Effects of improved hypoallergenic fabrics in medical wigs in patients with breast cancer with chemotherapy-induced alopecia: a randomised clinical trial

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002309
Author(s):  
Nao Tamai ◽  
Takeo Minematsu ◽  
Mari Ikeda ◽  
Yuko Mugita ◽  
Hiromi Sanada

PurposeChemotherapy causes changes in appearance in patients with cancer. Therefore, to have a normal life, it is necessary for patients to wear a wig. However, wearing a wig may strain an already sensitive scalp during chemotherapy. This study aimed to assess the effects of a hypoallergenic medical wig in breast cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA).MethodsA randomised, single-blind, controlled study was conducted from January 2015 to July 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. Women with non-metastatic breast cancers were enrolled. Participants were provided a hypoallergenic medical wig or a traditional medical wig. The primary endpoint was incidence of scalp dermatitis, including erythema, rash and erosion. The secondary endpoints were incidence of scalp symptoms, alterations in scalp barrier functions and quality of life (QOL). Patients were followed at the start of the first chemotherapy administration and at 13th week.ResultsFifty-nine women were included in the analysis. At 13th week, the incidence of erythema was 44.8% among patients in the intervention group and 86.7% among patients in the control group, in the intention-to-treat analysis (p<0.01). The incidence of erosion tended to decrease in the intervention group at the 13th week (p=0.09). The incidence of scalp symptoms, alterations in scalp barrier functions and QOL were not significantly different between the groups.ConclusionsThe incidence of dermatitis, including erythema, rash and erosion, decreased when wearing the new hypoallergenic medical wig. The gentle hypoallergenic medical wig is useful in improving erythema in cancer patients with CIA.Trial registration number UMIN000021289.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21658-e21658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koki Okumatsu ◽  
Takehiko Tsujimoto ◽  
Akina Seki ◽  
Teruo Yamauchi ◽  
Hideko Yamauchi ◽  
...  

e21658 Background: Weight gain, deterioration of physical fitness, and cancer-related fatigue often occur in the breast cancer patients mainly due to endocrine therapy. A number of previous studies have reported that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence and death, while exercise habituation improves physical fitness and fatigue among breast cancer patients. However, almost all studies have been conducted in the Western community and there are few studies focused on Asian women who may have lower BMI compared with the Western ones. Therefore, we investigated whether a combined diet plus exercise program affects weight loss, physical fitness and fatigue indices among Japanese breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapies. Methods: Thirty-two Japanese women with breast cancer undergoing endocrine therapy (age; 50±6 years, body weight; 57±10 kg) were voluntarily assigned to either intervention group (n = 21) or control group (n = 11). The intervention group completed a 12-week combined diet plus exercise program, consisting of weekly diet instruction classes aimed at maintaining a nutritionally well-balanced 1,200 kcal/d diet and a weekly 90-min exercise session. Anthropometric indices, physical fitness, blood sample and cancer-related fatigue were measured at baseline and after the 12-week program. Results: All of the 21 women completed the 12-week program. Mean weight loss was 8.7% of the initial weight in the intervention group and 0.1% in the control group ( P < . 001). Significant improvements were observed in cardiorespiratory fitness ( P < .01), flexibility ( P < .01) and agility ( P < .01) in the intervention group. Cancer related-fatigue scores decreased by 7.9 points (39%) among the intervention group ( P < .001), while it remained essentially unchanged among the control group. No adverse events were reported in the intervention group. Conclusions: A combined diet plus exercise program may contribute to a decrease in body weight and improvement in physical fitness and cancer-related fatigue. Further study is needed to help reduce side effects due to endocrine therapy and enhance quality of life among Asian breast cancer patients. Clinical trial information: UMIN000025890.


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (28) ◽  
pp. 4387-4395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson B. Moadel ◽  
Chirag Shah ◽  
Judith Wylie-Rosett ◽  
Melanie S. Harris ◽  
Sapana R. Patel ◽  
...  

