The effects of neurofeedback training on short-term memory and quality of life in women with breast cancer

Background/Aims Breast cancer, one of the most common cancers among Iranian women, affects the physical, psychological and cognitive dimensions of patients' lives. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of neurofeedback training on short-term memory and quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Methods In a randomised, controlled pilot trial, a convenient sample of 20 Iranian women with breast cancer who had received chemotherapy and radiotherapy were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received 4 weeks of neurofeedback training. Assessment tools in pre- and post-test sessions included the Wechsler short-term memory scale and SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. Data were analysed by a biostatistician blinded to the study. Results Short-term memory and quality of life scores improved significantly in the intervention group after neurofeedback training compared to the control group (P=0.001). Conclusions Findings indicate that neurofeedback training is an effective technique for improving short-term memory and quality of life alongside occupational therapy interventions in women after breast cancer treatment.

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Influence of a Multidisciplinary Program of Diet, Exercise, and Mindfulness on the Quality of Life of Stage IIA-IIB Breast Cancer Survivors

Integrative Cancer Therapies ◽

10.1177/1534735420924757 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. 153473542092475

Author(s):

Julia Ruiz-Vozmediano ◽

Sarah Löhnchen ◽

Lucas Jurado ◽

Rosario Recio ◽

Andrea Rodríguez-Carrillo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Cancer Symptoms

Background: Integrative oncology has proven to be a useful approach to control cancer symptoms and improve the quality of life (QoL) and overall health of patients, delivering integrated patient care at both physical and emotional levels. The objective of this randomized trial was to evaluate the effects of a triple intervention program on the QoL and lifestyle of women with breast cancer. Methods: Seventy-five survivors of stage IIA-IIB breast cancer were randomized into 2 groups. The intervention group (IG) received a 6-month dietary, exercise, and mindfulness program that was not offered to the control group (CG). Data were gathered at baseline and at 6 months postintervention on QoL and adherence to Mediterranean diet using clinical markers and validated questionnaires. Between-group differences at baseline and 3 months postintervention were analyzed using Student’s t test for related samples and the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: At 6 months postintervention, the IG showed significant improvements versus CG in physical functioning ( p = .027), role functioning ( p = .028), and Mediterranean diet adherence ( p = .02) and a significant reduction in body mass index ( p = .04) and weight ( p = .05), with a mean weight loss of 0.7 kg versus a gain of 0.55 kg by the CG ( p = .05). Dyspnea symptoms were also increased in the CG versus IG ( p = .066). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that an integrative dietary, physical activity, and mindfulness program enhances the QoL and healthy lifestyle of stage IIA-IIB breast cancer survivors. Cancer symptoms may be better managed by the implementation of multimodal rather than isolated interventions.

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Randomized Controlled Trial of Yoga Among a Multiethnic Sample of Breast Cancer Patients: Effects on Quality of Life

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2006.06.6027 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 25 (28) ◽

pp. 4387-4395 ◽

Cited By ~ 218

Author(s):

Alyson B. Moadel ◽

Chirag Shah ◽

Judith Wylie-Rosett ◽

Melanie S. Harris ◽

Sapana R. Patel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Spiritual Well Being ◽

Multiethnic Sample

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.

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Effects of Out-of-Hospital Continuous Nursing on Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients by Medical Big Data

Journal of Healthcare Engineering ◽

10.1155/2022/9506915 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 2022 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Peijuan He ◽

Bing Zhang ◽

Songna Shen

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Communication System ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Apriori Algorithm ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Medical Communication

This study aimed to explore the application value of the intelligent medical communication system based on the Apriori algorithm and cloud follow-up platform in out-of-hospital continuous nursing of breast cancer patients. In this study, the Apriori algorithm is optimized by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and graphics processing unit (GPU) to improve its data mining speed. At the same time, a cloud follow-up platform-based intelligent mobile medical communication system is established, which includes the log-in, my workstation, patient records, follow-up center, satisfaction management, propaganda and education center, SMS platform, and appointment management module. The subjects are divided into the control group (routine telephone follow-up, 163) and the intervention group (continuous nursing intervention, 216) according to different nursing methods. The cloud follow-up platform-based intelligent medical communication system is used to analyze patients’ compliance, quality of life before and after nursing, function limitation of affected limb, and nursing satisfaction under different nursing methods. The running time of Apriori algorithm is proportional to the data amount and inversely proportional to the number of nodes in the cluster. Compared with the control group, there are statistical differences in the proportion of complete compliance data, the proportion of poor compliance data, and the proportion of total compliance in the intervention group ( P < 0.05 ). After the intervention, the scores of the quality of life in the two groups are statistically different from those before treatment ( P < 0.05 ), and the scores of the quality of life in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group ( P < 0.05 ). The proportion of patients with limited and severely limited functional activity of the affected limb in the intervention group is significantly lower than that in the control group ( P < 0.05 ). The satisfaction rate of postoperative nursing in the intervention group is significantly higher than that in the control group ( P < 0.001 ), and the proportion of basically satisfied and dissatisfied patients in the control group was higher than that in the intervention group ( P < 0.05 ).

