Optimizing Social Support in Oncology with Digital Platforms (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Increased cancer prevalence and survival rates coupled with earlier patient discharges from hospitals has created a larger need for social support. Cancer care is both short-term and long-term, requiring acute treatments, treatments for remission, and long-term screenings and treatment regimens. Healthcare systems are already overwhelmed and often struggle to provide social support systems for everyone. Caregivers are limited in number, and even when they are available, they often lack necessary information, skills, or resources to meet the needs of patients with cancer. The act of caregiving presents various challenges, and caregivers themselves often need social support as well. Despite these needs, most social support programs are targeted toward patients alone. Given the prevalence of cancer and known needs of these patients and their caregivers, the ability to identify those who need social support is crucial. Further, the scalability and overall availability of social support programs is vital for successful patient care. This paper establishes the benefits of social support for both patients and caregivers coping with cancer treatments, explores innovative ways of identifying patients who may need social support using digital tools, and reviews potential advantages of digital social support programs.

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Social Support Systems: Contributors to the Incidence of Schizophrenia?

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1987.61.3.875 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 61 (3) ◽

pp. 875-878

Author(s):

Steven Taylor ◽

Elizabeth Hinton

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Present Article ◽

Support Systems ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Short Term ◽

Community Based ◽

Long Term Consequences ◽

Reproductive Rates ◽

Social Support Systems

The present article considers the recent increase in community-based support systems for psychiatric patients. Although these systems appear to offer some short-term benefits, the long-term consequences have received little attention. Here, the case is examined for such systems actually facilitating the reproductive rates and hence general incidence of genetically transmitted disorders such as schizophrenia.

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SKILLS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL RECOVERY DURING AND AFTER DISASTERS TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SUPPORT

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1437 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S391-S391

Author(s):

Lisa M Brown

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Support Networks ◽

Informal Social Support ◽

Psychological Recovery ◽

Traumatic Life Events ◽

Social Support Systems

Abstract The combination of an aging population and a limited number of disaster responders reveals a need for trained laypeople who can implement interventions that facilitate recovery after traumatic events. Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) is an intervention that is designed to be implemented after use of Psychological First Aid with people who were exposed to a traumatic stressor. SPR uses a skills-building approach to promote self-efficacy, support resilience, strengthen social networks, and ameliorate the negative impact of traumatic life events. Strengthening social support is beneficial as research clearly demonstrates that destruction of communities and loss of informal social support networks produces long-term psychological distress for older adults. This presentation will demonstrate a SPR social support exercise with attendees, provide an overview of the other modules, and describe modifications for using SPR with older adults. During times of crisis, social support systems are critical to the psychological well-being of older adults.

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Involving Family and Social Support Systems in Tobacco Cessation Treatment for Patients With Cancer

Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network ◽

10.6004/jnccn.2021.7090 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (Suppl_1) ◽

pp. S8-S11

Author(s):

_ _

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Working Group ◽

Tobacco Cessation ◽

Support Systems ◽

Support Network ◽

Cancer Centers ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Tobacco Treatment ◽

Cessation Treatment ◽

Social Support Systems

Individuals from the family and social support network of patients with cancer can have a pivotal role in reinforcing patients’ efforts to become and remain tobacco-free. This support is critical along the entire continuum of cancer care. Although NCI-designated Cancer Centers across the United States are increasingly offering tobacco cessation services as a result of the NCI Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I), engaging patients’ family and other support network in tobacco treatment is not yet a routine practice. To facilitate the consideration and involvement of patients’ social support systems (including family, peers, and non–healthcare provider caregivers), we formed the C3I Family and Social Support Systems Working Group. This paper describes the current practices and challenges among C3I cancer centers centers in engaging the support systems of patients with cancer in order to reduce tobacco use and/or secondhand smoke exposure. Building on this knowledge, this Working Group proposes a research agenda to facilitate support persons’ involvement in tobacco treatment as part of oncology care. The research priorities identified include establishing (1) evidence-based strategies for engaging family and social support systems in patients’ cessation efforts, (2) interventions to provide cessation treatment options to support persons, and (3) best practices to routinely identify and engage family and social support systems in patients’ cessation efforts.

