Supportive Care in Cancer: Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the incidence and difference of side effects among six courses of chemotherapy (C/T) in gynecological cancer patients. METHODS: The study period was from Sep. 2010 to Dec. 2011 at the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan. The treating protocols, courses, and drugs of C/T in patient were considered according to the different malignant cancers and clinical conditions. The patient data of age, marriage status, education, religion, and experiences of C/T were collected...

PURPOSE: Clinical practice guidelines on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) use the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), while recent clinical trials employ a potentially superior measure, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-CIPN twenty-item scale (QLQ-CIPN20), a patient-reported outcome (PRO). Practitioners and researchers lack guidance, regarding how QLQ-CIPN20 results relate to the traditional CTCAE during the serial assessment of patients undergoing chemotherapy...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Participating in regular physical activity is a recommended cancer recovery strategy for breast cancer survivors. However, tailored support services are not widely available and most survivors are insufficiently active to obtain health benefits. Delivering tailored programs via the Internet offers one promising approach. However, recent evaluations of such programs suggest that major improvements are needed to ensure programs meet the needs of users and are delivered in an engaging way...

PURPOSE: The increasing number of women living longer with potential side effects of breast cancer treatment highlights the need of a comprehensive assessment of its burden. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the relation between different breast cancer treatments and sleep quality 1 year after diagnosis. METHODS: A cohort of 502 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was prospectively followed. Sleep quality was evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of biomarkers to predict the risk of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients, as well as to assess the correlation between these biomarkers and the severity of mucositis. METHODS: The search was performed at LILACS, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science. A search of the gray literature was performed on Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and ProQuest. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (MAStARI) tool, and the evidence quality was assessed by the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system...

PURPOSE: Physical activity can enhance quality of life in cancer survivors, but this conclusion is based largely on research linking moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with quality of life. Light-intensity physical activity may be more feasible than more strenuous exercise for many older cancer survivors. This study reports a secondary analysis of baseline data from a lifestyle behavior intervention trial and examines the hypothesis that older cancer survivors who engage in more light-intensity physical activity, independent of moderate-to-vigorous activity, will report better mental quality of life...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to identify the work ability (WA) of breast cancer (BC) survivors during the course of their illness, and the relationships between personal-, disease-, and work-related factors, and their WA. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey study. One hundred fifty-one participants with the response rate of 88.9% were recruited from the community in 2014 and 2015. RESULTS: BC survivors' WA was at its highest before diagnosis, and then dropped to the lowest during treatment...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term survival of all patients who participated in a pilot randomised trial of an early nutritional intervention for adults with upper gastrointestinal cancer. It also sought to identify factors that predicted patient mortality. METHODS: All participants (n = 21) who were randomised into the original study were followed for a maximum of 5 years and 2 months (final follow-up April 2016). The primary outcome measure was time from date of recruitment until date of death, ascertained by the Victorian Cancer Registry and/or Monash Health Scanned Medical Records...

PURPOSE: This study examined the effectiveness, feasibility, and satisfaction with implementation of the FOCUS program in two US Cancer Support Community affiliates in Ohio and California as well as the cost to deliver the program. FOCUS is an evidence-based psychoeducational intervention for dyads (cancer patients and caregivers). METHODS: A pre-post-intervention design was employed. Eleven, five-session Focus programs were delivered by licensed professionals in a small group format (three-four dyads/group) to 36 patient-caregiver dyads...

PURPOSE: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We aimed to look at complications in febrile neutropenia and to derive a risk model for developing complications from the variables predicting complications. METHODS: Children on treatment for ALL, presenting with FN, were prospectively enrolled over a period of 1 year. Their clinical presentation, course during hospital stay, and outcomes were recorded...

PURPOSE: The aim of the present meta-analysis was to quantify effects of resistance exercise (RE) on physical performance and function, body composition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and fatigue in patients with prostate cancer. METHODS: Trial data were obtained from the databases PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library as of inception to 31st of December 2016. Thirty-two trials with 1199 patients were included. Results that were measured by using the same assessment method in five or more of the original studies were pooled in a meta-analysis...

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers have been associated with different demographic profiles and disease characteristics than HPV-unrelated cancers in head and neck patients, but distress and other symptoms have not been compared. The aim of this study was to assess whether distress levels, fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, and common psychological and practical problems differ between head and neck cancer patients with HPV-related vs. HPV-unrelated carcinomas (using oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) and non-OPC cancers as surrogates for HPV status)...

PURPOSE: Oral agents for cancer treatment are increasingly prescribed due to their benefits. However, oral cancer medications are difficult to handle and have a considerable potential for side effects. This type of therapy requires a high level of self-management competence by the patient. A standardized patient education program provided by physicians and oncology nurses may positively influence the handling of oral agents. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a standardized patient education program provided by specially trained oncology nurses on therapy management regarding side effects and unplanned therapy interruptions...

PURPOSE: The study's purpose was to develop practical guidelines for assessment and management of refusal of treatment by adults afflicted with cancer. METHODS: The French Association for Supportive Care in Cancer and the French Society for Psycho-oncology gathered a task force that applied a consensus methodology to draft guidelines studied predisposing situations, the diagnosis, regulatory aspects, and the management of refusal of treatment by adults afflicted with cancer...

PURPOSE: Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with weight loss which may reflect skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and/or total adipose tissue (TAT) depletion. This study aimed to describe changes in body composition (BC) parameters and to identify the factors unrelated to the tumor which modulate them. METHODS: SMM, TAT, and the proportion of SMM to SMM + TAT were assessed with computed tomography. Estimates of each BC parameter at follow-up initiation and across time were derived from a mixed linear model of repeated measurements with a random intercept and a random slope...

PURPOSE: There is evidence to support that meaning-centered group psychotherapy for cancer survivors (MCGP-CS) is an effective intervention for improving personal meaning and psychological well-being, as well as reducing psychological distress. In order to investigate which subpopulations MCGP-CS specifically benefits, this explorative study aims to analyze potential sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors that may moderate the effects. METHODS: Cancer survivors (N = 114) were randomly assigned to MCGP-CS, or care as usual (CAU)...

INTRODUCTION: Cancer patients live longer with effective anti-cancer therapy and supportive care. About 30% of cancer survivors (non-palliative cancer patients who completed treatment) suffer from chronic pain, which will be managed by their primary care physician (PCP). The aim of this study was to assess practice patterns and treatment barriers in the management of chronic pain in cancer survivors among PCPs. METHODS: A survey using a 16-item questionnaire was sent to PCPs across Canada...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a prominent side effect of the treatment of cancer. Despite this frequent complication, there has been no comprehensive review and quality appraisal of CIPN assessments. The purpose of this study is to provide a definitive quality appraisal of CIPN assessment strategies for clinical use. METHODS: Relevant studies were identified through database searches of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane...