary Palliative Care Intervention (CONNECT) on Illness Expectations Among Patients With Advanced Cancer. JCO Oncol Pract 2022; 18:e504-e515. [PMID: 34767474 PMCID: PMC9014423 DOI: 10.1200/op.21.00573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Patients with advanced cancer often have unrealistic expectations about prognosis and treatment. This study assessed the effect of an oncology nurse-led primary palliative care intervention on illness expectations among patients with advanced cancer. METHODS This study is a secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized trial of primary palliative care conducted at 17 oncology clinics. Adult patients with advanced solid tumors for whom the oncologist would not be surprised if died within 1 year were enrolled. Monthly visits were designed to foster realistic illness expectations by eliciting patient concerns and goals for their medical care and empowering patients and families to engage in discussions with oncologists about treatment options and preferences. Baseline and 3-month questionnaires included questions about life expectancy, treatment intent, and terminal illness acknowledgment. Odds of realistic illness expectations at 3 months were adjusted for baseline responses, patient demographic and clinical characteristics, and intervention dose. RESULTS Among 457 primarily White patients, there was little difference in realistic illness expectations at 3 months between intervention and standard care groups: 12.8% v 11.4% for life expectancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.59 to 2.22; P = .684); 24.6% v 33.3% for treatment intent (aOR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.44 to 1.27; P = .290); 53.6% v 44.7% for terminal illness acknowledgment (aOR = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.81 to 2.00; P = .288). Results did not differ when accounting for variation in clinic sites or intervention dose. CONCLUSION Illness expectations are difficult to change among patients with advanced cancer. Additional work is needed to identify approaches within oncology practices that foster realistic illness expectations to improve patient decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Sigler
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Emory Palliative Care Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA,Lauren E. Sigler, MD, Emory Palliative Care Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 1821 Clifton Road NE, Suite 1017 Atlanta, GA 30329; e-mail:
| | - Andrew D. Althouse
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Teresa H. Thomas
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Robert M. Arnold
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Douglas White
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Department of Critical Care Medicine, Program on Ethics and Decision Making in Critical Illness, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Thomas J. Smith
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
| | - Edward Chu
- Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Margaret Rosenzweig
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kenneth J. Smith
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Yael Schenker
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Palliative Research Center (PaRC), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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Sisk BA, Keenan M, Schulz GL, Kaye E, Baker JN, Mack JW, DuBois JM. Interdependent functions of communication with adolescents and young adults in oncology. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022; 69:e29588. [PMID: 35092342 PMCID: PMC8860882 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Communication is central to patient-centered care in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer. Previously, we developed a functional communication model from perspectives of parents whose children had cancer. No prior studies have established a framework for the breadth of communication functions in AYA oncology. We aimed to identify these communication functions from AYAs' perspectives. METHODS Semistructured interviews with 37 AYAs with cancer aged 12-24 years at diagnosis from two pediatric centers during treatment or survivorship. We performed thematic analysis, using a functional communication model as an a priori framework, but remaining open to novel themes. RESULTS We identified eight interdependent functions of communication in AYA oncology that were consistent with those previously identified among parents: building relationships, exchanging information, enabling family self-management, making decisions, managing uncertainty, responding to emotions, providing validation, and supporting hope. AYAs held varying preferences for engagement in different communication functions. While some AYAs preferred very passive or active roles, most AYAs described an interdependent process of communication involving them, their parents, and their clinicians. Parents often served as a conduit and buffer of communication between the AYA and clinician. CONCLUSIONS Interviews with AYAs provided evidence for eight interdependent communication functions in AYA oncology. Many AYAs described the integral role of parents in communication regardless of their age. Clinicians can use this framework to better understand and fulfill the communication needs of AYA patients. Future work should aim to measure and intervene upon these functions to improve communication experiences for AYAs with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A. Sisk
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri,Department of Medicine, Bioethics Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Megan Keenan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Ginny L. Schulz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Erica Kaye
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee,Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Justin N. Baker
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee,Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jennifer W. Mack
- Pediatric Oncology and Division of Population Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - James M. DuBois