Purpose This study examines the impact of yoga, including physical poses, breathing, and meditation exercises, on quality of life (QOL), fatigue, distressed mood, and spiritual well-being among a multiethnic sample of breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods One hundred twenty-eight patients (42% African American, 31% Hispanic) recruited from an urban cancer center were randomly assigned (2:1 ratio) to a 12-week yoga intervention (n = 84) or a 12-week waitlist control group (n = 44). Changes in QOL (eg, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy) from before random assignment (T1) to the 3-month follow-up (T3) were examined; predictors of adherence were also assessed. Nearly half of all patients were receiving medical treatment. Results Regression analyses indicated that the control group had a greater decrease in social well-being compared with the intervention group after controlling for baseline social well-being and covariates (P < .0001). Secondary analyses of 71 patients not receiving chemotherapy during the intervention period indicated favorable outcomes for the intervention group compared with the control group in overall QOL (P < .008), emotional well-being (P < .015), social well-being (P < .004), spiritual well-being (P < .009), and distressed mood (P < .031). Sixty-nine percent of intervention participants attended classes (mean number of classes attended by active class participants = 7.00 ± 3.80), with lower adherence associated with increased fatigue (P < .001), radiotherapy (P < .0001), younger age (P < .008), and no antiestrogen therapy (P < .02). Conclusion Despite limited adherence, this intent-to-treat analysis suggests that yoga is associated with beneficial effects on social functioning among a medically diverse sample of breast cancer survivors. Among patients not receiving chemotherapy, yoga appears to enhance emotional well-being and mood and may serve to buffer deterioration in both overall and specific domains of QOL.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 736-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Mulens ◽  
Ana de la Torre ◽  
Patricia Marinello ◽  
Ronald Rodríguez ◽  
Jorge Cardoso ◽  
...  

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Margarete Karsten ◽  
Friedrich Kühn ◽  
Therese Pross ◽  
Jens-Uwe Blohmer ◽  
Anna Maria Hage ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite the progress of research and treatment for breast cancer, still up to 30% of the patients afflicted will develop distant disease. Elongation of survival and maintaining the quality of life (QoL) become pivotal issues guiding the treatment decisions. One possible approach to optimise survival and QoL is the use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to timely identify acute disease-related burden. We present the protocol of a trial that investigates the effect of real-time PRO data captured with electronic mobile devices on QoL in female breast cancer patients with metastatic disease. Methods This study is a randomised, controlled trial with 1:1 randomisation between two arms. A total of 1000 patients will be recruited in 40 selected breast cancer centres. Patients in the intervention arm receive a weekly request via an app to complete the PRO survey. Symptoms will be assessed by study-specific optimised short forms based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 domains using items from the EORTC CAT item banks. In case of deteriorating PRO scores, an alarm is sent to the treating study centre as well as to the PRO B study office. Following the alarm, the treating breast cancer centre is required to contact the patient to inquire about the reported symptoms and to intervene, if necessary. The intervention is not specified and depends on the clinical need determined by the treating physician. Patients in the control arm are prompted by the app every 3 months to participate in the PRO survey, but their response will not trigger an alarm. The primary outcome is the fatigue level 6 months after enrolment. Secondary endpoints include among others hospitalisations, use of rescue services and overall QoL. Discussion Within the PRO B intervention group, we expect lower fatigue levels 6 months after intervention start, higher levels of QoL, less unplanned hospitalisations and less emergency room visits compared to controls. In case of positive results, our approach would allow a fast and easy transfer into clinical practice due to the use of the already nationwide existing IT infrastructure of the German Cancer Society and the independent certification institute OnkoZert. Trial registration DRKS (German Clinical Trials Register) DRKS00024015. Registered on 15 February 2021


