Effects of psychotherapy interventions on anxiety and depression in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Various psychological interventions have been demonstrated to be effective at preventing anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. However, it remains unclear which intervention is the best option. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of various psychological interventions on anxiety and depression in symptomatic patients with GI cancer. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, WanFang Data, and VIP databases were systematically searched from inception to June 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcomes were anxiety and depression levels. Two reviewers independently selected the studies, extracted the data based on prespecified criteria, and evaluated the risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. Stata 14.0 was used to conduct network meta-analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-two RCTs (2453 patients) involving 9 psychological interventions were included. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT; mean difference [MD] = -4.98, 95% CI (-7.04, -2.93), relaxation therapy (MD = -4.39, 95% CI (-7.90, -0.88), reminiscence therapy (MD = -5.01, 95% CI (-8.20, -1.81)), and narrative nursing (MD = -4.89, 95% CI (-8.54, -1.23)) significantly reduced anxiety levels, and CBT (MD = -2.15, 95% CI (-4.28, -0.02), reminiscence therapy (MD = -7.20, 95% CI (-10.48, -3.91), and narrative nursing (MD = -7.20, 95% CI (-10.48, -3.91)) significantly reduced depression levels in patients with GI cancer compared with conventional nursing care. CONCLUSION: The findings of this network meta-analysis revealed that CBT, reminiscence therapy and narrative nursing can be actively considered as part of sequential therapy to reduce anxiety and depression levels in patients with GI cancer.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Tunnel Lengths in Adult Patients With Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Evidence is insufficient on the effect of tunnel lengths on tunneled peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement in adult patients with cancer. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to explore whether there is an optimal PICC tunnel length to reduce the risk of PICC-related complications. The secondary objective was to compare patients' pain and comfort levels during catheter placement with different tunnel lengths. METHODS: Two hundred patients were randomly assigned to groups based on PICC tunnel length. Data collected included baseline characteristics, catheter-related characteristics, PICC-related complications, and patients' pain and comfort levels. FINDINGS: Patients with 4 cm, 5 cm, and 6 cm PICC tunnel lengths had a longer catheter dwell time and fewer PICC-related complications. No significant differences were found among all groups regarding patients' pain and comfort levels. The results suggest that a tunneled PICC is safe and effective. A tunnel length longer than 4 cm is recommended for tunneled PICC placement.

The relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression in advanced lung cancer patients.

AIMS: Fear of progression of cancer patients can affect their psychological well-being, while research on fear of progression of advanced lung cancer patients is limited. This study aimed to describe fear of progression among advanced lung cancer patients and explore the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression. DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to select advanced lung cancer patients from September 2021 to January 2022. The Chinese version of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Lung Cancer Module of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, Family Support Questionnaire, and Health Literacy Scale for Patients with Chronic Disease were used to collect data. The structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression. RESULTS: Of 220 patients, 31.8% had dysfunctional fear of progression. Better symptom experience, higher family support, and higher health literacy were correlated directly with lower fear of progression. Higher health literacy was associated indirectly with lower fear of progression through the mediation of better symptom experience. CONCLUSION: Fear of progression among advanced lung cancer patients needs attention. Strengthening symptom management, building a strong system of family support, and improving patients' health literacy may be effective strategies to reduce fear of progression. IMPACT: The research aimed to increase our understanding of the relationships among symptom experience, family support, health literacy, and fear of progression. Fear of progression screening should be integrated into the healthcare trajectory of advanced lung cancer patients. The results emphasize that improving symptom management, family support, and health literacy is important to alleviate fear of progression. Further interventions are warranted to relieve fear of progression for advanced lung cancer patients. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No public or patient involvement.

Effect of hospital-based case management on psychosocial wellbeing and treatment outcomes in colorectal cancer patients: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Case management has been regarded as the front line of necessary change for fragmented healthcare system. AIM: This study proposed a case management intervention that is suitable for Chinese colorectal cancer patients and explored its effectiveness over a 12-month follow-up. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in an oncology hospital in China. A total of 188 patients were recruited from May 2015 to February 2017; 85 patients in the control group and 80 patients in the intervention group were included in data analysis. The intervention group was managed for 1 year by a case manager who organized the multidisciplinary team, provided regular assessment, a consulting service and referrals. Quality of life, anxiety and depression, symptom distress, treatment adherence and unplanned readmission rates were measured. RESULTS: Repeated measurement ANOVA showed significant intervention and time effects in global quality of life, anxiety and depression, symptom distress and oral chemotherapy adherence. The intervention group showed statistically significantly better overall treatment adherence and lower unplanned readmission rate. CONCLUSION: Nurse-led case management was effective in improving psychosocial outcomes, treatment adherence and unplanned readmission rate of colorectal cancer patients. A case management model is feasible and effective in colorectal cancer patients and in hospital-dominated healthcare systems where primary care is underutilized.

