Screening for Distress in Lung and Breast Cancer Outpatients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (33) ◽  
pp. 4884-4891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda E. Carlson ◽  
Shannon L. Groff ◽  
Olga Maciejewski ◽  
Barry D. Bultz

Purpose Distress has been recognized as the sixth vital sign in cancer care and several guidelines recommend routine screening. Despite this, screening for distress is rarely conducted and infrequently evaluated. Methods A program of routine online screening for distress was implemented for new patients with breast and lung cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) minimal screening: the distress thermometer (DT) only plus usual care; (2) full screening: DT, problem checklist, Psychological Screen for Cancer part C measuring anxiety and depression, a personalized report summarizing concerns and the report on the medical file; or (3) triage: full screening plus optional personalized phone triage with referral to resources. Patients in all conditions received an information packet and were reassessed 3 months later with the full screening battery. Results Five hundred eighty-five patients with breast cancer and 549 patients with lung cancer were assessed at baseline (89% of all patients), and 75.5% retained for follow-up. High prevalence of baseline distress was found across patients. Twenty percent fewer patients with lung cancer in triage continued to have high distress at follow-up compared to those in the other two groups, and patients with breast cancer in the full screening and triage conditions showed lower distress at follow-up than those in minimal screening. The best predictor of decreased anxiety and depression in full screening and triage conditions was receiving a referral to psychosocial services. Conclusion Routine online screening is feasible in a large cancer center and may help to reduce future distress levels, particularly when coupled with uptake of appropriate resources.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Chan ◽  
Jon Emery ◽  
Katharine Cuff ◽  
Laisa Teleni ◽  
Camilla Simonsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Due to advances in early detection and cancer treatment, 5-year relative survival rates for early breast cancer surpass 90% in developed nations. There is increasing focus on promotion of wellness in survivorship and active approaches to reducing morbidity related to treatment; however, current models of follow-up care are heavily reliant on hospital-based specialist-led care. This study aims to test the feasibility of the EMINENT intervention for implementing an integrated, shared-care model involving both cancer center specialists and community-based general practitioners for early breast cancer post-treatment follow-up.Methods: We describe a protocol for a phase II, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms and 1:1 allocation. A total of 60 patients with early stage breast cancer will be randomized to usual, specialist-led, follow-up care (as determined by the treating surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists) or shared follow-up care intervention (i.e., EMINENT). EMINENT is a nurse-enabled, pre-specified shared-care pathway with follow-up responsibilities divided between cancer center specialists (i.e., surgeons and oncologists) and general practitioners. Primary outcome is health-related quality of life as measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer. Secondary outcomes include patient experience, acceptance, and satisfaction of care; dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviors; financial toxicity; adherence; health resource utilization; and adverse events.Discussion: The trial is designed to identify the barriers to implementing a shared-care model for breast cancer survivors following treatment. Results of this study will inform a definitive trial testing the effects of shared-care model on health-related quality of life of breast cancer survivors, as well as its ability to alleviate the growing demands on the healthcare system.Trial registration: Trial registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001594112). Registered 19 November 2019, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378690&isReview=true.


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.


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