Examining guidelines and new evidence in oncology nutrition: a position paper on gaps and opportunities in multimodal approaches to improve patient care.

Malnutrition, muscle loss, and cachexia are prevalent in cancer and remain key challenges in oncology today. These conditions are frequently underrecognized and undertreated and have devastating consequences for patients. Early nutrition screening/assessment and intervention are associated with improved patient outcomes. As a multifaceted disease, cancer requires multimodal care that integrates supportive interventions, specifically nutrition and exercise, to improve nutrient intake, muscle mass, physical functioning, quality of life, and treatment outcomes. An integrated team of healthcare providers that incorporates societies' recommendations into clinical practice can help achieve the best possible outcomes. A multidisciplinary panel of experts in oncology, nutrition, exercise, and medicine participated in a 2-day virtual roundtable in October 2020 to discuss gaps and opportunities in oncology nutrition, alone and in combination with exercise, relative to current evidence and international societies' recommendations. The panel recommended five principles to optimize clinical oncology practice: (1) position oncology nutrition at the center of multidisciplinary care; (2) partner with colleagues and administrators to integrate a nutrition care process into the multidisciplinary cancer care approach; (3) screen all patients for malnutrition risk at diagnosis and regularly throughout treatment; (4) combine exercise and nutrition interventions before (e.g., prehabilitation), during, and after treatment as oncology standard of care to optimize nutrition status and muscle mass; and (5) incorporate a patient-centered approach into multidisciplinary care.

Systematic rapid living review of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survivors: update to August 27, 2020.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes in the global healthcare delivery landscape and has had practical repercussions for cancer survivors. This systematic rapid living review has been undertaken to synthesise the available knowledge regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a timely manner. This initial rapid review will present the findings of literature published up to August 27, 2020. DESIGN: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases was conducted to identify all articles, available in English language, regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survivors published between December 2019 and August 27, 2020. The search strategy employed the following search strings: "covid-19 OR coronavirus OR sars-cov-2" with "cancer survivors OR cancer survivorship". RESULTS: The database search yielded 1639 articles, of which 19 were included. Of the 19 selected articles, there were 12 expert opinion articles, two literature reviews, two prospective cohort studies, one retrospective cohort study, one descriptive study and one pooled meta-analysis that comment on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical wellbeing (16 articles), psychosocial wellbeing (15 articles) and financial wellbeing of cancer survivors (3 articles). CONCLUSIONS: Limited definitive evidence exists regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survivors. Currently available literature provides preliminary indications of wide-ranging impacts of the pandemic on cancer survivors with respect to the requirement to adapt to new means of healthcare delivery as well as their physical, psychosocial and economic wellbeing. The pandemic has left survivors dealing with the consequences of rigorous cancer treatment in the context of new challenges related to social isolation, financial hardship and uncertainty with respect to their ongoing care. Additional rigorously designed research initiatives are required to elucidate the impact of the pandemic on cancer survivors.

The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: Anorexia-cachexia syndrome (ACS) is a complex condition in advanced cancer patients, defined by disproportionate loss of skeletal muscle mass, and a lack or loss of appetite. This condition greatly lowers the quality of life and limits the treatment options. ACS is commonly associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Ginger has been successful in treating these symptoms but has not yet been tested on patients with advanced cancer. Electrogastrography is a technology that allows the direct recording of the gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA). PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to (1) determine the effects of ginger on the GMA in these patients, (2) evaluate the subjective symptoms using 3 validated scales, and (3) correlate the level of inflammatory factors and ghrelin in this patient population. METHODS: Patients with ACS and advanced cancer were recruited from the Palliative Rehabilitation outpatient program at Elisabeth Bruyère Hospital. Patients were instructed to take a daily capsule of 1650 mg of ginger for 14 days and outcome measures were recorded at pre- and post-intervention, which included a blood test for analysis of CRP, albumin and ghrelin levels, 3 self-administered surveys (DSSI, PG-SGA, ESAS), patient-reported symptoms, and an EGG diagnosis. RESULTS: Fifteen patients with a median age of 58 and varying cancer diagnoses were enrolled. EGG diagnosis showed that 9 of the 15 patients had a direct improvement in their GMA, and all patients showed improvement in reported symptoms, most notably nausea, dysmotility- and reflux-like symptoms. There was no correlation found for ginger administration and inflammatory factors. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ginger may improve GMA as measured by EGG and may have a notable effect on symptom improvement.

Effects of a Cancer Survivorship Clinic-preliminary results.

PURPOSE: Initial investigation of the impact of a Cancer Survivorship Clinic following its introduction in February 2017. METHODS: A systematic chart review of 176 patients enrolled in the Cancer Survivorship Clinic (CSC) who completed a minimum of one follow-up visit after the initial baseline visit. This was assessed using three screening tools: distress thermometer (DT), Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC), and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). Descriptive statistics and t tests were utilized to assess the impact of the CSC. RESULTS: Distress thermometer: Statistically significant decline in scores from the baseline visit to the follow-up visit among the study population (p < 0.05). There was a significant decline in score among high-risk patients with an initial DT≥4 (p < 0.0001). Canadian Problem Checklist: Based on the initial baseline visit, the top five reported causes of distress among the study population include pain, anxiety, fatigue, tingling in hands and feet, sleep. Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale: Statistically significant decline in reported pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, and shortness of breath scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, patients had a significant reduction in distress from the baseline visit to the follow-up visit. High-risk patients experienced a more significant reduction in distress. Reduction in patient distress was independent of the number of visits to the clinic. Reported symptom severity for pain, tiredness, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, and shortness of breath also declined significantly following clinic intervention. Further qualitative studies required to establish the clinical significance of study findings. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Continued active clinical support and education for cancer survivors should be considered a potentially essential element in the cancer treatment trajectory to address patient well-being and distress.

Perceptions of palliative care in a South Asian community: findings from an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Patients often view "palliative care" (PC) as an approach that is synonymous with end-of-life and death, leading to shock and fear. Differing cultural and social norms and religious affiliations greatly determine perception of PC among diverse populations. METHODS: This prospective observational study aimed to explore perceptions of PC among South Asian community members at one Canadian site. Patients who identified themselves as being of South Asian origin were consented and enrolled at a PC Clinic at a community hospital in Brampton, Ontario serving a large South Asian population. Participants filled out an 18-question survey created for the study and responded to a semi-structured interview consisting of 8 questions that further probed their perceptions of PC. Survey responses and semi-structured interviews content were analyzed by four authors who reached consensus on key exploratory findings. RESULTS: Thirty-four participants of South Asian origin were recruited (61.8% males), and they were distributed by their age group as follows: [(30-49) - 18%; (50-64) - 21%; (65-79) - 41%; (≥ 80) - 21%]. Five main exploratory findings emerged: (i) differing attitudes towards talking about death; (ii) the key role of family in providing care; (iii) a significant lack of prior knowledge of PC; (iv) a common emphasis on the importance of alleviating suffering and pain to maintain comfort; and (v) that cultural values, faith, or spiritual belief do not pose a necessary challenge to acceptance of PC services. CONCLUSIONS: Observations from this study provide a source of reference to understand the key findings and variability in perceptions of palliative care in South Asian communities. Culturally competent interventions based on trends observed in this study could assist Palliative Physicians in delivering personalized care to South Asian populations.

