scholarly journals What Makes Oncologists Feel Compassion Fatigue? Qualitative Findings From Korea

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402110067
Author(s):  
Jaehee Yi ◽  
Min Ah Kim ◽  
Kwonho Choi

This study explored oncologists’ compassion fatigue in their practice with cancer patients and families. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted. A purposeful sample of nine oncologists was recruited from three hospitals in Korea. We used a hybrid of the theory-driven deductive approach and data-driven inductive approach based on the transactional model of physician compassion. Oncologists shared contexts from which their compassion fatigue stems based on four categories: physician factors, clinical factors, patient and family factors, and environmental and institutional factors. Given the nature of their job, oncologists should receive interventions that improve resilience and reduce compassion fatigue. We suggest interventions that promote appropriate levels of compassion and reduce interfering barriers.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 428-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaheh Ashouri ◽  
Fariba Taleghani ◽  
Mehrdad Memarzadeh ◽  
Morteza Saburi ◽  
Fatemeh Babashahi

Background Although evidence suggests that empathic behaviour is an essential component in nursing care that affects the psychological distress experienced by cancer patients, it remains a neglected issue in nursing in Iran. Methods: This study was conducted on 33 participants selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and were then analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Findings: Three categories of data thus emerged, comprising: (a) empathetic attention; (b) empathetic presence; and (c) the facilitators of empathetic behaviour. Conclusions: The findings can help oncology nurses provide more empathetic care to patients and their family members.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (42) ◽  
pp. 7655-7671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinfeng Zou ◽  
Edwin Wang

Background: Precision medicine puts forward customized healthcare for cancer patients. An important way to accomplish this task is to stratify patients into those who may respond to a treatment and those who may not. For this purpose, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers have been pursued. Objective: This review focuses on novel approaches and concepts of exploring biomarker discovery under the circumstances that technologies are developed, and data are accumulated for precision medicine. Results: The traditional mechanism-driven functional biomarkers have the advantage of actionable insights, while data-driven computational biomarkers can fulfill more needs, especially with tremendous data on the molecules of different layers (e.g. genetic mutation, mRNA, protein etc.) which are accumulated based on a plenty of technologies. Besides, the technology-driven liquid biopsy biomarker is very promising to improve patients’ survival. The developments of biomarker discovery on these aspects are promoting the understanding of cancer, helping the stratification of patients and improving patients’ survival. Conclusion: Current developments on mechanisms-, data- and technology-driven biomarker discovery are achieving the aim of precision medicine and promoting the clinical application of biomarkers. Meanwhile, the complexity of cancer requires more effective biomarkers, which could be accomplished by a comprehensive integration of multiple types of biomarkers together with a deep understanding of cancer.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2632
Author(s):  
Aparajita Budithi ◽  
Sumeyye Su ◽  
Arkadz Kirshtein ◽  
Leili Shahriyari

Many colon cancer patients show resistance to their treatments. Therefore, it is important to consider unique characteristic of each tumor to find the best treatment options for each patient. In this study, we develop a data driven mathematical model for interaction between the tumor microenvironment and FOLFIRI drug agents in colon cancer. Patients are divided into five distinct clusters based on their estimated immune cell fractions obtained from their primary tumors’ gene expression data. We then analyze the effects of drugs on cancer cells and immune cells in each group, and we observe different responses to the FOLFIRI drugs between patients in different immune groups. For instance, patients in cluster 3 with the highest T-reg/T-helper ratio respond better to the FOLFIRI treatment, while patients in cluster 2 with the lowest T-reg/T-helper ratio resist the treatment. Moreover, we use ROC curve to validate the model using the tumor status of the patients at their follow up, and the model predicts well for the earlier follow up days.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Li ◽  
S Z Y Ooi ◽  
T Woo ◽  
P H M Chan