Application and effect evaluation of multidisciplinary team management model: On central venous access device associated skin impairment based on Delphi method.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a multidisciplinary management model based on Delphi method to guide nursing practice and reduce the incidence of CVAD-associated Skin Impairment (CASI) in tumor patients. METHODS: On the basis of literature review and focus group interview, the initial item pool of CASI management model for cancer patients was determined. The Delphi method was used to conduct two rounds of letter consultation with 36 authoritative and representative experts to determine the content and weight of indicators of CASI multidisciplinary management model for cancer patients. RESULTS: Most of the research group were experts with bachelor degree or above. More than 90% of experts have worked for more than 10 years; Areas of expertise include oncology care, venous therapy, wound stomatology, and dermatology. The recovery rate of the two rounds of expert correspondence questionnaire was 100%. The authority coefficient of experts was 0.898, indicating a good degree of authority. Kendall's harmony coefficients were 0.193 and 0.250, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001). After two rounds of expert letter consultation, a multidisciplinary management model of CASI for cancer patients was initially formed, which included 15 first-level prevention indexes and 38 second-level prevention indexes of CASI for cancer patients. There were 9 first-level indexes and 16 second-level indexes of CASI treatment in tumor patients. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients based on Delphi method to construct CASI multidisciplinary management model has high reliability and scientificity, multidisciplinary management model in the management of patients with tumor CASI exploration will provide new methods for central venous catheter nursing and the new way of thinking, will also be intravenous fluids will provide a scientific basis for professional development and quality improvement and practical experience.

Assessment of defecation function after sphincter-saving resection for mid to low rectal cancer: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Patients with mid-to low-rectal cancer can have various dysfunctions of defecation after sphincter-saving resection. Defecation dysfunction can manifest as incontinence, urgency, or frequent bowel movements, and is called low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). This study aimed to examine LARS score and objective anorectal function indices in Chinese patients receiving sphincter-saving surgery for mid-to low-rectal cancer. METHOD: This was a single-center cross-sectional study of patients undergoing sphincter-saving resection for low- or mid-rectal cancer and had restoration of trans-anal defecation for at least 1 month seen between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients completed a questionnaire regarding clinical characteristics, and Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) score and high-resolution anorectal manometry (HR-ARM) were used to assess defecation function. Multivariable analysis was used to identify variables significantly associated with defecation dysfunction. RESULTS: 146 patients completed and returned the questionnaires. 25 healthy adults also participated as control group for the anorectal manometry. Approximately 76% of patients developed LARS after surgery, of which 35.6% had major LARS. In these patients, anorectal manometry indices including initial rectal sensory capacity and rectal fecal sensory capacity, were significantly lower than normal. Logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative chemo-radiotherapy and the tumor inferior margins being close to the dentate line, especially 2-5 cm, were independent risk factors for defecation dysfunction after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Defecation dysfunction is a frequent occurrence after sphincter-saving resection for mid- and low-rectal cancer. Preoperative chemo-radiotherapy and a shorter tumor inferior margins distance to the dentate line are independent factors for defecation dysfunction.