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Intervention Targeting Reading and Working Memory among Struggling Readers in Primary School

Medical Research Archives ◽

10.18103/mra.v9i11.2610 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Linda Fälth ◽

Irma Brkovic

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Struggling Readers ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Word Reading ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Memory Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Specific Information ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory

Working memory is one of our core cognitive functions. It allows us to keep information in mind for shorter periods of time, allowing us to process and work with that specific information. In this randomized control trial, the effects of a training program that combine reading training and working memory training among struggling readers aged 8-9 were investigated. 30 pupils were included in the intervention group and 17 were assigned to the control group. The intervention group received a total of 60 training sessions divided into two eight-week training periods with a four-week pause in between. The results show that children in the intervention group improved significantly better than children in the control group on eight tests: Reading comprehension, Word decoding, Nonsense-word reading, Short-term memory, Working memory, Visuospatial short-term memory, Visuospatial working memory and Working memory for words. The effect was not confirmed for Sight word seeing.

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Mobile App for Symptom Management and Associated Quality of Life During Systemic Treatment in Early Stage Breast Cancer: Nonrandomized Controlled Prospective Cohort Study

JMIR mhealth and uhealth ◽

10.2196/17408 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. e17408

Author(s):

Cvetka Grašič Kuhar ◽

Tjaša Gortnar Cepeda ◽

Timotej Kovač ◽

Matjaž Kukar ◽

Nina Ružić Gorenjec

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Systemic Therapy ◽

Early Stage ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Health Resources ◽

Control Group ◽

Global Quality ◽

Global Quality Of Life

Background Providing patients with cancer who are undergoing systemic therapy with useful information about symptom management is essential to prevent unnecessary deterioration of quality of life. Objective The aim was to evaluate whether use of an app for symptom management was associated with any change in patient quality of life or use of health resources. Methods Outpatients with early stage breast cancer receiving systemic therapy were recruited at the Institute of Oncology in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Patients who received systemic therapy between December 2017 and March 2018 (control group) and between April 2018 and September 2018 (intervention group) were eligible. All patients received standard care, but only those in the intervention group were asked to use mPRO Mamma, an Android-based smartphone app, in addition. The app supported daily tracking of 50 symptoms, allowed users to grade their symptom severity (as mild, moderate, or severe), and also provided in-depth descriptions and recommendations based on reported symptom level. Patient-reported outcomes in both groups were assessed through the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) core (C-30) and breast cancer (BR-23) questionnaires, as well as a questionnaire about health resources use. The primary outcomes were the difference in the global quality of life between groups and the difference in summary score of the EORTC C-30 questionnaire between groups after 3 time periods (the first week of treatment, the first treatment cycle, and the entire treatment). The secondary outcome was the use of health resources (doctor visits and hospitalizations) in each time period. Other scales were used for exploratory analysis. Results The mean difference between the intervention group (n=46) and the control group (n=45) in global quality of life (adjusted for baseline and type of surgery) after the first week was 10.1 (95% CI 1.8 to 18.5, P=.02). The intervention group summary scores were significantly higher than those of the control group after the first week (adjusted mean difference: 8.9, 95% CI 3.1 to 14.7, P=.003) and at the end of treatment (adjusted mean difference: 10.6, 95% CI 3.9 to 17.3, P=.002). Use of health resources was not statistically significant between the groups in either the first week (P=.12) or the first treatment cycle (P=.13). Exploratory analysis findings demonstrated clinically important improvements (indicated by EORTC C-30 or BR-23 scale scores)—social, physical, role, and cognitive function were improved while pain, appetite loss, and systemic therapy side effects were reduced. Conclusions Use of the app enabled patients undergoing systemic therapy for early stage breast cancer to better cope with symptoms which was demonstrated by a better global quality of life and summary score after the first week and by a better summary score at the end of treatment in the intervention group compared to those of the control group, but no change in the use of health resources was demonstrated.

