Effect of Providing Cancer Patients With the Audiotaped Initial Consultation on Satisfaction, Recall, and Quality of Life: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study

PURPOSE: By means of a randomized double-blind study, the effect of providing taped initial consultations on cancer patients’ satisfaction, recall, and quality of life was investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive cancer patients referred to either the gynecology or medical oncology outpatient clinic were eligible. Initial consultations were audiotaped. Patients were either provided with the tape (experimental group) or not (control group). Baseline variables included sociodemographics, preferences for information, coping styles, and clinical characteristics. Follow-up (after 1 week and 3 months) variables included attitudes toward the intervention, satisfaction, recall, and quality of life. Assessments took place through mailed questionnaires and telephone interviews. RESULTS: Two hundred one patients were included (response, 71%), 105 in the experimental group and 96 in the control group. Most patients (75%) listened to the tape, the majority of which (73%) listened with others. Almost all patients, both in the experimental group (96%) and control group (98%) were positive about the intervention. Expectations were confirmed; patients provided with the tape were more satisfied (P < .05) and recalled more information (P < .01) than patients without the tape. The intervention did not have an effect on quality of life. An interaction effect was found between the intervention and patients’ age on satisfaction with the taped consultation (P < .01) and recall of diagnostic information (P < .01); access to tapes seems more helpful in enhancing satisfaction in younger patients and recall of diagnostic information in older patients. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients and their families value the taped initial consultation. This intervention enhances their satisfaction and improves their recall of information. Tapes seem more helpful in enhancing satisfaction in younger patients and recall of diagnostic information in older patients.

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Older Patients Are Less Affected by Radiochemotherapeutic Treatment than Younger

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2018/5471054 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Max J. Weiling ◽

Wencke Losensky ◽

Katharina Wächter ◽

Teresa Schilling ◽

Fabian Frank ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Older Patients ◽

Normative Data ◽

Age Groups ◽

German Population ◽

Younger Patients ◽

Significant Difference

Purpose. The general assumption is that cancer therapy impairs the quality of life in elderly patients more than in younger ones. We were interested in the effects of radiochemotherapeutic treatment on the quality of life of elderly patients compared to younger patients and compared to normative data of a general German population. Methods and Materials. A total of 465 patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Repetitive completion of the questionnaire over time led to 1407 datasets. Our patient cohort contained 197 (42.4%) patients with colorectal cancer followed by 109 (23.4%) patients with head and neck cancer, 43 (9.2%) patients with lung cancer, and 116 (25%) with other types of cancer. Patients were categorized into five age groups, the respective cut-offs being 40, 50, 60, and 70 years. Normative data were drawn from a population study of a general German population. Results. Functional scores and symptom scores were approximately stable between the different age groups. Our data does not suggest a significant difference between the investigated age groups. Advancing age evened out the differences between the normative data of the general German population and the cancer patients in 11 of 15 scores. Conclusions. The general belief about younger patients having fewer physical and psychological problems related to radiochemotherapy needs to be reconsidered. Overall resilience of older patients is apparently underestimated.

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Comprehensive Assessment of the Elderly Cancer Patient: The Feasibility of Self-Report Methodology

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2002.20.3.770 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 770-775 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Sally S. Ingram ◽

Pearl H. Seo ◽

Robert E. Martell ◽

Elizabeth C. Clipp ◽

Martha E. Doyle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Social Support ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Daily Living ◽

Older Patients ◽

Age Groups ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

Younger Patients

PURPOSE: Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has aided the medical community greatly in understanding the quality-of-life issues and functional needs of older patients. With its professional team assessment approach, however, CGA may be time consuming and costly. The goal of the present study was to assess the ability of cancer patients to complete a self-administered CGA and then to characterize cancer patients across multiple domains and age groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred sixty-six male outpatient oncology patients at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center were asked to fill out a survey assessing 10 domains (demographics, comorbid conditions, activities of daily living, functional status, pain, financial well being, social support, emotional state, spiritual well-being, and quality of life). RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the patients who received their surveys and kept their appointments returned the assessment tool. Older oncology patients had significantly less education (P < .0001), income (P = .05), frequent exercise (P = .01), and chance of being disease free (P = .003) than younger patients. Other findings in older patients were a higher rate of marriage (P = .02), more difficulty in taking medications (P = .05), and less cigarette (P = .03) and alcohol (P = .03) use. Members of all age cohorts reported a sense of social support, with younger patients deriving this more from family and friends than older patients, and older patients deriving social support more from membership in religious communities than younger patients. No differences were found across age groups for number and impact of comorbid illnesses, number of medications, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, pain, overall health rating, financial adequacy, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: CGA can be conducted in an outpatient cancer community using a self-report format. Despite the fact that this population varied demographically across age groups and is limited to veterans, this study demonstrated remarkable similarities between younger and older cancer patients in terms of functional status, health states, and quality of life.