Self-perceived burden and influencing factors in patients with cervical cancer administered with radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth commonest malignancy in women around the world. It represents the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in South East Asian women, and an important cancer death cause in women of developing nations. Data collected in 2018 revealed 5690000 cervical cancer cases worldwide, 85% of which occurred in developing countries. AIM: To assess self-perceived burden (SPB) and related influencing factors in cervical cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: Patients were prospectively included by convenient sampling at The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, China between March 2018 and March 2019. The survey was completed using a self-designed general information questionnaire, the SPB scale for cancer patients, and the self-care self-efficacy scale, Strategies Used by People to Promote Health, which were delivered to patients with cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Measurement data are expressed as the mean ± SD. Enumeration data are expressed as frequencies or percentages. Caregivers were the spouse, offspring, and other in 46.4, 40.9, and 12.7%, respectively, and the majority were male (59.1%). As for pathological type, 90 and 20 cases had squamous and adenocarcinoma/adenosquamous carcinomas, respectively. Stage IV disease was found in 12 (10.9%) patients. RESULTS: A total of 115 questionnaires were released, and five patients were excluded for too long evaluation time (n = 2) and the inability to confirm the questionnaire contents (n = 3). Finally, a total of 110 questionnaires were collected. They were aged 31-79 years, with the 40-59 age group being most represented (65.4% of all cases). Most patients were married (91.8%) and an overwhelming number had no religion (92.7%). Total SPB score was 43.13 ± 16.65. SPB was associated with the place of residence, monthly family income, payment method, transfer status, the presence of radiotherapy complications, and the presence of pain (P < 0.05). The SPB and self-care self-efficacy were negatively correlated (P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, self-care self-efficacy, place of residence, monthly family income, payment method, degree of radiation dermatitis, and radiation proctitis were influencing factors of SPB (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy often have SPB. Self-care self-efficacy scale, place of residence, monthly family income, payment method, and radiation dermatitis and proctitis are factors independently influencing SPB.

Multidimensional fatigue in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy: incidence, severity, and risk factors.

PURPOSE: To explore the incidence, severity, and risk factors of multidimensional fatigue in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: This prospective study included 79 patients with NPC in Guangzhou (China) from June 2015 to July 2018. Data were collected before and after CCRT, including demographic and clinical characteristics, nutritional parameters, and fatigue scores, based on completion of the Multiple Dimensional Inventory-20 Questionnaire, with five subscales: General Fatigue, Mental Fatigue, Physical Fatigue, Reduced Activity, and Reduced Motivation. RESULTS: Increased general fatigue was found to be associated with lower lymphocyte count and body mass index <23 kg/m2. Increased physical fatigue was related to age > 42 years. Higher scores for reduced activity were associated with age > 42 years, female sex, and lower serum sodium. Increased mental fatigue was related with lower lymphocyte count and unemployment; and increased total fatigue was associated with lower lymphocyte count, age > 42 years, and 3-6 courses of treatment. Furthermore, 3-6 courses of treatment was an independent predictor of severe general fatigue, while age >42 years was an independent predictor of severe physical fatigue. Importantly, cancer stage IVB and 3-6 courses of treatment could predict severe total fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that fatigue is increased in all dimensions in NPC patients following CCRT, and that the predictors differ for each fatigue dimension. These results could guide the development of targeted interventions that may reduce the impact of cancer-related fatigue in patients with NPC.

Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Effect of Age, Lymphedema Severity, and Anxiety.

Background: Patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) have lower quality of life (QOL). However, some important predictors, such as the effect of age, lymphedema severity, depression, and anxiety, have not yet been discovered. The overall objective of this study is to explore the QOL predictors associated with BCRL in China. Methods and Results: A cross-sectional design was conducted. Data were collected before treatment, including sociodemographic characteristics (height, heaviness, age, education level, work status, marital status, and economic status), clinical characteristics (surgical method, clinical cancer stage, lymphedema severity, and lymphedema duration), the hospital anxiety (HA) and depression scale, and the functional assessment of cancer therapy-breast quality of life instrument. Univariate analysis or bivariate correlation was first made to explore the correlation of QOL with sociodemographic/clinical characteristics, anxiety, and depression. The multiple linear regression model was used to identify the independent QOL predictors. Seventy-one patients with BCRL were recruited. Age, education level, work status, family income, lymphedema duration, lymphedema severity, and HA and hospital depression scale scores are significantly correlated with QOL (p < 0.05). Age, lymphedema severity, and HA accounted for 85.9% in QOL (F = 62.76, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Age, lymphedema, and anxiety are the most important QOL predictors. Therefore, it is very important to establish a BCRL prevention system and pay attention to psychological distress in the patients with BCRL.

Monitoring the Changes of Upper Limb Water in Breast Cancer Patients by Segmental Multi-Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis.

