A Positive Psychology Intervention in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Survivors (PATH): A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors experience significant psychological distress and low levels of positive psychological well-being, which can undermine patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as quality of life (QoL). Hence, we conducted a pilot randomized clinical trial to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a telephone-delivered positive psychology intervention (Positive Affect for the Transplantation of Hematopoietic stem cells intervention [PATH]) for improving well-being in HSCT survivors. METHODS: HSCT survivors who were 100 days post-HSCT for hematologic malignancy at an academic institution were randomly assigned to either PATH or usual care. PATH, delivered by a behavioral health expert, entailed 9 weekly phone sessions on gratitude, personal strengths, and meaning. We defined feasibility a priori as >60% of eligible participants enrolling in the study and >75% of PATH participants completing ≥6 of 9 sessions. At baseline and 9 and 18 weeks, patients self-reported gratitude, positive affect, life satisfaction, optimism, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), QoL, physical function, and fatigue. We used repeated measures regression models and estimates of effect size (Cohen's d) to explore the preliminary effects of PATH on outcomes. RESULTS: We enrolled 68.6% (72/105) of eligible patients (mean age, 57 years; 50% female). Of those randomized to PATH, 91% completed all sessions and reported positive psychology exercises as easy to complete and subjectively useful. Compared with usual care, PATH participants reported greater improvements in gratitude (ß = 1.38; d = 0.32), anxiety (ß = -1.43; d = -0.40), and physical function (ß = 2.15; d = 0.23) at 9 weeks and gratitude (ß = 0.97; d = 0.22), positive affect (ß = 2.02; d = 0.27), life satisfaction (ß = 1.82; d = 0.24), optimism (ß = 2.70; d = 0.49), anxiety (ß = -1.62; d = -0.46), depression (ß = -1.04; d = -0.33), PTSD (ß = -2.50; d = -0.29), QoL (ß = 7.70; d = 0.41), physical function (ß = 5.21; d = 0.56), and fatigue (ß = -2.54; d = -0.33) at 18 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: PATH is feasible, with promising signals for improving psychological well-being, QoL, physical function, and fatigue in HSCT survivors. Future multisite trials that investigate PATH's efficacy are needed to establish its effects on PROs in this population.

The impact of language discordance on pediatric cancer care outcomes: A systematic review.

Language discordance between clinicians and families in pediatrics has been associated with adverse events and lower quality of care. We aimed to summarize the existing literature evaluating the impact of language discordance among healthcare professionals and families within pediatric oncology by conducting a systematic review. Of 8364 studies, 43 studies met eligibility for inclusion in this review. These studies highlight the impact of language discordance on pediatric cancer care outcomes, including communication challenges, obstacles to research participation, and potentially higher risk disease features at presentation. Healthcare professionals endorsed inconsistent professional interpreter use and lack of formal training on communicating via interpreters. Interventions to address barriers to language-appropriate care are sparse. Further research is warranted to design and implement interventions promoting language justice and provision of high-quality, equitable pediatric cancer care for all families.

Elranatamab efficacy in MagnetisMM-3 compared with real-world control arms in triple-class refractory multiple myeloma.

Elranatamab efficacy in the single-arm, registrational MagnetisMM-3 trial (NCT04649359) was compared with that of physician's choice of treatment (PCT) for triple-class refractory multiple myeloma. MagnestisMM-3 eligibility criteria were applied to two USA-based oncology electronic health record databases, COTA and Flatiron Health (FH), to identify cohorts for this study (NCT05932290). Applied statistical techniques accounted for cohort imbalances. MagnetisMM-3 (BCMA-naive; n = 123) outcomes were compared with those from COTA (n = 239) and FH (n = 152). Elranatamab was associated with a significantly higher objective response rate (risk ratios, 1.88-2.25), significantly longer progression-free survival (hazard ratios [HRs], 0.37-0.57), and, across most analyses, significantly longer overall survival (HRs, 0.46-0.66) versus PCT. BCMA-naive patients who were treated with elranatamab exhibited significantly better outcomes than patients treated in real-world clinical practice.