- Department of Medicine, Bioethics Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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Guo YQ, Ju QM, You M, Yusuf A, Wu Y, Soon LK. A Qualitative Study on Coping Strategies of Chinese Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy. Front Psychol 2022; 13:841963. [PMID: 35369261 PMCID: PMC8970282 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.841963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectivesWomen who underwent chemotherapy (CT) for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) used both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies but had low implementation levels. The present study explores the qualitative experience of coping strategies for women with MBC undergoing CT in Beijing.MethodsA hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed on twenty Chinese MBC women undergoing CT. These interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded using thematic analysis, and analyzed using NVivo 11.ResultsThree themes are highlighted: Maintaining hope; Spiritual growth, and Self-perceived support resources.ConclusionThe present study results have led to a greater understanding of the tremendous impact of CT on MBC women’s lives. This research provides insight into the scope of maintaining hope. Spiritual growth and self-perceived support resources were crucial factors to coping strategies among MBC women to improve their quality of life.Clinical RelevanceBy attaining the adaptive coping strategies and further understanding about Chinese MBC women, health care professionals are encouraged to appraise MBC women’s specific problems and adopt effective interventions to improve MBC women’s psychosocial wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Qiang Guo
- School of Nursing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Miaoning You
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Breast Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Azlina Yusuf
- School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Nursing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ying Wu,
| | - Lean Keng Soon
- School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia
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Rosenberg LB, Brenner KO, Shalev D, Jackson VA, Seaton M, Weisblatt S, Jacobsen JC. To Accompany, Always: Psychological Elements of Palliative Care for the Dying Patient. J Palliat Med 2022; 25:537-541. [PMID: 35263176 PMCID: PMC10162575 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Palliative care clinicians provide psychological support throughout their patients' journeys with illness. Throughout our series exploring the psychological elements of palliative care (PEPC), we suggested that the quality of care is enhanced when clinicians have a deeper understanding of patients' psychological experience of serious illness. Palliative care clinicians are uniquely poised to offer patients a grounded, boundaried, and uplifting relationship to chart their own course through a life-altering or terminal illness. This final installment of our series on PEPC has two aims. First, to integrate PEPC into a comfort-focused or hospice setting and, second, to demonstrate how the core psychological concepts previously explored in the series manifest during the dying process. These aspects include frame/formulation, attachment, attunement, transference/countertransference, the holding environment, and clinician wellness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah B Rosenberg
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keri O Brenner
- Department of Medicine, Section of Palliative Care, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Daniel Shalev
- Department of Psychiatry and Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vicki A Jackson
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Juliet C Jacobsen
- Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Konteti V, Wu V, Smith B, Ramesh Y. An Editorial Review of Prognostic Awareness and Considerations for the Clinical Setting. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2022; 34:376-378. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clon.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Caregiver-oncologist prognostic concordance, caregiving esteem, and caregiver outcomes. J Geriatr Oncol 2022; 13:828-833. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jgo.2022.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Lee HJ, Qian CL, Landay SL, O'Callaghan D, Kaslow-Zieve E, Azoba CC, Fuh CX, Temel B, Ufere N, Petrillo LA, Fong ZV, Greer JA, El-Jawahri A, Temel JS, Traeger L, Nipp RD. Communicating the Information Needed for Treatment Decision Making Among Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Receiving Preoperative Therapy. JCO Oncol Pract 2022; 18:e313-e324. [PMID: 34618600 DOI: 10.1200/op.21.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Preoperative therapy for pancreatic cancer represents a new treatment option with the potential to improve outcomes for patients, yet with complex risks. By not discussing the potential risks and benefits of new treatment options, clinicians may hinder patients from making informed decisions. METHODS From 2017 to 2019, we conducted a mixed-methods study. First, we elicited clinicians' (n = 13 medical, radiation, and surgery clinicians), patients' (n = 18), and caregivers' (n = 14) perceptions of information needed for decision making regarding preoperative therapy and generated a list of key elements. Next, we audio-recorded patients' (n = 20) initial multidisciplinary oncology visits and used qualitative content analyses to describe how clinicians discussed this information and surveyed patients to ask if they heard each key element. RESULTS We identified 13 key elements of information patients need when making decisions regarding preoperative therapy, including treatment complications, alternatives, logistics, and potential outcomes. Patients reported hearing infrequently about complications (eg, hospitalizations [n = 3 of 20]) and alternatives (n = 8 of 20) but frequently recalled logistics and potential outcomes (eg, likelihood of surgery [n = 19 of 20]). Clinicians infrequently discussed complications (eg, hospitalizations [n = 7 of 20]), but frequently discussed alternatives, logistics, and potential outcomes (eg, likelihood of surgery [n = 20 of 20]). No overarching differences in clinician discussion content emerged to explain why patients did or did not hear about each key element. CONCLUSION We identified key elements of information patients with pancreatic cancer need when considering preoperative therapy. Patients infrequently heard about treatment complications and alternatives, while frequently hearing about logistics and potential outcomes, underscoring areas for improvement in educating patients about new treatment options in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard J Lee
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Carolyn L Qian
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Sophia L Landay
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Deirdre O'Callaghan
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Emilia Kaslow-Zieve
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Chinenye C Azoba
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Charn-Xin Fuh
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Brandon Temel