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Laser Acupuncture Alleviates Symptoms and Improves Quality of Life in Women with Overactive Bladder: A Double-Blind, Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2020/1705964 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Yu-Wei Chang ◽

Tsia-Shu Lo ◽

Hsin-Ning Chang ◽

Yi-Hsien Shiao ◽

Yuan-Chieh Yeh

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Overactive Bladder ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Laser Acupuncture ◽

Control Group ◽

Double Blind ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Experimental Group

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of laser acupuncture for the treatment of women with overactive bladder (OAB) in Taiwan. Methods. A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on female patients with OAB symptoms referred from gynecologists, and subjects were divided into two groups using blocked randomization. LaserPan (RJ-Laser, Germany) was applied to seven selected acupuncture points. The subjects received laser acupuncture 3 times per week for 3 weeks, 9 sessions in total. Basic patient data, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), and Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) scores were recorded prior to first treatment and at the end of 3rd, 6th, and 9th treatments. Results. Thirty patients were enrolled, and twenty-seven patients completed all treatments in this study. The OABSS total score of the experimental group decreased significantly by 3.13 (p≤0.001), 4.60 (p≤0.001), and 3.79 (p≤0.001) after 3rd, 6th, and 9th treatments, respectively, compared with that of the control group. The IIQ-7 score declined significantly from baseline by 4.57 (p=0.003) and 3.63 (p=0.023) after 3rd and 6th treatments, respectively, compared with that of the control group. Similarly, the UDI-6 score of the experimental group exhibited a significant decrease from baseline by 1.90 (p=0.042) and 2.25 (p=0.025) after 6th and 9th interventions, respectively, compared with that of the control group. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that laser acupuncture can alleviate OAB symptoms and improve quality of life. This noninvasive device could be an effective therapy for women with OAB.

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Evaluating the Effects of a Mobile Health App on Reducing Patient Care Needs and Improving Quality of Life After Oral Cancer Surgery: Quasiexperimental Study

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/18132 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. e18132

Author(s):

Tze-Fang Wang ◽

Rou-Chen Huang ◽

Su-Chen Yang ◽

Chyuan Chou ◽

Lee-Chen Chen

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Care ◽

Oral Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Control Group ◽

Care Needs ◽

Oral Cancer Patients ◽

Experimental Group

Background Intervention with a mobile Health (mHealth) app can improve the efficacy of early detection of oral cancer and the outcomes for patients taking oral anticancer medications. The quality of life of oral cancer patients is significantly reduced within three months after surgery; also, their needs for nursing care and health information increase, mainly due to side effects and associated psychological problems. Objective This study aimed to evaluate changes in the care needs and quality of life of patients with oral cancer after receiving the intervention of a newly developed mHealth app. Methods After surgery, oral cancer patients were divided into an experimental group (n=50) who received the mHealth app intervention and a control group (n=50) who received routine health care and instruction. After 3 months of intervention, survey questionnaires were used to assess the patients’ quality of life, nursing care needs, and acceptance of the mHealth app. Results The physiological care needs were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group (P<.05). Although the differences were not statistically significant, the psychological needs, communication needs, and care support needs all improved after the mHealth app intervention. The overall improvement in quality of life was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (–7.24 vs –4.36). In terms of intention to use, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, the acceptability scores of the mHealth app were significantly increased after 3 months of intervention (P<.05). Conclusions Compared with routine health care and instruction, for patients after surgery, the education/information intervention using the mHealth app significantly reduced their nursing care needs, improved their quality of life, and increased their acceptance of using an mHealth app on a mobile device. These findings can provide a theoretical basis for future health care app design and improvement. This study suggests that an mHealth app should be incorporated into the routine care of oral cancer patients to provide medical information quickly and improve their self-management abilities, thereby reducing the patients’ need for physiological care and improving their quality of life. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04049968; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04049968