Elranatamab is a new medicine for the treatment of people with multiple myeloma. In the ongoing clinical trial MagnetisMM-3, most people had fewer myeloma cells when treated with elranatamab. However, MagnetisMM-3 only looks at the effects of elranatamab without comparing it to other myeloma treatments. Therefore, a new study was designed to compare the effectiveness of elranatamab in the MagnetisMM-3 study with other treatments used in real-world clinical practice (not in a clinical trial). Data from people in MagnetisMM-3 was compared with data from two US databases (COTA and Flatiron Health) containing health records of patients treated for multiple myeloma in real-life clinical practice. The same criteria used to select patients for the MagnetisMM-3 trial (123 people) were used to identify people with similar characteristics in COTA (239 people) and Flatiron Health (152 people). More people treated with elranatamab had fewer myeloma cells in their bodies after treatment than people who received their doctor's choice of treatment in clinical practice. In fact, six out of ten people treated with elranatamab had fewer myeloma cells versus about three in ten people from each real-world database. People treated with elranatamab versus physician's choice of treatment lived longer without their disease getting worse and lived longer overall. In conclusion, this study found that more people treated with elranatamab responded to treatment and lived longer than similar people from the COTA and Flatiron Health databases who were given treatments available in a real-world clinical setting.Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05932290 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

A systematic review of health state utility values for older people with acute myeloid leukaemia.

PURPOSE: Older people with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) have a poor prognosis, reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and require substantial healthcare resources. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine what health state utility values (HSUVs) are reported in the literature that can be used in economic evaluations of interventions for older people with AML, identify research gaps, and discuss directions for future research. METHODS: The following databases were searched for studies published from inception until Feb 2023: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and EconLit. Studies were included if they reported on HSUVs of people with AML >60 years, or HRQoL data that could be mapped to HSUVs using currently published algorithms. RESULTS: Of 532 studies identified, 7 met inclusion (4 full studies and 3 conference abstracts). Twenty-eight potentially eligible studies were excluded as they did not report HRQoL measures in sufficient detail to be mapped to utility values. Included studies reported on health states of newly diagnosed disease (n=4 studies), intensive therapy (n=1 study), controlled remission (n=3 studies), and relapsed or refractory disease (n=2 studies). No studies reported on low intensity therapy or supportive care health states. Utility values were largely reported via the EuroQol and ranged from 0.535 (intensive therapy) to 0.834 (controlled remission). CONCLUSION: There are gaps in knowledge on HSUVs for older people with AML, particularly for certain treatment-related health states. Future articles should publish comprehensive HRQoL outcomes to enable use in economic evaluation.

How do patients interpret and respond to a novel patient-reported eastern cooperative oncology group performance status (ECOG)?

PURPOSE: Performance status is an important concept in oncology, but is typically clinician-reported. Efforts are underway to include patient-reported measures in cancer care, which may improve patient symptoms, quality of life and overall survival. The purpose of this study was to gain a preliminary understanding of how patients determined their physical performance status based on a novel patient-reported version of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG) scale. METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews, including concept elicitation and cognitive interviewing as part of the Patient Reports of Physical Functioning Study (PROPS) to investigate how participants selected their answers to a novel patient-reported ECOG. Participants were administered the patient-reported ECOG and asked to describe devices and modifications used to keep up with daily activities. RESULTS: Participants generally understood the ECOG as intended. Participants with recent changes in status had some difficulty selecting an answer. Most participants used modifications and assistive devices in their daily lives but did not incorporate these into their rational for the ECOG. CONCLUSION: The potential benefits of a patient-reported ECOG are numerous and this study demonstrates that participants were able to understand and answer the patient-reported ECOG as intended. We recommend future evaluation for the most-appropriate recall period, whether to include modifications in the ECOG instructions, and if increasing the number of response options to the patient-reported ECOG may improve confidence when providing an answer.

Facets of physical function assessed by patient-reported outcome measures in oncology research.