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The Effects of Individual Diet Therapy on Food Intake, Quality of Life, and Related Serum Proteins in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Basic & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.18502/bccr.v12i3.5768 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Azadeh Fallah ◽

Kiana Parnian ◽

Hamid Abdolazimi ◽

Sajjad Tezerji ◽

Zohreh Mazloom

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Side Effects ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Serum Proteins ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Diet Therapy ◽

Control Group ◽

Nutritional Needs

Background: In cancer patients, weight loss due to malnutrition has a significant impact on the patients’ treatment and quality of life. This study aimed to determine the appropriate therapeutic strategy to control the side effects of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer to improve their health, quality of life, and nutritional status. Methods: In our prospective study, we examined gastric cancer patients who were Seventy patients undergoing chemotherapy were included and randomly divided into intervention (n=35) and control groups (n=35). The intervention group received an individualized diet according to their nutritional needs for eight weeks, and the control group received dietary advice on the side effects of chemotherapy. Malnutrition, nutritional barriers, and patients’ quality of life were evaluated by PG-SGA, nutritional barriers, and QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Serum proteins were also assessed at the beginning and the end of the study. Results: The patients’ mean age was 50.91±1.72 years in the intervention group and 51±1.35 in the control group. According to the PG-SGA questionnaire classification, 68.5% of patients had malnutrition at baseline. In the intervention group, the mean score of PG-SGA decreased, which indicated an improvement in patients’ nutritional status. Increased scores in the functional section of QLQC30 and a decrease in the symptom section of this questionnaire indicated the improved quality of life in patients undergoing treatment at the end of the intervention. Albumin (P<0.001) and hemoglobin (P<0.001) levels increased in the intervention group, while there were no significant changes in these variables of the control group. Serum levels of ferritin did not show significant changes in either the intervention or the control group. Conclusion: Identifying nutritional barriers in breast cancer patients and individual diet therapy based on these barriers and nutritional needs reduces nutritional barriers. Consequently, malnutrition would decline, and the quality of life may enhance in these patients.

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Mobile Breast Cancer e-Support Program for Chinese Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy (Part 2): Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.9438 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Jiemin Zhu ◽

Lyn Ebert ◽

Xiangyu Liu ◽

Di Wei ◽

Sally Wai-Chi Chan

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Social Support ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Support Program ◽

Control Group

BACKGROUND Women undergoing chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer have frequently reported unmet supportive care needs. Moreover, easily accessible and innovative support is lacking. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this trial was to determine the effectiveness of an app-based breast cancer e-support program to address women’s self-efficacy (primary outcome), social support, symptom distress, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Secondary objectives included exploring the association between women’s health outcomes and the breast cancer e-support usage data. METHODS A multicenter, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 114 women with breast cancer, who were commencing chemotherapy and were able to access internet through a mobile phone, were recruited in the clinics from 2 university-affiliated hospitals in China. Women were randomized either to the intervention group (n=57) receiving breast cancer e-support plus care as usual or the control group (n=57) receiving care as usual alone. The health care team and research assistants collecting data were blinded to the women’s group allocation. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and the social exchange theory guided the development of the breast cancer e-support program, which has 4 components: (1) a Learning forum, (2) a Discussion forum, (3) an Ask-the-Expert forum, and (4) a Personal Stories forum. Moderated by an experienced health care professional, the breast cancer e-support program supported women for 12 weeks covering 4 cycles of chemotherapy. Health outcomes were self-assessed through paper questionnaires in clinics at baseline before randomization (T0), after 3 (T1), and 6 months (T2) of follow-ups. RESULTS Fifty-five participants in the intervention group and 49 in the control group completed the follow-up assessments (response rate: 91.2%). During the 12-week intervention, the log-in frequency ranged from 0 to 774 times (mean 54.7; SD 131.4; median 11; interquartile range, IQR 5-27), and the total usage duration ranged from 0 to 9371 min (mean 1072.3; SD 2359.5; median 100; IQR 27-279). Repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance (intention-to-treat) found that breast cancer e-support + care as usual participants had significant better health outcomes at 3 months regarding self-efficacy (21.05; 95% CI 1.87-40.22; P=.03; d=0.53), symptom interference (−0.73; 95% CI −1.35 to −.11; P=.02; d=−0.51), and quality of life (6.64; 95% CI 0.77-12.50; P=.03, d=0.46) but not regarding social support, symptom severity, anxiety, and depression compared with care as usual participants. These beneficial effects were not sustained at 6 months. Spearman rank-order correlation showed that the breast cancer e-support usage duration was positively correlated with self-efficacy (r=.290, P=.03), social support (r=.320, P=.02), and quality of life (r=.273, P=.04) at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS The breast cancer e-support program demonstrated its potential as an effective and easily accessible intervention to promote women’s self-efficacy, symptom interference, and quality of life during chemotherapy. CLINICALTRIAL Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12616000639426; www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12616000639426.aspx (Archived by Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v1n9hGZq)

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Effect of Football on Fatigue of Patients with Breast Cancer Treated with Nano-Chemotherapy

Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1155/2020/7609803 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Yu Zhang ◽

Haonan Niu ◽

Zhiwei Peng

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Cancer Surgery ◽

Liaoning Province ◽

Breast Cancer Surgery ◽

Control Group ◽

Hospital Nursing ◽

Cancer Related Fatigue

Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common and uncontrollable subjective and persistent fatigue feelings in patients after breast cancer surgery, which seriously affects the rehabilitation effect and quality of life of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of football intervention on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life in patients with breast cancer after nano-chemotherapy. The objective of this study is to explore the exercise program that can make patients actively carry out rehabilitation exercise and achieve good rehabilitation effect, so as to provide a theoretical and empirical basis for the study of cancer fatigue and quality of life of patients after breast cancer surgery. In this study, a quasi-experimental study method was used to conveniently select 60 breast cancer outpatients with tumor-related fatigue symptoms in a tertiary hospital in Liaoning Province. According to the convenience group, they were divided into a control group and an intervention group, 30 cases in each group. The control group received routine hospital nursing, while the intervention group received football intervention for 6 months on the basis of routine hospital nursing. The intervention measures include explaining the related knowledge of cancer-related fatigue, helping patients develop football projects, guiding patients to record football sports diaries, checking patients’ football sports diary records at the beginning of each chemotherapy cycle, and discussing football sports feelings with patients. After six months of intervention, the researchers assessed cancer-related fatigue symptoms and quality of life. Football can improve the fatigue, physiological, psychological, and psychological states of breast cancer patients after nano-chemotherapy; reduce fatigue, anxiety, and depression; improve sleep; and ultimately improve the quality of life.

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Effect of structured training program on arm dysfunction, lymphedema and quality of life after breast cancer surgery

Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association ◽

10.47391/jpma.101 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Havva Bozdemir ◽

Dilek Aygin

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Cancer Surgery ◽

Breast Cancer Surgery ◽

Control Group ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Quality Of Life Scale

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study the effect of the education given according to daily living activities (DLA) model on arm dysfunction, lymphedema and quality of life in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Interventions/Methods: In the design of the research, a randomized controlled experimental model with recurrent measurement was used. The data were collected from 60 patients (control group: 30, Intervention Group: 30) at a teriary hospital. In Research ,Patient Information Form, SPOFIA, KATZ-DLA indeks, arm, shoulder and hand injuries scale (DASH) and quality of life scale short form (SF-36) were used. Three interviews (1st week, 1st and 3rd month) were performed after surgery with patients. Analysis of data; independent T-Test, Chi-squared and Repeated Measures ANOVA were utilized. Results: SPOFIA, DASH and KATZ, GYA scale averages decreased by the time, SF-36 were found to increase the average score. In the intervention group, the measurements of the upper arm circumference are significantly better than the control group and In terms of SPOFIA3, DASH2 and DASH3 scale averages, there is a statistically significant difference between the groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: KATZ, SPOFIA, SF-36, DASH scale score averages were recovered as the time elapsed after the operation increased. Intervention group was found to recover more early. Implications for Practice: The education programme is effective in the prevention of arm dysfunction and lymphedema and in improving quality of life. Keywords: Breast cancer, lymphedema, daily life activity model, quality of life, Continuous...

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Working Memory Training in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

Psychiatry Journal ◽

10.1155/2013/154867 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Martina Hubacher ◽

Marcus Weiland ◽

Pasquale Calabrese ◽

Gabriela Stoppe ◽

Markus Stöcklin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Chronic Schizophrenia ◽

Working Memory Training ◽

Memory Training ◽

Control Group ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Training Tool

Background. There is evidence that patients with schizophrenia suffer from decline in working memory performance with consequences for psychosocial outcome.Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of a computerized working memory training program (BrainStim) in patients with chronic schizophrenia.Methods. Twenty-nine inpatients with chronic schizophrenia were assigned to either the intervention group receiving working memory training (N=15) or the control group without intervention (N=14). Training was performed four times a week for 45 minutes during four weeks under neuropsychological supervision. At baseline and followup all participants underwent neuropsychological testing.Results. Pre-post comparisons of neuropsychological measures showed improvements in visual and verbal working memories and visual short-term memory with small and large effect sizes in the intervention group. In contrast, the control group showed decreased performance in verbal working memory and only slight changes in visual working memory and visual and verbal short-term memories after 4 weeks. Analyses of training profiles during application ofBrainStimrevealed increased performance over the 4-week training period.Conclusions. The applied training toolBrainStimimproved working memory and short-term memory in patients with chronic schizophrenia. The present study implies that chronic schizophrenic patients can benefit from computerized cognitive remediation training of working memory in a clinical setting.

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