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Autophagy: The Potential Link between SARS-CoV-2 and Cancer

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13225721 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 5721

Author(s):

Parham Habibzadeh ◽

Hassan Dastsooz ◽

Mehdi Eshraghi ◽

Marek J. Łos ◽

Daniel J. Klionsky ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Escape ◽

Autophagic Flux ◽

Cancer Treatments ◽

Future Directions ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Potential Link ◽

Long Term Consequences ◽

Risk Of Cancer

COVID-19 infection survivors suffer from a constellation of symptoms referred to as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. However, in the wake of recent evidence highlighting the long-term persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens in tissues and emerging information regarding the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and various components of the host cell macroautophagy/autophagy machinery, the unforeseen long-term consequences of this infection, such as increased risk of malignancies, should be explored. Although SARS-CoV-2 is not considered an oncogenic virus, the possibility of increased risk of cancer among COVID-19 survivors cannot be ruled out. Herein, we provide an overview of the possible mechanisms leading to cancer development, particularly obesity-related cancers (e.g., colorectal cancer), resulting from defects in autophagy and the blockade of the autophagic flux, and also immune escape in COVID-19 survivors. We also highlight the potential long-term implications of COVID-19 infection in the prognosis of patients with cancer and their response to different cancer treatments. Finally, we consider future directions for further investigations on this matter.

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Results of interleukin-2-based treatment in advanced melanoma: a case record-based analysis of 631 patients.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.1998.16.9.2921 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. 2921-2929 ◽

Cited By ~ 137

Author(s):

U Keilholz ◽

C Conradt ◽

S S Legha ◽

D Khayat ◽

C Scheibenbogen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Trials ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Interleukin 2 ◽

Long Term Results ◽

Metastatic Site ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Melanoma Patients ◽

And Performance ◽

The Impact

PURPOSE In patients with stage IV melanoma, durable responses have been reported with treatment regimens that involve high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2). We analyze long-term results of 631 melanoma patients from 12 institutions who had received IL-2 alone, in combination with interferon alfa 2a or 2b (IFNalpha), or with cytotoxic drugs. METHODS Case records that contained pretreatment parameters, response data, and updated survival information were collected. After univariate analysis, the multivariate evaluation of the impact of pretreatment parameters on response and survival was performed by logistic regression and Cox's regression, respectively. RESULTS Patients were divided into four groups according to treatment: IL-2 alone (n=117), IL-2 and chemotherapy (n=49), IL-2 and IFNalpha (n=153), and IL-2, chemotherapy, and IFNalpha (n=312). The median survival of all patients was 10.5 months and the 2- and 5-year survival rates were 19.9% and 10.4%, respectively. Independent prognostic factors for response and survival were entirely different, treatment group being the only significant factor for response, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), metastatic site, and performance predicting survival. The addition of IFNalpha to IL-2 was associated with prolonged survival, but the effect of additional chemotherapy was less obvious. CONCLUSION Serum LDH, metastatic site, and performance status are useful stratification factors for randomized trials in metastatic melanoma. The improved long-term survival rates observed in melanoma patients treated with IL-2/IFNalpha-containing regimens are notable in contrast to the reported 5-year survival rates of 2% to 6% achieved with chemotherapy, but because selection bias cannot be ruled out, the impact of IL-2, as well as all other components of the treatment regimens, on survival needs to be confirmed in prospective randomized trials.

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Promoting the income-tested social support in Russia: Barriers and facilitators

Voprosy Ekonomiki ◽

10.32609/0042-8736-2017-3-5-21 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 5-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

L. Ovcharova ◽

E. Gorina

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Support Systems ◽

Social Assistance ◽

Barriers And Facilitators ◽

Support Programs ◽

Social Support Systems ◽

Further Development

The paper examines the capacity of further development of the targeted social support programs in Russia. The analysis shows the position of this income-tested social assistance in the federal and regional social support systems. On the basis of the revealed barriers to the income-tested programs three directions of changes necessary to their further promotion are suggested.

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Very-Long-Term Survival Rates of Patients With Cancer

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2002.99.060 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 20 (21) ◽

pp. 4405-4409 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Hermann Brenner ◽

Timo Hakulinen

Keyword(s):

Survival Rates ◽

Term Survival ◽

Long Term Survival ◽

Patients With Cancer

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Treatment and secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in cancer patients

Onkologische Welt ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1630173 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 03 (03) ◽

pp. 121-125

Author(s):

I. Pabinger ◽

C. Ay

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Factor Xa ◽

New Oral Anticoagulants ◽

Phase Iii ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Potential Use

SummaryCancer is a major and independent risk factor of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In clinical practice, a high number of VTE events occurs in patients with cancer, and treatment of cancerassociated VTE differs in several aspects from treatment of VTE in the general population. However, treatment in cancer patients remains a major challenge, as the risk of recurrence of VTE as well as the risk of major bleeding during anticoagulation is substantially higher in patients with cancer than in those without cancer. In several clinical trials, different anticoagulants and regimens have been investigated for treatment of acute VTE and secondary prophylaxis in cancer patients to prevent recurrence. Based on the results of these trials, anticoagulant therapy with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) has become the treatment of choice in cancer patients with acute VTE in the initial period and for extended and long-term anticoagulation for 3-6 months. New oral anticoagulants directly inhibiting thrombin or factor Xa, have been developed in the past decade and studied in large phase III clinical trials. Results from currently completed trials are promising and indicate their potential use for treatment of VTE. However, the role of the new oral thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors for VTE treatment in cancer patients still has to be clarified in further studies specifically focusing on cancer-associated VTE. This brief review will summarize the current strategies of initial and long-term VTE treatment in patients with cancer and discuss the potential use of the new oral anticoagulants.