Reported distress in patients living with advanced cancer: changes pre-post interdisciplinary palliative rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: Patients are living extended life with advanced cancer making it chronic rather than imminently terminal. Literature on the experience of living with advanced cancer is emerging, indicating ongoing polysymptomatic burden, lack of information, burnout (patients and caregivers), and emotional concerns, all of which contribute to emotional distress. The interdisciplinary Ottawa Palliative Rehabilitation Program (PRP) offers a scarce clinical resource for this population. The current research aimed to explore changes in self-reported distress for patients who completed the PRP, from baseline to program completion. METHODS: A secondary analysis of self-report and clinical measures was performed for 180 patients who completed the PRP. Measures included the Distress Thermometer and the Problem checklists. Descriptive statistics described the sample, paired-sample t tests examined changes in Distress Thermometer scores from baseline to PRP completion, and McNemar's tests revealed whether the most commonly endorsed checklist items changed by PRP completion. RESULTS: Participants (n = 180) had advanced heterogeneous cancers (mean age = 62.18, 49.4% male). From baseline to completion, significant reported changes included decreases in endorsement of clinical distress (from 55.6 to 38.9%; p < 0.001) and decreases in 7/10 of the most commonly endorsed checklist problems (p values ranging from 0.016 to <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A number of endorsed checklist problems significantly decreased, as did overall self-reported distress. Compared to the existing literature that does not show improvements, our finding begins to support that palliative rehabilitation may benefit patient levels of distress by improving function and quality of life. Psychotherapy, anesthesia, and additional intervention for cognitive difficulties may further benefit patients.

Rolapitant improves quality of life of patients receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Addition of rolapitant to standard antiemetic therapy improved protection against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in phase 3 trials of patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). Here, we assessed the impact of CINV on the daily lives of patients receiving HEC or MEC using the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE). METHODS: In three double-blind phase 3 studies, patients receiving HEC or MEC were randomized 1:1 to receive oral rolapitant 180 mg or placebo prior to chemotherapy plus 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone therapy. Patients completed the FLIE questionnaire on day 6 of cycle 1. Endpoints included FLIE total score, nausea and vomiting domain scores, and the proportion of patients with no impact on daily life (total score >108 [range 18-126]). We performed a prespecified analysis of the MEC/anthracycline-cyclophosphamide (AC) study and a post hoc analysis of two pooled cisplatin-based HEC studies. RESULTS: In the pooled HEC studies, rolapitant significantly improved the FLIE total score (114.5 vs 109.3, p < 0.001), nausea score (55.3 vs 53.5, p < 0.05), and vomiting score (59.2 vs 55.8, p < 0.001) versus control; similar results were observed in the MEC/AC study for FLIE total score (112.7 vs 108.6, p < 0.001), nausea score (54.1 vs 52.3, p < 0.05), and vomiting score (58.6 vs 56.3, p < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients reported no impact on daily life with rolapitant than with control in the MEC/AC study (73.2 vs 67.4, p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with control, rolapitant improved quality of life in patients receiving HEC or MEC.

The longitudinal course of depression symptomatology following a palliative rehabilitation program.

PURPOSE: Patients with advanced cancer have increased life expectancy but suffer from ongoing burden. Depressive symptomatology is their most common mental health concern. The Ottawa Palliative Rehabilitation Program (PRP) offers rehabilitation for this population. It offers 8 weeks of individualized interdisciplinary rehabilitation, post cancer treatment. Interventions include medical (physician and nurse), physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietary, and social work using a general self-efficacy framework. Pilot data suggest benefits in a range of domains, including ratings of feeling "depressed." We examined whether reduced symptomatology was maintained 3 months after PRP completion. METHODS: Participants with advanced heterogeneous cancers who completed the PRP were mailed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (among others) 3-month post-PRP (n = 44). Demographic and medical information were obtained from patient files. RESULTS: There was a significant linear trend (mean T1: 6.79 ± 2.29; T2: 5.23 ± 3.06; T3: 4.59 ± 3.34; p = 0.007) with statistically and clinically significant decreases in reported depressive symptomatology between T1 and T2 (p = 0.042) and T1 and T3 (p = 0.007). There was a significant decreases in number of cases reporting symptomatology scores in the clinical range from T1 to T3 (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo a palliative rehabilitation program may experience relief of mild depressive symptomatology, maintainable 3-month post-PRP. The sample was exhibiting mild symptomatology and these results may not be generalizable to those with higher scores; a lack of specialized psychosocial clinician may have affected the acquired sample. Experimental designs are needed to more thoroughly compare these findings to independent rehabilitation interventions.