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e12051-e12051
Author(s):  
Zehra Gok Metin ◽  
Nur Izgu ◽  
Canan Karadas ◽  
Leyla Ozdemir ◽  
Umut Demirci

e12051 Background: Breast cancer patients often suffer from fatigue during adjuvant paclitaxel regimen which frequently impairs quality of life (QOL). Therefore, this three-arm randomized controlled study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on fatigue and QOL in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant paclitaxel. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to either a MBSR (n = 20), (PMR) (n = 19) or control group (CG) (n = 15). Participants in the intervention groups were instructed on MBSR and PGE, the steps of interventions were recorded a voice recorder and a WhatsApp group was designed by the principal investigator. Participants were asked to listen the recorded audio files during exercises. The intervention groups continued MBSR or PMR 20 min. each day, totally 12 weeks at their home. The CG received only an attention placebo education on breast cancer. Data collection tools included Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC). Data were collected at three time points: baseline (T1), week 12 (T2), and week 14 (T3) for follow-up assessment. Kruskal Wallis tests was used for data analysis. Results: BFI scores were significantly lower in the MBSR, PMR groups compared with the CG at T2 and at T3 (p < .01). As for FLIC scores, there were no significant differences between the study groups at T2 and at T3 (p > 0.05). Conclusions: A brief, MBSR and PMR initiated concurrently with adjuvant paclitaxel regimen decreased fatigue severity. Based on the results, MBSR and PMR can be recommended as supportive therapies for breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant paclitaxel.


Breast Care ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 335-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Marschalek ◽  
Alex Farr ◽  
Marie-Louise Marschalek ◽  
Konrad J. Domig ◽  
Wolfgang Kneifel ◽  
...  

Background: Due to chemotherapy and estrogen deprivation therapy, genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a common condition in breast cancer patients. We aimed to determine the effect of an orally administered Lactobacillus preparation on the vaginal microbiota in breast cancer patients. Methods: Postmenopausal breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, with vaginal atrophy and an intermediate vaginal microbiota (Nugent score 4-6), were either randomized to the intervention group receiving probiotic capsules of 4 Lactobacillus species or to the control group receiving placebo twice daily for 2 weeks. Consecutive vaginal swabs were taken at baseline, 1 day after administration of the last capsule (follow-up 1), and after 1 week (follow-up 2) in 22 patients (11 vs. 11). Results: We observed a positive influence on the vaginal microbiota in 7/11 (63%) women in the intervention group, and 4/11 (36%) women in the control group. There was a shift in Nugent score towards normal microbiota levels in the intervention group (-1.3 at follow-up 1, -0.45 at follow-up 2) and a significant deterioration of the Nugent score in the control group (+0.4 at follow-up 1, +2.5 at follow-up 2). Conclusion: The orally administered Lactobacillus preparation has the potential to improve the vaginal microbiota in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoyun Liu ◽  
Jing Shan ◽  
Qian Yu ◽  
Xinzhao Wang ◽  
Xiang Song ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe NCCN guidelines recommend that the addition of bevacizumab should be considered in metastatic breast cancers in some circumstances, but there are no recommendations for the similar antiangiogenic drug apatinib. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of apatinib in metastatic breast cancer patients pretreated with multiline treatment in a real-world setting.Materials and MethodsMetastatic breast cancer patients pretreated with multiline treatment who had apatinib treatment initiated from September 2015 to August 2019 at Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute were included. The primary endpoints included PFS and OS, and the secondary endpoint was treatment-related toxicity.ResultsA total of 66 patients with metastatic breast cancer received apatinib treatment after failure of multiline chemotherapy in this study. The median PFS and OS of all 66 patients were 6.0 months and 10.0 months, respectively. The clinical beneficial rate was 40.9%. All patients tolerated treatment well, and no patients died of toxicity. The common toxicities of apatinib were hand and foot syndrome, secondary hypertension and fatigue events. The number of prior chemotherapy regimens was significantly associated with DFS and OS. Capecitabine may be a better choice for combination with a longer median OS of 19 months, while apatinib combined with other drugs was 9 months, and the apatinib monotherapy was 10 months.ConclusionApatinib produced moderate efficacy in metastatic breast cancer patients pretreated with multiline treatment with no significant treatment-related adverse events. Apatinib might be a choice for women as a maintenance salvage therapy following multiline chemotherapy failure.


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