scholarly journals Randomized controlled trial of the effect of a reproductive health survivorship care plan on fertility and pregnancy concerns, vasomotor symptoms, sexual health, and contraception in young breast cancer survivors

2018 ◽  
Vol 110 (4) ◽  
pp. e48
Author(s):  
S.S. Stark ◽  
B. Kwan ◽  
E. Myers ◽  
L. Natarajan ◽  
H. Su
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Care Plan ◽  
Survivorship Care Plan ◽  
Vasomotor Symptoms ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Young Breast Cancer

scholarly journals Views of family physicians about survivorship care plans to provide breast cancer follow-up care: exploration of results from a randomized controlled trial

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. O'Brien ◽  
E. Grunfeld ◽  
J. Sussman ◽  
G. Porter ◽  
M. Hammond Mobilio
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
Survivorship Care Plan ◽  
Survivorship Care Plans ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Care Plans ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background The U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that cancer patients receive survivorship care plans, but evaluations to date have found little evidence of the effectiveness of such plans. We conducted a qualitative follow-on study to a randomized controlled trial (rct) to understand the experiences of family physicians using survivorship care plans to support the follow-up of breast cancer patients.MethodsA subset of family physicians whose patients were enrolled in the parent rct in Ontario and Nova Scotia were eligible for this study. In interviews, the physicians discussed survivorship care plans (intervention) or usual discharge letters (control), and their confidence in providing follow-up cancer care.Results Of 123 eligible family physicians, 18 (10 intervention, 8 control) were interviewed. In general, physicians receiving a survivorship care plan found only the 1-page care record to be useful. Physicians who received only a discharge letter had variable views about the letter’s usefulness; several indicated that it lacked information about potential cancer- or treatment-related problems. Most physicians were comfortable providing care 3–5 years after diagnosis, but desired timely and informative communication with oncologists. Conclusions Although family physicians did not find extensive survivorship care plans useful, discharge letters might not be sufficiently comprehensive for follow-up breast cancer care. Effective strategies for two-way communication between family physicians and oncologists are still lacking.

Acupuncture Versus Venlafaxine for the Management of Vasomotor Symptoms in Patients With Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor M. Walker ◽  
Alba I. Rodriguez ◽  
Beth Kohn ◽  
Ronald M. Ball ◽  
Jan Pegg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Hot Flashes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Acupuncture Group ◽  
Vasomotor Symptoms ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Purpose Vasomotor symptoms are common adverse effects of antiestrogen hormone treatment in conventional breast cancer care. Hormone replacement therapy is contraindicated in patients with breast cancer. Venlafaxine (Effexor), the therapy of choice for these symptoms, has numerous adverse effects. Recent studies suggest acupuncture may be effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms in menopausal women. This randomized controlled trial tested whether acupuncture reduces vasomotor symptoms and produces fewer adverse effects than venlafaxine. Patients and Methods Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive 12 weeks of acupuncture (n = 25) or venlafaxine (n = 25) treatment. Health outcomes were measured for up to 1 year post-treatment. Results Both groups exhibited significant decreases in hot flashes, depressive symptoms, and other quality-of-life symptoms, including significant improvements in mental health from pre- to post-treatment. These changes were similar in both groups, indicating that acupuncture was as effective as venlafaxine. By 2 weeks post-treatment, the venlafaxine group experienced significant increases in hot flashes, whereas hot flashes in the acupuncture group remained at low levels. The venlafaxine group experienced 18 incidences of adverse effects (eg, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety), whereas the acupuncture group experienced no negative adverse effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increased sex drive in some women, and most reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being. Conclusion Acupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term antiestrogen hormone use in patients with breast cancer.

scholarly journals A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR[BC]) on Levels of Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Recovering Breast Cancer Survivors

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 456-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard R. Reich ◽  
Cecile A. Lengacher ◽  
Thomas W. Klein ◽  
Cathy Newton ◽  
Steve Shivers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Tumor Necrosis ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Cytokine Levels ◽  
Tgf Β1 ◽  
Necrosis Factor

Purpose: The purpose of this substudy of a large randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Breast Cancer) (MBSR[BC]) program compared to usual care (UC) in normalizing blood levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines among breast cancer survivors (BCS). Method: A total of 322 BCS were randomized to either a 6-week MBSR(BC) program or a UC. At baseline and 6 and 12 weeks, 10 ml of venous blood and demographic and clinical data were collected and/or updated. Plasma cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF] α, transforming growth factor [TGF] β1, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor [sTNFR] 1) were assayed. Linear mixed models were used to assess cytokine levels across three time points (baseline and 6 and 12 weeks) by group (MBSR[BC] vs. UC). Results: Of the six measured cytokines, three were nondetectable at rates greater than 50% (IL-10, IL-1β, TGF-β1) and, because of overall low prevalence, were not analyzed further. For the remaining cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, sTNFR1), results showed that TNFα and IL-6 increased during the follow-up period (between 6 and 12 weeks) rather than during the MBSR(BC) training period (between baseline and 6 weeks), while sTNFR1 levels did not change significantly across the 12-week period. Conclusions: Study results suggest that MBSR(BC) affects cytokine levels in BCS, mainly with increases in TNFα and IL-6. The data further suggest that B-cell modulation may be a part of immune recovery during breast cancer management and that increases in TNFα and IL-6 may be markers for MBSR(BC)-related recovery.

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