BACKGROUND Our study aims to investigate the role of segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SMF-BIA) in the monitoring of upper limb water changes of patients with breast cancer before and after surgery to aid in establishing a new approach to preventing lymphedema. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study included 442 female patients with breast cancer. We used SMF-BIA to monitor changes in body composition. Data were collected 1 day before surgery and 7 days and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS The average body mass index (BMI) of patients was normal but, in 22.8% of patients, the percentage of body fat exceeded the average, which is known as invisible obesity. Moreover, the weight, BMI, basal metabolic rate, inorganic salt content, muscle content, total body water, and extracellular water of patients increased 7 days after surgery (P<0.05), but recovered to preoperative levels within 3 months. In addition, protein content, skeletal muscle content, and intracellular water increased 7 days after surgery, but decreased within 3 months to even lower levels than before surgery (P<0.05). The extracellular water and total body water ratios increased continuously within the 3 months after surgery. Finally, the segmental water ratio of the healthy and affected upper limbs increased, while the bioelectrical impedance value decreased; however, they were still within the normal range. CONCLUSIONS SMF-BIA monitoring may provide more detailed information for making individual nursing care plans in patients with breast cancer. Further studies with long-term follow-up are urgently needed to establishment a lymphedema risk predictive model.

Effect of video-assisted education on informed consent and patient education for peripherally inserted central catheters: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a video-assisted education intervention on informed consent and patient education for peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects on informed consent of video-assisted patient education and traditional face-to-face discussion in a catheter outpatient ward of a cancer centre in Guangzhou, China, in 2018. Participants were 140 patients randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to two groups: video-assisted or traditional intervention. General information, patient retention of PICC-related information, working time spent by nurses on the procedure, and patient and nurse satisfaction with the procedure were assessed. RESULTS: The time used for informed consent was significantly shorter in the experimental group (1.02 ± 0.24 minutes) than in the control group (6.87 ± 1.10 minutes). The time used for PICC-related education was significantly shorter in the experimental group (1.03 ± 0.28 minutes) than in the control group (5.11 ± 0.57 minutes). Nurses' degree of satisfaction with the procedure was significantly higher in the experimental group (4.10 ± 0.57) than in the control group (2.60 ± 0.70). CONCLUSION: The use of video-assisted informed consent and patient education in this cancer centre decreased nurses' working time and improved nurses' satisfaction.Clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR1800015664.

Follow-up study on symptom distress in esophageal cancer patients undergoing repeated dilation.

BACKGROUND: Repeated endoscopic probe dilatation is the most preferred treatment for esophageal stenosis which may cause high levels of symptom distress in the patient's home rehabilitation stage. AIM: To explore the changes in the symptom distress level and its correlation with the dilation effect in patients with esophageal carcinoma undergoing repeated dilations for lumen stenosis. METHODS: The difference (R2-R1) between the diameter of the esophageal stenosis opening (R1) of the patients before dilation (R1) and after dilation (R2) was calculated to describe the extent and expansion of the esophageal stenosis before and after dilation. The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory was used to describe the symptom distress level of patients with dilation intermittence during their stay at home and to explore the correlation between the dilation effect and symptom distress level. RESULTS: The diameter of the esophagus (R1) increased before each dilation in patients undergoing esophageal dilation (P < 0.05). The diameter (R2) increased after dilation (P < 0.05); the dilation effect (R2-R1) decreased with the number of dilations (P < 0.05). The total symptom distress score significantly increased with the number of dilations (P < 0.05). The symptom distress scores of the patients were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with the previous dilation effect (R2-R1) and the esophageal diameter (R2) after the previous dilation. After the 1st to 4th dilations, the patient's symptom distress score was negatively correlated with the esophageal diameter (R12) before the next dilation, while there was no significant correlation (P > 0.05) with the other dilations. CONCLUSION: In patients who have undergone repeated dilations, better effect stands for lower symptom distress level and the increase in symptom distress has a prompt effect on the severity of the next occurrence of restenosis.

Adherence to oral chemotherapy among colorectal cancer patients: A longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were (1) to describe adherence to oral chemotherapy among colorectal cancer patients on different courses of chemotherapy, and (2) to explore the associated factors with oral chemotherapy adherence in colorectal cancer patients. METHOD: This investigation was a longitudinal study. We selected a convenience sample of 132 patients with colorectal cancer. We finished a six-month follow-up investigation by a questionnaire at different stages of chemotherapy. RESULTS: The percentage of colorectal cancer patients who had poor overall oral chemotherapy adherence was 71.4%, and adherence declined over the course of chemotherapy. According to a logistic regression analysis, whether the patients lived with their parents, job status during chemotherapy and their health benefits were related to oral chemotherapy adherence. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that overall oral chemotherapy adherence among Chinese colorectal cancer patients was poor, especially during the last stage of chemotherapy, and adherence showed a downward trend during chemotherapy. The adherence could be improved by interventions related to family, work and patients' perception of oral chemotherapy.