Rolapitant for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: a review of the clinical evidence.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), both acute and delayed, has a dramatic effect on the well-being and quality of life of patients with cancer. Improved understanding of the mechanisms involved in CINV has led to the development of agents targeting the 5-HT3 receptor as well as the NK-1 receptor. Antiemetic prophylaxis given to patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy combines agents blocking the 5-HT3 and NK-1 receptors along with corticosteroids given regularly and repeatedly. Rolapitant is a long-acting NK-1 receptor antagonist with proven efficacy in controlling CINV as part of the prophylaxis regimen. This review will detail the clinical efficacy and safety of rolapitant in the treatment of patients with cancer receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy.

Safety and efficacy of rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after administration of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy or anthracycline and cyclophosphamide regimens in patients with cancer: a randomised, active-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is a common side-effect of many antineoplastic regimens and can occur for several days after treatment. We aimed to assess the neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist rolapitant, in combination with a serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist and dexamethasone, for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer after administration of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy or regimens containing an anthracycline and cyclophosphamide. METHODS: We conducted a global, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, phase 3 study at 170 cancer centres in 23 countries. We included patients with cancer aged 18 years or older, who had not received moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy before, with a Karnofsky performance score of 60 or higher, and a predicted life expectancy of 4 months or longer. We used an interactive web-based randomisation system to randomly allocate patients to receive either oral rolapitant (one 180 mg dose; rolapitant group) or a placebo that was identical in appearance (active control group) 1-2 h before administration of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. Patients were stratified by sex. All patients also received granisetron (2 mg orally) and dexamethasone (20 mg orally) on day 1 (except for patients receiving taxanes as part of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, who received dexamethasone according to the package insert) and granisetron (2 mg orally) on days 2-3. Every cycle was a minimum of 14 days. In up to five subsequent cycles, patients received the same study drug they were assigned in cycle 1, unless they chose to leave the study or were removed at the treating clinician's discretion. Efficacy analysis was done in the modified intention-to-treat population (comprising all patients who received at least one dose of study drug at a study site compliant with Good Clinical Practice [GCP]). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving a complete response (defined as no emesis or use of rescue medication) in the delayed phase (>24-120 h after initiation of chemotherapy) in cycle 1. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01500226. The study has been completed. FINDINGS: Between March 5, 2012, and Sept 6, 2013, 1369 patients were randomised to receive either rolapitant (n=684) or active control (n=685). 666 patients in each group received at least one dose of study drug at a GCP-compliant site and were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. A significantly greater proportion of patients receiving rolapitant had complete responses in the delayed phase than did those receiving active control (475 [71%] vs 410 [62%]; odds ratio 1·6, 95% CI 1·2-2·0; p=0·0002). The incidence of adverse events was similar in the rolapitant and control groups, with the most frequently reported treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events being fatigue, constipation, and headache. For cycle 1, the most common grade 3-4 adverse event in the rolapitant versus active control groups was neutropenia (32 [5%] vs 23 [3%] patients). No serious adverse event was treatment-related, and no treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse event resulted in death. INTERPRETATION: Rolapitant in combination with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone is well tolerated and shows superiority over active control for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting during the 5-day (0-120 h) at-risk period after administration of moderately emetogenic chemotherapy or regimens containing an anthracycline and cyclophosphamide. FUNDING: TESARO, Inc.

Safety and efficacy of rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after administration of cisplatin-based highly emetogenic chemotherapy in patients with cancer: two randomised, active-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trials.