PURPOSE: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has identified physical functioning (PF) as a core patient-reported outcome (PRO) in cancer clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to identify PF PRO measures (PROMs) in adult cancer populations and classify the PROMs by content covered (facets of PF) in each measure. METHODS: As part of the Patient Reports of Physical Functioning Study (PROPS) research program, we conducted a targeted literature review to identify PROMs that could be used in clinical trials to evaluate PF from the patient perspective. Next, we convened an advisory panel to conduct a modified, reactive, Delphi study to reach consensus on which PF facets are assessed by PROMs identified in the review. The panel engaged in a "card sort" activity to classify PROM items by PF facets. Consensus was reached when 80% of panel members agreed that at least one facet was being measured by each PROM item. RESULTS: The literature review identified 13 PROMs that met inclusion criteria. Eight facets of PF were identified for classification in the Delphi study: ability, completion, difficulty, limitation, quality, frequency, bother, and satisfaction. Through two rounds, the panel documented and classified conceptual approaches for each PRO item presented. The most prevalent PF facets were ability, difficulty, and limitation. CONCLUSION: Classifying PF PROMs by PF facets will promote more consistent communication regarding the aspects of PF represented in each PROM, helping researchers prioritize measures for inclusion in cancer clinical trials.

What facets of physical function are most important to adults diagnosed with cancer?

PURPOSE: Successful patient-focused drug development involves selecting and measuring outcomes in clinical trials that are important to patients. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration's definition of clinical benefit includes how patients feel, function, or survive. Patients are considered the experts in describing how they feel and function. In cancer trials, patient-reported measures of physical function provide insight into how patients function at baseline, benefit from the interventions being studied, and the impact of treatment side effects. We conducted a qualitative study with adults diagnosed with cancer to describe facets of physical function from their perspective and to identify which facets are most important to this patient population. METHODS: Using concept elicitation and cognitive interviewing techniques, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 72 adults ≥ 22 years of age with cancer who received treatment with an anticancer drug or biologic within six months of the interview. We selected participants using purposive sampling with the aim to elicit diverse experiences regarding how they may interpret and respond to questions related to physical function. Participants were presented with patient-reported outcome (PRO) items representative of PRO measures used in cancer and general populations. RESULTS: Five facets of how physical function relates to activities were defined from the patient perspective: ability, difficulty, limitation, satisfaction, and completion. More than half of the participants indicated that ability was the most important facet of physical function. The next most important were satisfaction (18.3%), limitation (14.1%), difficulty (5.6%), and completion (2.8%). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that we must be more specific about the facets of physical function that we set out to assess when we use PRO measures to describe the patient experience. These results have implications for the specificity of physical function facets when measured in cancer clinical trials.

Mindful Night-to-Day: A Pilot Feasibility Trial of a Mindfulness-Based Insomnia and Symptom Management Intervention for Patients with Hematologic Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with hematologic cancer experience severe symptoms (i.e. insomnia, fatigue, pain, distress). Few interventions addressing insomnia and other symptoms exist for this population. Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Insomnia (MBTI) may be appropriate but has only been tested in healthy outpatients. This study aimed to develop and test an adapted MBTI protocol for hematologic cancer patients. METHODS: Patient (n = 3) and clinician (n = 1) focus groups, and user-testing (N = 5) informed adaptation of Mindful Night-to-Day (MBTI+). A single-arm pilot trial (N = 32) evaluated feasibility (accrual, attrition, adherence), acceptability (intervention satisfaction), and changes to insomnia symptom severity (Insomnia Severity Index; primary outcome) and secondary outcomes (fatigue, pain, distress, pre-sleep arousal, mindfulness, symptom management self-efficacy) at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month post-intervention. Descriptive statistics and paired sample t-tests were conducted. RESULTS: Qualitative feedback informed MBTI+ content, format, and delivery. Mindfulness was used to increase symptom awareness (sleepiness vs. fatigue). Meditations and behavioral skills were applied to inpatient treatment. MBTI+ met feasibility (N = 32/12 months; 8.1% attrition; 83.8% adherence) and acceptability (M = 3.52/4.00) benchmarks. Insomnia symptom severity decreased (d = 1.20) from baseline to post-intervention, as did most secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: MBTI+ was feasible, acceptable, and showed promise for benefits throughout inpatient and outpatient treatment. Findings warrant further evaluation in a randomized trial.