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Evaluating the Effects of a Mobile Health App on Reducing Patient Care Needs and Improving Quality of Life After Oral Cancer Surgery: Quasiexperimental Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18132 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Tze-Fang Wang ◽

Rou-Chen Huang ◽

Su-Chen Yang ◽

Chyuan Chou ◽

Lee-Chen Chen

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Health Care ◽

Oral Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Control Group ◽

Care Needs ◽

Oral Cancer Patients ◽

Experimental Group

BACKGROUND Intervention with a mobile Health (mHealth) app can improve the efficacy of early detection of oral cancer and the outcomes for patients taking oral anticancer medications. The quality of life of oral cancer patients is significantly reduced within three months after surgery; also, their needs for nursing care and health information increase, mainly due to side effects and associated psychological problems. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate changes in the care needs and quality of life of patients with oral cancer after receiving the intervention of a newly developed mHealth app. METHODS After surgery, oral cancer patients were divided into an experimental group (n=50) who received the mHealth app intervention and a control group (n=50) who received routine health care and instruction. After 3 months of intervention, survey questionnaires were used to assess the patients’ quality of life, nursing care needs, and acceptance of the mHealth app. RESULTS The physiological care needs were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group (<i>P</i><.05). Although the differences were not statistically significant, the psychological needs, communication needs, and care support needs all improved after the mHealth app intervention. The overall improvement in quality of life was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (–7.24 vs –4.36). In terms of intention to use, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, the acceptability scores of the mHealth app were significantly increased after 3 months of intervention (<i>P</i><.05). CONCLUSIONS Compared with routine health care and instruction, for patients after surgery, the education/information intervention using the mHealth app significantly reduced their nursing care needs, improved their quality of life, and increased their acceptance of using an mHealth app on a mobile device. These findings can provide a theoretical basis for future health care app design and improvement. This study suggests that an mHealth app should be incorporated into the routine care of oral cancer patients to provide medical information quickly and improve their self-management abilities, thereby reducing the patients’ need for physiological care and improving their quality of life. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04049968; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04049968

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Éber, tudatos figyelemre épülő, a rákbetegséggel való megküzdést segítő program (MBCR) hatásvizsgálata magyar rákbetegek körében

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/650.2017.30817 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 158 (33) ◽

pp. 1293-1301 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Magda Rohánszky ◽

Károly Berényi ◽

Dóra Fridrik ◽

Henriette Pusztafalvi

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Life Quality ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Variables ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Experimental Group

Abstract: Introduction and aim: Employment of mindfulness-based programs and techniques in the treatment of cancer patients have spread exponentially in the past decade. A large number of studies have proved the effectiveness of the program in the reduction of stress symptoms, depression and anxiety, and the improvement of sleep and mood patterns. The present study was done at Firebird Foundation and examines the effectiveness of the complex, MBCR (mindfulness-based cancer recovery)-based psycho-social intervention in the treatment of cancer patients. Method: The experimental group consisted of 101 people with various types and states of cancer. The control group consisted of 72 adjusted people. We did measurements (PPS, HADS, FACT-G, POMS-SF, Freiburg Adaptation Questionnaire) before the intervention (T1), right after the 8-week intervention (T2), and 6 months after the intervention (T3). Results: The experimental group showed significant improvement in the measured psychological variables, and in few aspects of life quality between T1 and T2. There was a decrease in levels of observed stress and depression, and an escalation in optimism and vitality. We found a decrease in depressive and minimizing coping scores as well. There was a significant improvement in two dimensions of quality of life, and all these positive changes remained present by the end of the follow-up period (T3). In the control group, we only found a significant increase in minimizing coping scores at the time of T3 measurements. This is the first impact assessment study done on cancer patients using MBCR techniques in Hungary. Conclusions: The MBCR program is a very effective psychosocial intervention among cancer patients; it has a long term significant impact on mood and quality of life. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(33): 1293–1301.