BACKGROUND: Highly emetogenic chemotherapy induces emesis in almost all patients in the absence of prophylaxis. Guidelines recommend use of a neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist in conjunction with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and corticosteroid in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. We aimed to assess rolapitant, an NK-1 receptor antagonist, for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer after administration of cisplatin-based highly emetogenic chemotherapy. METHODS: We conducted two global, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, phase 3 trials (HEC-1 and HEC-2) at 155 cancer centres (76 in HEC-1 and 79 in HEC-2) in 26 countries (17 in HEC-1 and 14 in HEC-2). We enrolled patients with cancer aged 18 years or older, who had not previously been treated with cisplatin, with a Karnofsky performance score of 60 or higher, and a predicted life expectancy of 4 months or longer. We used an interactive web-based randomisation system to randomly assign patients to treatment. Patients were stratified by sex and randomly allocated to either oral rolapitant (180 mg dose; rolapitant group) or a placebo that was identical in appearance (active control group) about 1-2 h before administration of highly emetogenic chemotherapy. All patients received granisetron (10 µg/kg intravenously) and dexamethasone (20 mg orally) on day 1, and dexamethasone (8 mg orally) twice daily on days 2-4. Every cycle was a minimum of 14 days. In up to five subsequent cycles, patients were allowed to receive the same study drug they were assigned in cycle 1, unless removed at the clinician's discretion. Patients could also choose to leave the study at any point. Efficacy analysis was done in the modified intention-to-treat population (comprising all patients who received at least one dose of study drug at a cancer centre compliant with Good Clinical Practice [GCP]). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving a complete response (no emesis or use of rescue medication) in the delayed phase (>24-120 h after initiation of chemotherapy) in cycle 1. These studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, numbers NCT01499849 and NCT01500213. Both studies have been completed. FINDINGS: Between Feb 21, 2012, and March 12, 2014, 532 patients in HEC-1 and 555 patients in HEC-2 were randomly assigned to treatment. 526 patients in HEC-1 (264 rolapitant and 262 active control) and 544 in HEC-2 (271 rolapitant and 273 active control) received at least one dose of study drug at a GCP-compliant site and were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. A significantly greater proportion of patients in the rolapitant group had complete responses in the delayed phase than did patients in the active control group (HEC-1: 192 [73%] vs 153 [58%]; odds ratio 1·9, 95% CI 1·3-2·7; p=0·0006; HEC-2: 190 [70%] vs 169 [62%]; 1·4, 1·0-2·1; p=0·0426; pooled studies: 382 [71%] vs 322 [60%]; 1·6, 1·3-2·1; p=0·0001). The incidence of adverse events was similar across treatment groups. The most commonly reported treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events in the rolapitant versus active control groups were headache (three [<1%] vs two [<1%]), hiccups (three [<1%] vs four [<1%]), constipation (two [<1%] vs three [<1%]), and dyspepsia (two [<1%] vs three [<1%]). For cycle 1, the most common grade 3-5 adverse events in patients allocated rolapitant versus active control were neutropenia (HEC-1: nine [3%] vs 14 [5%]; HEC-2: 16 [6%] vs 14 [5%]), anaemia (HEC-1: one [<1%] vs one [<1%]; HEC-2: seven [3%] vs two [<1%]), and leucopenia (HEC-1: six [2%] vs two [<1%]; HEC-2: two [<1%] vs two [<1%]). No serious treatment-emergent adverse events were treatment related, and no treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events resulted in death. INTERPRETATION: Rolapitant in combination with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone is well-tolerated and shows superiority over active control for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting during the at-risk period (120 h) after administration of highly emetogenic cisplatin-based chemotherapy. FUNDING: TESARO, Inc.