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Nneka Ufere
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Laura A Petrillo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Palliative Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Zhi Ven Fong
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Joseph A Greer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jennifer S Temel
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Lara Traeger
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Ryan D Nipp
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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49
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Gu YF, Lin FP, Epstein RJ. How aging of the global population is changing oncology. Ecancermedicalscience 2022; 15:ed119. [PMID: 35211208 PMCID: PMC8816510 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2021.ed119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Population aging is causing a demographic redistribution with implications for the future of healthcare. How will this affect oncology? First, there will be an overall rise in cancer affecting older adults, even though age-specific cancer incidences continue to fall due to better prevention. Second, there will be a wider spectrum of health functionality in this expanding cohort of older adults, with differences between “physiologically older” and “physiologically younger” patients becoming more important for optimal treatment selection. Third, greater teamwork with supportive care, geriatric, mental health and rehabilitation experts will come to enrich oncologic decision-making by making it less formulaic than it is at present. Success in this transition to a more nuanced professional mindset will depend in part on the development of user-friendly computational tools that can integrate a complex mix of quantitative and qualitative inputs from evidence-based medicine, functional and cognitive assessments, and the personal priorities of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Fei Gu
- New Hope Cancer Center, United Family Hospitals, 9 Jiangtai W Rd, Chaoyang, Beijing 100015, China
| | - Frank P Lin
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia.,NH&MRC Clinical Trials Centre, 92 Parramatta Rd, Camperdown, Sydney 2050, Australia
| | - Richard J Epstein
- New Hope Cancer Center, United Family Hospitals, 9 Jiangtai W Rd, Chaoyang, Beijing 100015, China.,Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia.,UNSW Clinical School, St Vincent's Hospital, 390 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney 2010, Australia.,https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4640-0195
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50
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O'Donnell EK, Shapiro YN, Yee AJ, Nadeem O, Hu BY, Laubach JP, Branagan AR, Anderson KC, Mo CC, Munshi NC, Ghobrial IM, Sperling AS, Agyemang EA, Burke JN, Harrington CC, Richardson PG, Raje NS, El-Jawahri A. Quality of life, psychological distress, and prognostic perceptions in patients with multiple myeloma. Cancer 2022; 128:1996-2004. [PMID: 35167125 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.34134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematologic malignancy requiring long-term, continuous therapy. Despite its chronic and unrelenting course, studies examining quality of life (QOL), psychological distress, and perceptions of prognosis by line of therapy are lacking. METHODS The authors conducted a cross-sectional, multisite study of patients undergoing treatment for MM (excluding maintenance) between June 2020 and January 2021. The authors conducted purposeful sampling and recruited patients to 3 cohorts based on lines of therapy: 1) newly diagnosed receiving first-line therapy; 2) 2 to 3 lines; and 3) 4 or more lines. Patients completed validated questionnaires to assess their QOL, fatigue, psychological distress, and perceptions of prognosis. RESULTS A total of 180 patients with MM were enrolled (newly diagnosed [n = 60], 2 to 3 lines [n = 60], and ≥4 lines of therapy [n = 60]). QOL, symptom burden, and fatigue scores did not differ by lines of therapy. There were no statistically significant differences in psychological distress by line of therapy. The rates of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were 23.9% (43 of 180), 23.9% (43 of 180), and 24.4% (44 of 180), respectively. Most patients (84.7%, 149 of 176) reported that their oncologist told them their cancer was incurable, but only 30.6% (53 of 173) acknowledged that they were terminally ill, and 42.0% (73 of 174) reported that they thought their cancer was incurable. CONCLUSIONS Patients with MM undergoing treatment experience impaired QOL and elevated psychological distress across the disease continuum, regardless of line of therapy. A substantial proportion of patients with MM have significant misperceptions about their prognosis and the curability of their illness despite reporting being informed of the prognosis by their oncologist. LAY SUMMARY This study discusses 180 patients with MM (newly diagnosed [n = 60], 2-3 lines [n = 60], and ≥4 lines of therapy [n = 60]). Quality of life, symptom burden, and fatigue scores do not differ by lines of therapy. There are also no statistically significant differences in psychological distress by line of therapy. The rates of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are 23.9%, 23.9%, and 24.4%, respectively. Most patients (84.7%) report that their oncologist told them their cancer was incurable, but only 30.6% acknowledge that they are terminally ill, and 42.0% report that they thought their cancer was incurable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K O'Donnell
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yael N Shapiro
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew J Yee
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Mass General/North Shore Cancer Center, Danvers, Massachusetts
| | - Omar Nadeem
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bonnie Y Hu
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jacob P Laubach
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew R Branagan
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth C Anderson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clifton C Mo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nikhil C Munshi
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Irene M Ghobrial
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Adam S Sperling
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Jill N Burke
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Paul G Richardson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Noopur S Raje
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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