Abstract Aim To identify the most relevant clinical factors in the National Bowel Cancer Audit (NBOCA) that contribute to the variation in the quality of care provided in different hospitals for colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgery. Method Data from 36,116 patients with colorectal cancer who had undergone surgery were retrospectively collected from the NBOCA and analysed from 145 and 146 hospitals over two years. A validated multiple linear regression was performed to compare the identified clinical factors with various quality outcomes. The quality outcomes defined in this study were the length of hospitalisation, 2-year mortality, readmission rate, 90-day mortality, and 18-month stoma rate. Results Four clinical factors (laparoscopy rate, abdominal-perineal-resection-of-rectum (APER), pre-operative radiotherapy and patients with distant metastases) were shown to have a significant (p < 0.05) impact on the length of hospitalisation and 18-month stoma rate. 18-month stoma rate was also significantly associated with 2-year mortality. External validation of the regression model demonstrated the Root-Mean-Square-Error of 0.811 and 4.62 for 18-month stoma rate and 2-year mortality respectively. Conclusions Hospitals should monitor the four clinical factors for patients with colorectal cancer during perioperative care. Clinicians should consider these factors along with the individual patients’ history when formulating a management plan for patients with colorectal cancer.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Ayumi Yoshikawa ◽  
Shinya Saito ◽  
Makiko Kondo ◽  
Yuko Tsuyumu ◽  
Naruto Taira ◽  
...  

Objective: To clarify how breast cancer patients undergoing post-surgical hormone therapy cope with changes in their sexual lives and support themselves and their partners during these changes.Methods: Participants were 37 breast cancer patients undergoing post-surgical hormone therapy and attending mammary outpatient clinics. In-depth interviews and grounded theory were used to collect and analyze data, respectively.Results: First, sexual life was divided into four groups: “No complaint” regarding sexual activity, “Slight discord”, “Handicapped in meeting a life partner” and “Uninterested” in sexual activity. Sexual life during surgical-hormone therapy did not change significantly from sexual life before breast cancer. Second, meanings of sexual activity for breast cancer patients were divided into five, “Regaining femininity”, “Confirming love”, “Sharing pleasure”, “Response to partner’s higher desire” and “Procreation”. They differed by group. Third, coping strategies were divided into six, “Virtuous cycle to confirm love and regain lost femininity”, “Struggle to avoid relationship crisis”, “Reconfirmation of partner’s affection by his abstinence”, “Attempt to recover the sexual activity they hope for”, “Pursuing children or assuaging partner’s desire by other means” and “Difficulty making a partner continue to have sexual activity”.Conclusions: Nurses should screen breast cancer patients for changes in their sexual lives and to ascertain what sexual activity means to patients, and support them in selecting appropriate coping methods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 132-143
Author(s):  
Nam Pham Tien

The provision of social work service for cancer patients is facing many challenges. Therefore, this study aims to explore factors affecting the provision of social work services for cancer patients at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital. This is a cross-sectional study that used 10 in-depth interviews, and three focus group discussions to collect data. Our findings showed that the factors such as specialized qualifications of social workers, available facilities, the network of social work collaborators, finance, and policy regimes hindered the provision of social work services for cancer patients at the hospital. Meanwhile, the financial factor contributed to promote social work services for cancer patients at the hospital. Besides, the demands for the provision of social work services for cancer patients were one of the factors that should be considered in the coming time. Our study suggested stakeholders pay more attention to these factors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Meegoda MKDL ◽  
Fernando DMS ◽  
Sivayogan S ◽  
Atulomah NOS ◽  
Marasinghe RB

A qualitative study was conducted to describe views and life experiences of domiciliary care providers in meeting the palliative care needs of adult cancer patients at the National Cancer Institute, Maharagama, Sri Lanka. The target population for this study was Domiciliary Care Providers (DCPs) who were the family care givers of patients at National Institute of Cancer, Maharagam (NICM), Cancer Home (CH), Maharagama, Shantha Sevana Hospice (SSH) and Ceylinco Oncology Unit (COU), Colombo, Sri-Lanka. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants for the study. In-depth interviews were conducted using validated semi-structured interviewer guide. Data saturation was reached after 15 in-depth interviews with DCPs. Trustworthiness of the study was maintained. Phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was followed to analyze qualitative data and thematic analysis was performed. Data analysis was done concurrently with data gathering. Being reassured, having more expectations, need psychosocial help and inadequate knowledge were the key themes identified. They expect knowledge improvement to provide better care. As patients’ level of satisfaction on domiciliary care provided by DCPs was high, improving their knowledge on palliative care may be a cost effective method of improving palliative care.


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