Stepped Palliative Care for Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Despite the evidence for early palliative care improving outcomes, it has not been widely implemented in part due to palliative care workforce limitations. Objective: To evaluate a stepped-care model to deliver less resource-intensive and more patient-centered palliative care for patients with advanced cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized, nonblinded, noninferiority trial of stepped vs early palliative care conducted between February 12, 2018, and December 15, 2022, at 3 academic medical centers in Boston, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Durham, North Carolina, among 507 patients who had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer within the past 12 weeks. Intervention: Step 1 of the intervention was an initial palliative care visit within 4 weeks of enrollment and subsequent visits only at the time of a change in cancer treatment or after a hospitalization. During step 1, patients completed a measure of quality of life (QOL; Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung [FACT-L]; range, 0-136, with higher scores indicating better QOL) every 6 weeks, and those with a 10-point or greater decrease from baseline were stepped up to meet with the palliative care clinician every 4 weeks (intervention step 2). Patients assigned to early palliative care had palliative care visits every 4 weeks after enrollment. Main Outcomes and Measures: Noninferiority (margin = -4.5) of the effect of stepped vs early palliative care on patient-reported QOL on the FACT-L at week 24. Results: The sample (n = 507) mostly included patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (78.3%; mean age, 66.5 years; 51.4% female; 84.6% White). The mean number of palliative care visits by week 24 was 2.4 for stepped palliative care and 4.7 for early palliative care (adjusted mean difference, -2.3; P < .001). FACT-L scores at week 24 for the stepped palliative care group were noninferior to scores among those receiving early palliative care (adjusted FACT-L mean score, 100.6 vs 97.8, respectively; difference, 2.9; lower 1-sided 95% confidence limit, -0.1; P < .001 for noninferiority). Although the rate of end-of-life care communication was also noninferior between groups, noninferiority was not demonstrated for days in hospice (adjusted mean, 19.5 with stepped palliative care vs 34.6 with early palliative care; P = .91). Conclusions and Relevance: A stepped-care model, with palliative care visits occurring only at key points in patients' cancer trajectories and using a decrement in QOL to trigger more intensive palliative care exposure, resulted in fewer palliative care visits without diminishing the benefits for patients' QOL. While stepped palliative care was associated with fewer days in hospice, it is a more scalable way to deliver early palliative care to enhance patient-reported outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03337399.

Expressive writing to address distress in hospitalized adults with acute myeloid leukemia: a pilot randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experience significant distress. Expressive writing is an intervention designed to improve well-being by encouraging expression of emotions related to traumatic experiences. Expressive writing has been shown to be generally feasible and effective at improving the cancer experience but has not been examined in patients with recently diagnosed hematologic malignancies. We examined the feasibility of an expressive writing intervention for hospitalized patients with AML receiving induction chemotherapy. METHODS: Fifteen hospitalized AML patients were randomized to complete expressive writing or neutral prompts. Feasibility was defined as 80% of enrolled subjects completing the study. Participants completed validated questionnaires measuring depression, anxiety, resilience, rumination, and quality of life at baseline, completion of the second and fourth writing exercises, and 3 months after enrollment. Participants also completed post-writing surveys following the writing exercise to reflect on the experience. FINDINGS: We enrolled 15 participants and 8 of 15 subjects (53%) completed the study. Due to low enrollment, we examined the pre-to-post intervention changes, rather than comparing results across intervention arms. Pre-to-post intervention changes in the expected direction were seen at the second assessment for depression and resilience, at the fourth assessment for rumination, emotional well-being, and social well-being, and at the 3-month follow-up for anxiety and emotional well-being. Similar changes in patient-reported outcomes were also seen in the control condition. Participants who completed the intervention reported the experience was meaningful and were able to express their deepest thoughts and feelings, more so than participants in the control arm. CONCLUSION: In our work, the expressive writing intervention was not found to be feasible. The trial was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic which likely impacted the feasibility. Future studies should aim to identify ways to make the intervention more accessible, such as developing an electronic application for expressive writing.