Attitudes of oncologists towards palliative care and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at an Ontario cancer center in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Cancer Care Ontario promotes the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) for standardized systematic screening and assessment of symptoms across cancer centers in Ontario, Canada. Attitudes of medical oncologists (MOs), radiation oncologists (ROs), and general practitioners in oncology (GPOs) toward palliative care, and the ESAS were surveyed in Ottawa. METHODS: A four-part questionnaire was developed, drawing on items from similar studies. RESULTS: Forty respondents (17 MOs, 16 ROs, and 7 GPOs) were interviewed. Attitudes to palliative care: regarding coordination of care across the illness trajectory including end of life by MOs, all ROs disagreed while 71.4 % of GPOs and 41.2 % of MOs agreed that this was the MO's role. Most respondents supported palliative care alongside concurrent anti-tumor therapies (82.4 % MOs, 62.5 % ROs, and 100 % GPOs). Attitudes to ESAS: respondents agreed that the ESAS enhances care and assessment of symptom severity. ROs felt that reviewing the ESAS histogram was less useful than did MOs (42.9 versus 76.5 %, respectively); 56.3 % of ROs and 88.2 % of MOs agreed that the ESAS is useful for follow-up (p < 0.08); 64.7 % of MOs, 88.3 % of GPOs, and 6.3 % of ROs agreed with ESAS completion at every visit (p < 0.00). Frequency of use of the ESAS: 62.5 % of respondents reported inspecting the ESAS "most of the time or always," while 17.5 % reported "never" or "rarely." CONCLUSIONS: MOs and GPOs appear more positive than ROs toward regular use of ESAS. There is discordance between what is perceived to be a useful beneficial instrument versus actual use of the instrument in daily practice. The reasons for this gap need to be better understood in future studies.

Pedometer-facilitated walking intervention shows promising effectiveness for reducing cancer fatigue: a pilot randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: Mechanisms for cancer related fatigue suggest that exercise but "not too much and not too little" could be effective. This study aimed to investigate feasibility and estimate the potential effects of a walking exercise program in people with advanced cancer and fatigue. DESIGN: A pilot randomized trial. SETTING: McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), Montreal, Canada. SUBJECTS: People with advanced cancer undergoing interdisciplinary assessment and rehabilitation with a fatigue level of 4 to 10 on a visual analogue scale. INTERVENTIONS: An 8-week fatigue-adapted, walking intervention, facilitated using a pedometer (STEPS), and offered at the same time as or after rehabilitation. MEASURES: Measures of fatigue, physical function and well-being were administered at entry, and 8, 16 and 24 weeks. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) estimated the odds of response for people receiving the STEPS program in comparison to the odds of response in the controls (odds ratio, OR). RESULTS: Twenty-six persons were randomized to three groups: during rehabilitation, after rehabilitation, and usual care. For the fatigue measures the OR for STEPS offered at any time using an intention-to-treat approach was 3.68 (95%CI: 1.05-12.88); for the physical function measures, the OR was 1.40 (95%CI: 0.41- 4.79) and 2.36 (95%CI: 0.66-8.51) for the well-being measures. CONCLUSION: Fifty percent of eligible people were able to participate. This small trial suggests that a personalized exercise program reduces fatigue and that 100 people are needed in a full strength trial.

Cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome is characterized by more than one inflammatory pathway.