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Effect of Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine with Hormonal Therapy on Quality of Life and Tumor Markers of Prostate Cancer Patients

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/5061867 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Pengpeng Gai ◽

Na Li ◽

Min Liu

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Prostate Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Tumor Markers ◽

Hormonal Therapy ◽

Specific Antigen ◽

Control Group ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Androgen Independent

Objective. To explore the effect of combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with hormonal therapy on the quality of life and tumor markers of prostate cancer patients. Methods. A total of 60 prostate cancer patients treated in Zibo Central Hospital from June 2017 to June 2021 were selected for the retrospective analysis study and divided into the control group and experimental group based on whether applying TCM treatment, with 30 cases each. The patients in the experimental group received the combined treatment of TCM and hormonal therapy, and those in the control group only accepted the hormonal therapy, so as to analyze their clinical efficacy and tumor marker levels after treatment. Results. The patients’ general information were not statistically different ( P > 0.05 ); after treatment, the levels and ratios of total prostate-specific antigen (TPSA) and free prostate-specific antigen (FPSA) of patients in both groups were improved, and the experimental group obtained significantly lower TPSA and FPSA levels ( P < 0.05 ) and higher TPSA/FPSA ratios ( P < 0.05 ); the incidence of androgen-independent prostate cancer was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (8 vs. 16, P < 0.05 ); in addition, the time to develop into the androgen-independent prostate cancer was longer in patients of the experimental group than those of the control group ( P < 0.05 ); the treated patients in the experimental group obtained obviously higher Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) quality of life scores and Karnofsky score (KPS) than those in the control group ( P < 0.05 ), and the number of patients with recovered PSA levels was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Combining self-made TCM formula with hormonal therapy can effectively improve the levels of prostate tumor markers and postpone the progress of developing from prostate cancer to androgen-independent prostate cancer, which is conducive to promoting the patients’ quality of life.

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Quality of life in urologic cancer patients: importance of and satisfaction with specific quality of life domains

Quality of Life Research ◽

10.1007/s11136-021-02954-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katja Leuteritz ◽

Diana Richter ◽

Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf ◽

Jens-Uwe Stolzenburg ◽

Andreas Hinz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

General Population ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Patient Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Health Related Qol ◽

Health Related ◽

Importance Ratings ◽

Subjective Importance

Abstract Purpose Quality of life (QoL) has been the subject of increasing interest in oncology. Most examinations of QoL have focused on health-related QoL, while other factors often remain unconsidered. Moreover, QoL questionnaires implicitly assume that the subjective importance of the various QoL domains is identical from one patient to the next. The aim of this study was to analyze QoL in a broader sense, considering the subjective importance of the QoL components. Methods A sample of 173 male urologic patients was surveyed twice: once while hospitalized (t1) and once again 3 months later (t2). Patients completed the Questions on Life Satisfaction questionnaire (FLZ-M), which includes satisfaction and importance ratings for eight dimensions of QoL. A control group was taken from the general population (n = 477). Results Health was the most important QoL dimension for both the patient and the general population groups. While satisfaction with health was low in the patient group, the satisfaction ratings of the other seven domains were higher in the patient group than in the general population. The satisfaction with the domain partnership/sexuality showed a significant decline from t1 to t2. Multiple regression analyses showed that the domains health and income contributed most strongly to the global QoL score at t2 in the patient group. Conclusion Health is not the only relevant category when assessing QoL in cancer patients; social relationships and finances are pertinent as well. Importance ratings contribute to a better understanding of the relevance of the QoL dimensions for the patients.

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Analysis of the Impact of Personalized Nursing Service and Hospice Care on the Quality of Life of Elderly Cancer Patients

Tobacco Regulatory Science ◽

10.18001/trs.7.4.24 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 469-473

Author(s):