A Systematic Review of Decision Aids in Hematologic Malignancies: What Are Currently Available and What Are We Missing?

BACKGROUND: Patient decision aids (PDAs) are tools designed to facilitate decision-making. In this systematic review, we summarized existing studies on the development and evaluation of PDAs for patients with hematologic malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched for articles in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We included studies, abstracts, and clinical trial protocols available in English involving PDAs for patients age ≥18 diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy and/or their caregivers. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Of the 5281 titles/abstracts screened, 15 were included: 1 protocol, 7 abstracts, and 7 full-texts. Six were PDA developmental studies, 6 were pilot studies, and 3 were randomized trials. PDA formats included electronic with web content, videos, and/or audio, questionnaires, bedside instruments, and a combination of various formats. Average participant age ranged from 36.0 to 62.4 years. Patients and caregivers identified efficacy, adverse effects, cost, and quality of life as important decision-making factors. PDAs were associated with increased knowledge and patient satisfaction as well as decreased decisional conflict and attitudinal barriers. Research on PDAs for adult patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers is limited. Among the studies, PDAs appear to support patients in shared decision-making. CONCLUSION: While current literature examining the use of PDAs for adults with hematologic malignancies is limited, the positive impact of PDAs on shared decision-making and patient outcomes warrants additional research in this field.

Duration of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) as a Predictor of Recurrent CINV in Later Cycles.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between CINV duration and recurrence in subsequent cycles is largely unstudied. Our objective was to determine if patients experiencing CINV in their first cycle of chemotherapy (C1) would face increased risk of CINV in later cycles and whether the duration of the CINV would predict increased risk of recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using data from a previously reported phase III trial, we assessed patients' recurrence of breakthrough CINV after antiemetic prophylaxis for anthracycline+cyclophosphamide (AC) for breast cancer, comparing C1 short CINV vs. extended CINV as a secondary analysis. Complete response (CR) and CINV duration were primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. CR was considered prophylaxis success; lack of CR was considered treatment failure (TF). RESULTS: Among 402 female patients, 99 (24.6%) had TF in C1 (TF1). The remaining 303 patients (CR1) had ≥93% CR rates in each subsequent cycle, while the 99 patients with TF1 had TF rates of 49.8% for cycles 2-4 (P < .001). The 51 patients with extended TF (≥3 days) in C1 had recurrent TF in 73/105 later cycles (69.5%, P < .001), while the 48 patients with short TF (1-2 days) in C1 had recurrent TF in 33/108 later cycles (30.6%). The relative risk of recurrence after C1 extended TF was 2.28 (CI 1.67-3.11; P < .001) compared to short TF. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylaxis success in C1 led to >90% repeat success across cycles of AC-based chemotherapy. For patients with breakthrough CINV, extended duration strongly predicted recurrent CINV. The duration of CINV should be closely monitored, and augmenting antiemetic prophylaxis considered for future cycles when extended CINV occurs.

Patient perspectives on considerations, tradeoffs, and experiences with multiple myeloma treatment selection: a qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Advances in multiple myeloma treatment and a proliferation of treatment options have resulted in improved survival rates and periods of symptom-free remission for many multiple myeloma patients. As a result, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concerns related to myeloma treatments have become increasingly salient for this patient population and represent an important consideration guiding patients' treatment choices. To gain an understanding of patients' experiences with choosing myeloma therapies and explore the HRQoL concerns that are most important to them, we interviewed a diverse sample of US-based multiple myeloma patients about their treatment considerations. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using in-depth interviews. Participants reflected on (1) the factors that were most important to them when thinking about multiple myeloma treatment and how these have changed over time, (2) how they might weigh the importance of treatment efficacy vs. side effects, (3) trade-offs they would be willing to make regarding efficacy vs. HRQoL, and (4) treatment changes they had experienced. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and narratives were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. RESULTS: We interviewed 21 patients, heterogeneous in their disease trajectory and treatment experience. Participants were 36 to 78 years, 52% female, and 38% Black. Efficacy was named as the most important treatment consideration by almost two-thirds of participants, and over half also valued HRQoL aspects such as the ability to maintain daily functioning and enjoyment of life. Participants expressed concern about potential treatment side effects and preferred more convenient treatment options. Although participants stated largely trusting their clinicians' treatment recommendations, many said they would stop a clinician-recommended treatment if it negatively impacted their HRQoL. Participants also said that while they prioritized treatment efficacy, they would be willing to change to a less efficacious treatment if side effects became intolerable. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings link to other reports reflecting considerations that are important to multiple myeloma patients, including the importance placed on increasing life expectancy and progression-free survival, but also the tension between treatment efficacy and quality of life. Our results extend these findings to a racially diverse US-based patient population at different stages in the disease trajectory.

