Abstract P3-03-25: Quality of life and cost-effectiveness in patients undergoing level I versus level II and III axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer: A double blind randomised controlled trial with non-inferiority hypothesis

Author(s):  
KS Gour ◽  
K Kataria ◽  
P Ranjan ◽  
A Dhar ◽  
A Srivastava ◽  
...  
BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e041548
Author(s):  
Cristian Ochoa-Arnedo ◽  
Joan Carles Medina ◽  
Aida Flix-Valle ◽  
Dimitra Anastasiadou

IntroductionPsychosocial interventions for patients with breast cancer (BC) have demonstrated their effectiveness at reducing emotional distress and improving quality of life. The current digitisation of screening, monitoring and psychosocial treatment presents the opportunity for a revolution that could improve the quality of care and reduce its economic burden. The objectives of this study are, first, to assess the effectiveness of an e-health platform with integrated and stepped psychosocial services compared with usual psychosocial care, and second, to examine its cost–utility.Methods and analysisThis study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups: E-health intervention with integrated and stepped psychosocial services vs usual psychosocial care. An estimated sample of 338 patients with BC in the acute survival phase will be recruited from three university hospitals in Catalonia (Spain) and will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. All participants will be evaluated at the beginning of the study (T1: recruitment), 3 months from T1 (T2), 6 months from T1 (T3) and 12 months from T1 (T4). Primary outcome measures will include number of clinical cases detected, waiting time from detection to psychosocial intervention and proportion of cases successfully treated in the different steps of the intervention, as well as outcomes related to emotional distress, quality of life, post-traumatic stress and growth, treatment adherence and therapeutic alliance. Secondary outcomes will include the acceptability of the platform, patients’ satisfaction and usability. For the cost–utility analysis, we will assess quality-adjusted life years and costs related to healthcare utilisation, medication use and adherence, work absenteeism and infrastructure-related and transport-related costs.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Ethics committee of the Institut Català d’Oncologia network in Hospitalet, Spain. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, reports to the funding body, conferences among the scientific community, workshops with patients and media press releases.Trial registration numberOnline Psychosocial Cancer Screening, Monitoring and Stepped Treatment in Cancer Survivors (ICOnnectat-B),NCT04372459.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e035337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joost Wolfs ◽  
Jop Beugels ◽  
Merel Kimman ◽  
Andrzej A Piatkowski de Grzymala ◽  
Esther Heuts ◽  
...  

IntroductionEarly breast cancer detection and advancements in treatment options have resulted in an increase of breast cancer survivors. An increasing number of women are living with the long-term effects of breast cancer treatment, making the quality of survivorship an increasingly important goal. Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) is one of the most underestimated complications of breast cancer treatment with a reported incidence of 20%. A microsurgical technique called lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) might be a promising treatment modality for patients with BCRL. The main objective is to assess whether LVA is more effective than the current standard therapy (conservative treatment) in terms of improvement in quality of life and weather it is cost-effective.Methods and analysisA multicentre, randomised controlled trial, carried out in two academic and two community hospitals in the Netherlands. The study population includes 120 women over the age of 18 who have undergone treatment for breast cancer including axillary treatment (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection) and/or axillary radiotherapy, presenting with an early stage lymphoedema of the arm, viable lymphatic vessels and received at least 3 months conservative treatment. Sixty participants will undergo the LVA operation and the other sixty will continue their regular conservative treatment, both with a follow-up of 24 months. The primary outcome is the health-related quality of life. Secondary outcomes are societal costs, quality adjusted life years, cost-effectiveness ratio, discontinuation rate of conservative treatment and excess limb volume.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Maastricht University Medical Center (METC) on 19 December 2018 (NL67059.068.18). The results of this study will be disseminated in presentations at academic conferences, publications in peer-reviewed journals and other news media.Trial registration numberNCT02790021; Pre-results.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Eva Maria Heiman ◽  
Aron Onerup ◽  
David Bock ◽  
Eva Haglind ◽  
Roger Olofsson Bagge

Abstract PurposeWe conducted a randomised controlled trial (PhysSURG-B) to assess the short- and long-term effects of a non-supervised physical activity intervention at the time of breast cancer surgery. Here we report a secondary outcome, quality of life (QoL).MethodsFemale patients planned for surgery were randomly assigned to either an intervention of 30 minutes of self-administered physical aerobic activity daily 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery, or control. QoL was assessed with questionnaires at baseline, 4 weeks and 12 months postop using the instruments FACT-B, RAND-36 and EQ-VAS.ResultsOut of 354 included participants at 12 months follow-up after surgery, 287 were available for QoL analysis. Comparing intervention to control, the results for the FACT- B score at 4 weeks showed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.975 (95% CI 0.636-1.495) and at 12 months an OR of 0.883 (95% CI 0.581-1.342). The subgroup of patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had significantly lower FACT-B at 12 months compared to no chemotherapy (OR 0.475, 95% CI 0.300-0.735). EQ-VAS showed OR 1.163 (95% CI 0.760-1.779) and 0.817 (95% CI 0.536-1.244) at 4 weeks and 12 months, respectively. RAND-36 domains “role limitations due to physical health” and “pain” showed a decrease at 4 weeks in both groups, returning towards baseline at 12 months follow-up.ConclusionAn intervention of non-supervised physical activity before and after surgery for breast cancer had no effect on QoL. Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had significantly lower QoL, regardless of study group.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT 02560662. Registered 25 September, 2015.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Bryant ◽  
Lorna Duncan ◽  
Gene Feder ◽  
Alyson Huntley

Abstract Background: A Cochrane review of mistletoe therapy concludes that there is some evidence that mistletoe extracts may offer benefits on measures of quality of life during chemotherapy for breast cancer, but these results need replication. Our aim was to test the feasibility of a placebo controlled, double blind randomised controlled trial of mistletoe therapy in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Methods/design: A placebo controlled, double blind randomised controlled trial of mistletoe therapy in patients with breast cancer. There will be three arms (groups) in the trial: Iscador M, Iscador P, with physiological saline as the placebo. The aim is to recruit 45 adult patients with a new diagnosis of early or locally advanced breast cancer, up to 12 weeks following definitive breast surgery whose standard treatment plan includes chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. They will be taught to administer the MAB therapies subcutaneously and will titrate up to their optimal dose. MAB therapy will continue throughout their standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy and one month beyond. The main outcome of the MAB study is the feasibility of conducting such a trial within the NHS in order to inform a future fully powered investigative trial. Feasibility will be measured through recruitment, retention and patient experience using clinical research forms, patient diaries, cancer-related questionnaires and qualitative interviews conducted with both patients and oncology staff.Discussion: This trial is the first of its kind in the UK. Currently mistletoe therapy is mostly available through private practice in the UK. Completion of this feasibility study will support applications for further funding for a fully powered randomised controlled trial which will measure effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this herbal therapy.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document