Home enteral nutrition after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Not only has the placement rate of enteral feeding tubes during operations for esophageal cancer increased, but also has number of patients who choose to continue enteral feeding at home instead of removing the feeding tube at discharge. The impacts of home enteral nutrition (HEN) after esophagectomy in esophageal cancer patients are analyzed. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines. English and Chinese databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, CBM, CNKI, and Wan Fang were searched from inception to December 7, 2019. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the short-term outcomes of HEN following esophagectomy in cancer patients were included. The risk of bias of the included studies was appraised according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The summary of relative risk/weighted mean difference (WMD) estimates and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated using fixed- and random-effects models. RESULTS: Nine randomized controlled trials involving 757 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with oral diet, HEN was associated with significantly increased body weight (WMD 3 kg, 95% CI 2.36-3.63, P < .001), body mass index (WMD 0.97 kg/m, 95% CI 0.74-1.21, P < .001), albumin (WMD 3.43 g/L, 95% CI 2.35-4.52, P < .001), hemoglobin (WMD 7.23 g/L, 95% CI 5.87-8.59, P < .001), and total protein (WMD 5.13 g/L, 95% CI 3.7-6.56, P < .001). No significant differences were observed in prealbumin and gastrointestinal adverse reactions. Physical (WMD 8.82, 95% CI 6.69-10.95, P < .001) and role function (WMD 12.23, 95% CI 2.72-21.74, P = .01) were also significantly better in the HEN group. The nausea/vomiting (WMD -5.43, 95% CI -8.29 to -2.57, P = .002) and fatigue symptoms (WMD -11.76, 95% CI -16.21 to -7.32, P < .001) were significantly reduced. Appetite loss (WMD -8.48, 95% CI -14.27 to -4.88, P = .001), diarrhea (WMD -3.9, 95% CI -7.37 to -0.43, P = .03), and sleep disturbance (WMD -7.64, 95% CI -12.79 to -2.5, P = .004) in the HEN group were also significantly less than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: HEN improved nutrition status, physical and role function, and reduced nausea/vomiting, fatigue, appetite loss, diarrhea, and sleep disturbance compared with an oral diet in esophageal cancer patients postsurgery. HEN did not increase adverse reactions.

Epidemiology of mental health problems among patients with cancer during COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study aimed to explore mental health problems in patients diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cluster sampling, cross-sectional survey with 6213 cancer patients was conducted in one of the largest cancer centers in China. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, psychosomatic conditions, interpersonal relationships and social support, COVID-19 infection-related psychological stress, and mental health status were measured. Medical conditions were extracted from patients' electronic healthcare records. Among the 6213 cancer patients, 23.4% had depression, 17.7% had anxiety, 9.3% had PTSD, and 13.5% had hostility. Hierarchical liner regression models showed that having a history of mental disorder, excessive alcohol consumption, having a higher frequency of worrying about cancer management due to COVID-19, having a higher frequency feeling of overwhelming psychological pressure from COVID-19, and having a higher level of fatigue and pain were the predominant risk factors for mental health problems in cancer patients. However, there were only 1.6% of them were seeking psychological counseling during COVID-19. We also revealed the protective factors associated with lower risk of mental health problems among cancer patients. The present study revealed a high prevalence of mental health problems and gaps in mental health services for cancer patients, which also indicated high distress from COVID-19-elevated risks. We call for systematic screening of mental health status for all cancer patients, and developing specific psychological interventions for this vulnerable population.

The Prevalence and Correlates of Prehospital Delay and Health Belief in Chinese Patients With Colorectal Cancer.

