Routine cancer treatments and their impact on physical function, symptoms of cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Breast cancer can be a major challenge for affected women. Knowledge of the physical function, symptoms of cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, and depression based on the cancer treatment may help to guide adequate support. METHODS: For this prospective observational study, we collected data from seventy-nine women with a mean age 54.6 ± 9.5 years prior to the onset of breast cancer treatment (T0) and after (T1/T2). Handgrip strength test (HGS), six-minute walk test (6MWT), the phase angle (PhA), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F) were used to collect data from four treatment subgroups SC, surgery + chemotherapy; SCR, surgery + chemotherapy + radiation therapy; SR, surgery + radiation therapy; and S, surgery. RESULTS: A mixed ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between time and group for PhA, F = 8.55, p < 0.01; HGS, F = 3.59, p < 0.01; 6MWT, F = 4.47, p < 0.01; and FACIT-F, F = 2.77, p < 0.05 with most pronounced deterioration seen in group SCR (PhA 4.8°; HGS 27.5 kg, 6MWT 453.4 m, FACIT-F 33.8 points). HADS data displayed moderate anxiety and depression predominantly after treatment. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the extent of change in physical function, symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, and depression depends on the treatment conditions. The potentially higher risk of impaired function due to the prevalence of values below a critical threshold requires early initiated multidisciplinary support.

Routine Cancer Treatment Regimens and Its Impact on Fine Motor Dexterity in Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer can be a major challenge for those affected. Knowledge of changes in fine motor dexterity in affected women due to routine cancer therapies can help guide effective support. METHODS: For this prospective observational study, we collected data of 79 women with a mean age 54.6 ± 9.5 years prior to, after breast cancer therapy (T1), and at 3-month follow-up. The fine motor dexterity was assessed for 4 treatment subgroups: SC = Surgery + Chemotherapy, SCR = Surgery + Chemotherapy + Radiotherapy Therapy, SR = Surgery + Radiotherapy, and S = Surgery. RESULTS: Over time, women with breast cancer showed significant decreases in fine motor dexterity across all treatment groups (p < 0.001). The strongest negative effect was seen in the treatment groups receiving additional chemotherapy. SCR group showed pronounced limitations for dominant hand (DH) -12%; non-dominant hand (NDH) -15%; both hands (BH) -17%; assembly (ASSY) -11% at T1. Significant interaction was noticeable in DH (F = 5.59, p < 0.001), NDH (F = 6.61, p < 0.001), BH (F = 13.11 p < 0.001), and ASSY (F = 5.84 p < 0.001). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the extent of change in fine motor dexterity depends on the treatment regimen. The detection of unmet care needs could help to personalize and optimize clinical and survivorship care. Based on our findings, multidisciplinary support initiated early in breast cancer therapy is required.

Cancer treatment regimens and their impact on the patient-reported outcome measures health-related quality of life and perceived cognitive function.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Breast cancer can be a significant challenge for those affected. Knowledge of physical function, social-emotional challenges, and perceived cognitive function based on the cancer treatment regimens may help to inform adequate support. METHODS: For this prospective observational pilot study, we collected data of seventy-nine women (mean age 54.6 ± 9.5 years) before (T0) and after (T1) initial breast cancer treatment. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive-Function (FACT-Cog) were used to collect data of four treatment subgroups: SCR = Surgery + Chemotherapy + Radiation Therapy; SC = Surgery + Chemotherapy; SR = Surgery + Radiation Therapy; S = Surgery. A mixed ANOVA and posthoc analysis (Tukey, Games-Howell) were used to detect interactions (group by time) and the main effect. A repeated-measures ANOVA displayed individual group differences (time). RESULTS: Significant interaction showed more deterioration was experienced with SC and SCR than SR and S for FACT-B (p < 0.01) and FACT-Cog (p < 0.001). The longitudinal comparison between T0 and T1 indicated a significant group main effect on all subscales (p < 0.001) except for Emotional Well-Being. Significant reductions (p < 0.05) in FACT-B, (- 19%); FACT-Cog, (- 21%) with most pronounced effect in Physical Well-Being (- 30%), Functional Well-Being (- 20%), Breast Cancer Subscale (- 20%), Perceived Cognitive Impairments (- 18%) and Impact of Cognitive Impairments on Quality of Life (- 39%) were detected for SCR. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the extent of change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and perceived cognitive function (PCF) depends on the treatment regimen. Multidisciplinary support initiated early in breast cancer therapy is needed, especially for women undergoing combined cancer treatment. Routine assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in oncology practice may increase the transparency of patients' perceived circumstances, leading to personalized and optimized acute and survivorship care.

Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Pattern and Biomarkers of Physical Functioning of Prostate Cancer Survivors in Rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of clinically established factors of physical function such as body composition, bioelectrical phase angle (PhA) and handgrip strength (HGS) with mortality predictive and health-related relevance is limited in prostate cancer survivors (PCS). Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterise and compare body composition data of PCS with extensive reference data as well as to analyse PhA and HGS and the prevalence of critical prognostic values at an early stage of cancer survivorship. METHODS: One hundred and forty-eight PCS were examined at the start (T1) and end (T2) of a 3-week hospitalised urooncological rehabilitation, which began median 28 days after acute cancer therapy. Examinations included a bioimpedance analysis and HGS test. Comparison of body composition between PCS and reference data was performed using bioimpedance vector analysis (BIVA). RESULTS: BIVA of the whole PCS group showed abnormal physiology with a cachectic state and a state of overhydration/oedema, without significant changes between T1 and T2. The age- and BMI-stratified subgroup analysis showed that PCS aged 60 years and older had this abnormal pattern compared to the reference population. HGS (T1: 38.7 ± 8.9 vs T2: 40.8 ± 9.4, kg), but not PhA (T1/T2: 5.2 ± 0.7, °), changed significantly between T1 and T2. Values below a critical threshold reflecting a potentially higher risk of mortality and impaired function were found for PhA in 20% (T1) and 22% (T2) of PCS and in 41% (T1) and 29% (T2) for HGS. CONCLUSIONS: BIVA pattern and the prevalence of critically low HGS and PhA values illustrate the necessity for intensive continuation of rehabilitation and survivorship care especially in these 'at risk' cases. The routine assessment of body composition, PhA and HGS offer the opportunity to conduct a risk stratification for PCS and could help personalising and optimising treatment in rehabilitation and ongoing survivorship care.