BACKGROUND: The interdependence of cytokines and appetite-modifying hormones implicated in cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) remains unclear. This study aimed to regroup these cytokines and hormones into distinct inflammatory (or non-inflammatory) pathways and determine whether these pathways can classify patients with CACS phenotypes. METHODS: Clinical characteristics of 133 patients [61.7% male; mean age = 63.4 (SD: 13.1) years] with advanced cancer prior to oncology treatments were documented, including weight loss history. Patients completed the Functional Assessment of Anorexia-Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) questionnaire and Timed Up and Go test and had their sex-standardized skeletal muscle index (z-SMI) and fat mass index (z-FMI) derived using computed tomography scans. Their plasma levels of cytokines and appetite-modifying hormones were also determined. Date of death was recorded. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to regroup 15 cytokines and hormone into distinct inflammatory pathways (factors). For each patient, regression factor scores (RFS), which tell how strongly the patient associates with each factor, were derived. Two-step cluster analysis on the RFS was used to classify patients into groups. CACS phenotypes were correlated with RFS and compared between groups. Groups' survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Patients had low z-SMI (mean = -3.78 cm2/m2; SD: 8.88) and z-FMI (mean = 0.08 kg2/m2; SD: 56.25), and 62 (46.6%) had cachexia. EFA identified three factors: (F-1) IFN-γ, IL-1ß, Il-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TGFß1 (positive contribution), and IL-18 (negative); (F-2) IL-8, IL-18, MCP-1, TGFß1, TNF-α (positive), and ghrelin (negative); and (F-3) TRAIL and leptin (positive), and TGFß1 and adiponectin (negative). RFS-1 was associated with cachexia (P = 0.002); RFS-2, with higher CRP (P < 0.0001) and decreased physical function (P = 0.01); and RFS-3 with better appetite (P = 0.04), lower CRP (P = 0.002), higher z-SMI (P = 0.04) and z-FMI (P < 0.0001), and less cachexia characteristics (all P < 0.001). Four patient groups were identified with specific RFS clusters aligning with the CACS continuum from no cachexia to pre-cachexia, cachexia, and terminal cachexia. Compared to the other two groups, groups 1 and 2 had higher plasma levels of IL-18 and TRAIL. Group 1 also had lower inflammatory cytokines, adiponectin, and CRP compared to the other three groups. Group 3 had inflammatory cytokine levels similar to group 2, except for TNF-α and leptin which were lower. Group 4 had very high inflammatory cytokines, adiponectin, and CRP compared to the other 3 groups (all P < 0.0001). Groups 3 and 4 had worse cachexia characteristics (P < 0.05) and shorter survival (log rank: P = 0.0009) than the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study identified three distinct pathways of inflammation, or lack thereof, characterizing different CACS phenotypes.

Gastrointestinal symptoms, electrogastrography, inflammatory markers, and PG-SGA in patients with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Electrogastrography (EGG) is a technique used to record gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA). Our aim is to investigate the (1) prevalent patterns of GMA, (2) most frequent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms reported on the Dyspepsia Symptom Severity Index (DSSI), and (3) EGG diagnosis and correlations with GI symptoms, ghrelin, and inflammatory markers. METHODS: An EGG was performed 10 min preprandial and 30 min postprandial after ingestion of 500 ml water. EGG measurements were recorded by electrodes positioned externally on the abdominal wall. C-reactive protein (CRP), ghrelin, and albumin were included at baseline. RESULT: There were 53 patients enrolled, with a median age of 60 years (range, 18-82 years) and EGG diagnoses of mixed dysrhythmia (n = 25), tachygastria (n = 15), bradygastria (n = 6), gastric outlet obstruction (n = 1), and normal (n = 6). Forty-seven patients with an abnormal EGG had high median CRP, low median albumin, and high median ghrelin levels when compared to 6 patients with a normal EGG, with CRP [12 (8-22) vs. 6 (5-8)]; albumin [35 (26-40) vs. 38.5 (34-42)]; ghrelin [4 (2-10) vs. 2.5 (2-9)]. According to the DSSI, the most frequent dysmotility-like symptoms were (1) frequent burping and belching [73.6%], (2) bloating [60.4%], (3) feeling full after meals [69.8%], (4) inability to finish normal-sized meal [66%], (5) abdominal distention [51%], and (6) nausea after meals [50.9%]. The most frequent reflux- and ulcer-like symptoms were (1) regurgitation of bitter fluid [43.4%] and abdominal pain before meals [39.6%]. The most frequent nutrition impact symptoms as recorded on the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment in patients with an abnormal EGG diagnosis were no appetite or did not feel like eating, nausea, vomiting, and feeling full quickly. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal EGG diagnosis, ghrelin, albumin, and CRP levels are found in the majority of patients with advanced cancer. Further studies are needed to better understand the correlation of these abnormal serum levels and their interaction with the pathogenesis of abnormal electrogastrographic rhythms.