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Transapical versus Conventional Aortic Valve Replacement�A Propensity-Matched Comparison

The Heart Surgery Forum ◽

10.1532/hsf98.20111084 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

David M. Holzhey ◽

William Shi ◽

A. Rastan ◽

Michael A. Borger ◽

Martin H�nsig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aortic Valve ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Long Term Results ◽

Term Survival ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Risk Patients ◽

Short And Long Term ◽

Good Treatment Option ◽

Matched Comparison

Introduction: The goal of this study was to compare the short- and long-term outcomes after aortic valve (AV) surgery carried out via standard sternotomy/partial sternotomy versus transapical transcatheter AV implantation (taTAVI).Patients and Methods: All 336 patients who underwent taTAVI between 2006 and 2010 were compared with 4533 patients who underwent conventional AV replacement (AVR) operations between 2001 and 2010. Using propensity score matching, we identified and consecutively compared 2 very similar groups of 167 patients each. The focus was on periprocedural complications and long-term survival.Results: The 30-day mortality rate was 10.8% and 8.4% (P = .56) for the conventional AVR patients and the TAVI patients, respectively. The percentages of postoperative pacemaker implantations (15.0% versus 6.0%, P = .017) and cases of renal failure requiring dialysis (25.7% versus 12.6%, P = .004) were higher in the TAVI group. Kaplan-Meier curves diverged after half a year in favor of conventional surgery. The estimated 3-year survival rates were 53.5% � 5.7% (TAVI) and 66.7% � 0.2% (conventional AVR).Conclusion: Our study shows that even with all the latest successes in catheter-based AV implantation, the conventional surgical approach is still a very good treatment option with excellent long-term results, even for older, high-risk patients.

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Pulmonary Homografts for Aortic Valve Replacement: Long-term Comparison with Aortic Grafts

The Heart Surgery Forum ◽

10.1532/hsf98.20101162 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 237 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ferdinand Vogt ◽

Anke Kowert ◽

Andres Beiras-Fernandez ◽

Martin Oberhoffer ◽

Ingo Kaczmarek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aortic Valve ◽

Aortic Valve Replacement ◽

Valve Replacement ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Long Term Results ◽

Rank Test ◽

Aortic Graft ◽

Valve Prostheses ◽

Retrospective Comparative Study

Objective: The use of homografts for aortic valve replacement (AVR) is an alternative to mechanical or biological valve prostheses, especially in younger patients. This retrospective comparative study evaluated our single-center long-term results, with a focus on the different origins of the homografts.Methods: Since 1992, 366 adult patients have undergone AVR with homografts at our center. We compared 320 homografts of aortic origin and 46 homografts of pulmonary origin. The grafts were implanted via either a subcoronary technique or the root replacement technique. We performed a multivariate analysis to identify independent factors that influence survival. Freedom from reintervention and survival rates were calculated as cumulative events according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were tested with the log-rank test.Results: Overall mortality within 1 year was 6.5% (21/320) in the aortic graft group and 17.4% (8/46) in the pulmonary graft group. In the pulmonary graft group, 4 patients died from valve-related complications, 1 patient died after additional heterotopic heart transplantation, and 1 patient who entered with a primary higher risk died from a prosthesis infection. Two patients died from non-valve-related causes. During the long-term follow-up, the 15-year survival rate was 79.9% for patients in the aortic graft group and 68.7% for patients in the pulmonary graft group (P = .049). The rate of freedom from reoperation was 77.7% in the aortic graft group and 57.4% in the pulmonary graft group (P < .001). The reasons for homograft explantation were graft infections (aortic graft group, 5.0%; pulmonary graft group, 6.5%) and degeneration (aortic graft group, 7.5%; pulmonary graft group, 32.6%).Conclusion: Our study demonstrated superior rates of survival and freedom from reintervention after AVR with aortic homografts. Implantation with a pulmonary graft was associated with a higher risk of redo surgery, owing to earlier degenerative alterations.

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