Ting Fang ◽

Nian Wang ◽

Meng Chen ◽

Hongmei Ma

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Advanced Cancer ◽

Hospice Care ◽

Pain Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Study Group ◽

The Difference ◽

The Impact

Objective Explore the impact of personalized nursing services and hospice care on the quality of life of elderly patients with advanced cancer. Method We selected 80 elderly cancer patients admitted to our hospital from September 2020 to May 2021, and divided these patients into a study group and a control group using a random number table method. The patients in the control group used conventional nursing methods to treat and care for the patients, and the patients in the study group used hospice care measures and combined personalized nursing measures. The quality of life and pain treatment effects of the two groups of patients before and after treatment were compared. Result Before treatment, the quality-of-life scores of the two groups of patients were low, and there was no statistical difference (P>0.05); After treatment, the quality of life of the two groups of patients improved, but compared with the control group, the improvement was more obvious in the study group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In terms of pain treatment effect, the total effective rate of pain treatment in the study group was 87.5%, which was significantly better than the 62.5% in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Personalized nursing services and hospice care are conducive to improving the survival and treatment of elderly patients with advanced cancer, and can be used as a clinical application program for the care of advanced cancer patients.

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Final results from ClarIDHy, a global, phase 3, randomized, double-blind study of ivosidenib (IVO) versus placebo (PBO) in patients (pts) with previously treated cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and an isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.4069 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 4069-4069

Author(s):

Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa ◽

Teresa Macarulla ◽

Milind M. Javle ◽

Robin Kate Kelley ◽

Sam Joseph Lubner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Primary Endpoint ◽

Failure Time ◽

Objective Response ◽

Idh1 Mutation ◽

High Rate ◽

Double Blind Study ◽

Double Blind ◽

Grade 3

4069 Background: CCA is a rare cancer for which there are limited effective therapies. IDH1 mutations occur in ̃20% of intrahepatic CCAs, resulting in production of the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate, which promotes oncogenesis. IVO (AG-120) is a first-in-class, oral, small-molecule inhibitor of mutant IDH1 (mIDH1). ClarIDHy aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of IVO vs PBO in pts with unresectable or metastatic m IDH1 CCA. The primary endpoint was met with significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) by independent radiology center (IRC) with IVO vs PBO (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.37, p < 0.0001). Objective response rate (ORR) and stable disease for IVO were 2.4% (3 partial responses) and 50.8% (n = 63) vs 0% and 27.9% (n = 17) for PBO. IVO pts experienced significantly less decline in physical and emotional functioning domains of quality of life at cycle 2 day 1 vs PBO pts (nominal p < 0.05). Methods: Pts with m IDH1 CCA were randomized 2:1 to IVO (500 mg PO QD) or matched PBO and stratified by prior systemic therapies (1 or 2). Key eligibility: unresectable or metastatic m IDH1 CCA based on central testing; ECOG PS 0–1; measurable disease (RECIST v1.1). Crossover from PBO to IVO was permitted at radiographic progression. Primary endpoint: PFS by IRC. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS; by intent-to-treat), ORR, PFS (by investigator), safety, and quality of life. The planned crossover-adjusted OS was derived using the rank-preserving structural failure time (RPSFT) model. Results: As of 31 May 2020, ̃780 pts were prescreened for an IDH1 mutation and 187 were randomized to IVO (n = 126) or PBO (n = 61); 13 remain on IVO. Median age 62 y; M/F 68/119; 91% intrahepatic CCA; 93% metastatic disease; 47% had 2 prior therapies. 70% of PBO pts crossed over to IVO. OS data were mature, with 79% OS events in IVO arm and 82% in PBO. Median OS (mOS) was 10.3 months for IVO and 7.5 months for PBO (HR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.56–1.12; one-sided p = 0.093). The RPSFT-adjusted mOS was 5.1 months for PBO (HR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.34–0.70; p < 0.0001). Common all-grade treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs, ≥ 15%) in the IVO arm: nausea 41%, diarrhea 35%, fatigue 31%, cough 25%, abdominal pain 24%, decreased appetite 24%, ascites 23%, vomiting 23%, anemia 18%, and constipation 15%. Grade ≥ 3 TEAEs were reported in 50% of IVO pts vs 37% of PBO pts, with grade ≥ 3 treatment-related AEs in 7% of IVO pts vs 0% in PBO. 7% of IVO pts experienced an AE leading to treatment discontinuation vs 9% of PBO pts. There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: IVO was well tolerated and resulted in a favorable OS trend vs PBO despite a high rate of crossover. These data – coupled with statistical improvement in PFS, supportive quality of life data, and favorable safety profile – demonstrate the clinical benefit of IVO in advanced m IDH1 CCA. Clinical trial information: NCT02989857.

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