Experiences and Lessons Learned from Implementing the RELIEF Digital Symptom Self-Reporting App in a Palliative Home Care Setting.

The majority of Canadians agree they have the right to end-of-life care in their own homes. While a palliative approach to care in the home setting has been demonstrated to be beneficial for patients and the healthcare system, it has rarely been well-integrated through an eHealth approach. Thus, in 2018, we piloted the RELIEF app, a digital symptom self-reporting tool for patients with palliative care needs. This was followed by the initiation of an extension phase of RELIEF in the home care setting. In this commentary, we share the implementation perspectives and experiences of the researchers and healthcare workers involved in this home care phase. It was mainly expressed that there were challenges with nurses feeling involved, supporting the research program, and using the technology, while patients and family caregivers had challenges using the app and cooperating with staff. We describe our lessons learned from these experiences and future changes to be enacted. A detailed report of this trial will be made available in future publications.

Utilization of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in a Specialist Palliative Care Team Across Multiple Care Settings: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Background: Technological advancements have rapidly increased the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) across various medical disciplines, leading to real-time information for clinicians at the bed side. However, literature reveals scant evidence of POCUS use in palliative care. The objective of this study was to examine the use of POCUS in a specialist palliative care setting. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted from January 2018 to June 2019 in Brampton, Canada, to evaluate characteristics of patients for whom POCUS was utilized. Patients were identified through pre-existing logs and descriptive information was collected from electronic health records, including demographic information, life-limiting diagnosis, patient assessment location, diagnosis made with POCUS, and, if applicable, volume of fluid drained. Results: We identified 126 uses of POCUS in 89 unique patients. Sixty-two patients (69.7%) had a cancer diagnosis, with patients most commonly suffering from gastrointestinal, lung, and breast pathologies. Sixty-one POCUS cases (48.4%) were in the outpatient setting. Eighty-one POCUS cases (64.3%) revealed a diagnosis of ascites and 21 POCUS cases (16.7%) revealed a diagnosis of pleural effusion. Other diagnoses made with POCUS included bowel obstruction, pneumonia, and congestive heart failure. During the study period, 52 paracentesis and 7 thoracentesis procedures were performed using POCUS guidance. Conclusion: We identified multiple indications in our specialist palliative care setting where POCUS aided in diagnosis/management of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Further studies can be conducted to identify the potential benefits in symptom burden, patient and caregiver satisfaction, and health care utilization in palliative care patients receiving POCUS.

RELIEF: A Digital Health Tool for the Remote Self-Reporting of Symptoms in Patients with Cancer to Address Palliative Care Needs and Minimize Emergency Department Visits.

The lack of timely symptom reporting remains a barrier to effective symptom management and comfort for patients with cancer-related palliative care needs. Poor symptom management at home can lead to unwanted outcomes, such as emergency department visits and death in hospital. We developed and evaluated RELIEF, a remote symptom self-reporting app for community patients with palliative care needs. A pilot feasibility study was conducted at a large, community hospital in Ontario, Canada. Patients self-reported their symptoms each morning using validated clinical symptom measures and RELIEF would alert for worsening or severe symptoms. RELIEF alerts were monitored by palliative care nurses who would then contact patients to determine if appropriate clinical intervention could be initiated to avoid unnecessary emergency department visits. A total of 20 patients were recruited to use RELIEF for two months. Patients completed 80% of daily self-report assessments; 133 alerts were trigged, half of which required clinical intervention. No patient visited the emergency department for symptom management during the study. Clinical staff estimated five emergency department visits were avoided because of RELIEF-saving an estimated cost of over CAD 60,000. RELIEF is a feasible and acceptable method for the remote monitoring of patients with palliative care needs through regular symptom self-reporting.