The objective of this study was to describe prehospital delay and health beliefs in Chinese patients with colorectal cancer. A total of 756 adult Chinese patients with a first-time diagnosis of colorectal cancer were recruited during 2016 in Guangzhou, China. All patients completed the Chinese-language version of a questionnaire developed specifically for this study as well as the Chinese-language version of the Champion Health Belief Model Scale. The results of this study showed that the median length of the prehospital delay was 12 weeks and that the average delay was 18.29 (SD = 14.66) weeks. The rate of prehospital delay was 47.35%. The score of health beliefs among these patients was 115.56 (SD = 9.00) and the average score of the entries was 3.21 (SD = 0.25). Health beliefs about colorectal cancer were negatively correlated with prehospital delay. A multiple logistic regression showed that the level of health beliefs, frequency of physical examinations, occupation, and the site of the cancer were the major factors influencing prehospital delay (p < .05). The patients had a low rate of physical examination (41.40%), and colorectal cancer screening was not routine prior to their physical examination. This study showed that the incidence of prehospital delay among Chinese patients with colorectal cancer was 47.35%. Multiple factors influenced prehospital delay among Chinese patients with colorectal cancer.

Analysis of the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients.

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients. Patients and Methods: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to hospitalized patients in the Department of Medical Oncology in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between 20 September 2014 and 20 September 2015. This study included lymphoma patients who were enrolled into a radical treatment clinical trial, and head/neck cancer patients participating in a palliative clinical trial. Results: There were 136 lymphoma patients and 87 head/neck cancer patients who completed and returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire return rate was 100%. More than 90% of the patients in both groups showed trust and acceptance for medical care personnel, and more than 50% of the patients in both groups were in hope of trying new medication, receiving free medication, and receiving new treatment at an earlier rate. As compared with those in the radical trials, patients in the palliative clinical trials were more likely to hope to try new medication (P<0.001) and receive a new treatment at an earlier date (P=0.025), but less likely to hope to receive free medication (P=0.047). Conclusions: This study reveals several shared perceptions and needs of patients in both the radical (lymphoma) and palliative (head/neck cancer) settings and explores the differences in patients' attitudes between radical clinical trials and palliative clinical trials. These findings may provide a basis for improving recruitment of patients for different types of clinical trials and ensuring that patients have a better understanding of clinical trials.

Chinese version of the Cancer Support Person's Unmet Needs Survey-Sort Form: A psychometric study.

OBJECTIVE: Psychometrically rigorous and comprehensive needs assessment measures for Chinese general cancer caregivers are relatively scarce. We described the development and psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Cancer Support Person's Unmet Needs Survey-Short Form (SPUNS-SFC). METHODS: A forward-backward translation method was utilised to develop the SPUNS-SFC. The construct validity, internal consistency, convergent validity and discriminant validity of the SPUNS-SFC were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1,026 Chinese cancer caregivers completed the SPUNS-SFC. Items 10, 11, 13, 24 and 26 were removed as more than 80% of respondents reported having no unmet needs on these items. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-factor structure, which accounted for 78.47% of the total variance, and consisted of the following domains: information, healthcare access and continuity, personal and emotional needs, worries about the future, and financial needs. Internal consistency of the measure was high, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.87 to 0.95 for the five domains. The measure illustrated adequate evidence of convergent validity, demonstrated by significant correlations with multiple measures of psychological well-being. Known-groups validity was established, as 87.5% of the hypotheses were supported. CONCLUSION: This study indicates the SPUNS-SFC is a reliable and valid measure of the unmet needs of Chinese cancer caregivers.

Barriers and facilitators to participation in clinical trial among lymphoma patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in China: An observation study.

Recruitment rate of clinical trials in cancer patients is pretty low in China. Little is known about factors influencing trial recruitment in Chinese cancer patients. The aim of present study is to evaluate the barriers and facilitators to participation in clinical trials among lymphoma patients in China.From December 2014 to August 2015, the survey was carried out in the Department of Medical Oncology in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. A self-made questionnaire was used among lymphoma patients (N = 331) to evaluate their attitude toward clinical trials. The questionnaire included 2 parts: patients' basic information and whether they were willing to participate in future clinical trials and their reasons.There were 53.5% patients willing to participate in clinical trials. The most common reasons were thirst for new treatments, trust on hospital and doctors, the idea that clinical trials may be more effective than conventional therapy, and to get more management and monitoring. The following patients are more likely to participate in clinical trials: patients who have children (P = .019) or spouse (P = .037), cannot afford treatment cost (P = .019), have tumor relapse (P = .045), and cared about the medical development (P = .032). Patients who have little knowledge of clinical trials are less likely to participate in clinical trials (P = .047).Popularization of knowledge about clinical trial is helpful to improve clinical trial participation in Chinese lymphoma patients.