An Analysis of Dasatinib Treatment Patterns in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia after Experiencing Pleural Effusion during Dasatinib Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment with dasatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been associated with development of pleural effusion; however, data regarding its optimal management are limited. We examined treatment patterns and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs among patients with CML treated with dasatinib who experienced a subsequent pleural effusion. METHODS: Adults with CML and ≥1 pharmacy claim for dasatinib in 2015-2018 who experienced pleural effusion after dasatinib were identified using data from claims databases. RESULTS: Overall, 123 patients were eligible. After 1 year, of the 38.2% of patients with a dose modification, 72.3% did not switch treatment; among these patients, 70.6% continued treatment. Among patients with a stable dose after pleural effusion (61.8%), 57.9% later switched to another TKI. The mean (SD) duration of dasatinib treatment after pleural effusion was 262.0 (124.0) days for patients with a dose modification versus 149.1 (155.2) days for those with a stable dose (p < 0.001). HCRU and costs were similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Dasatinib dose modification after pleural effusion was not always required; however, patients with dose modifications continued therapy for a longer duration with a lower rate of switching to another TKI versus patients who remained on a stable dose.

Advancing Palliative Care Integration in Hematology: Building Upon Existing Evidence.

OPINION STATEMENT: Patients with hematologic malignancies and their families are among the most distressed of all those with cancer. Despite high palliative care-related needs, the integration of palliative care in hematology is underdeveloped. The evidence is clear that the way forward includes standard-of-care PC integration into routine hematologic malignancy care to improve patient and caregiver outcomes. As the PC needs for patients with blood cancer vary significantly by disease, a disease-specific PC integration strategy is needed, allowing for serious illness care interventions to be individualized to the specific needs of each patient and situation.

In their own words: a qualitative study of coping mechanisms employed by patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

PURPOSE: Positive coping mediates improved outcomes from integrated palliative care in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We qualitatively explored patients' coping mechanisms to better understand this relationship. METHODS: We enrolled patients with high-risk AML admitted to Duke Hospital's inpatient hematologic malignancy service for intensive chemotherapy. This study is a secondary analysis of previously collected longitudinal qualitative data, with interviews conducted between February 2014 and August 2015. Interviews were coded in NVivo to identify examples of approach-oriented and avoidant coping. RESULTS: Patients demonstrated approach-oriented coping in many forms including acceptance, positive reframing, active coping, religious coping, and social coping. Acceptance included accepting their prognosis, the uncertainty of AML, and lifestyle changes due to the disease. Patients exhibited positive reframing by speculating about how their situation could be worse, deriving meaning from their experience, and expressing newfound appreciation for activities previously taken for granted. Social coping involved patients receiving support from their community or care team; however, some expressed guilt for being a "burden" on family. Avoidant coping included denial, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame. Some denied their prognosis, but denial was more commonly demonstrated via patients cognitively distancing themselves from their disease. Much of the behavioral disengagement described by patients was attributed to their symptoms (i.e., lethargy) which prevented patients from maintaining relationships or participating in activities previously enjoyed. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the diverse and nuanced applications of coping mechanisms amid a recent AML diagnosis. Future research should examine coping in the context of novel low-intensity AML therapies.

Work loss and activity impairment due to extended nausea and vomiting in patients with breast cancer receiving CINV prophylaxis.

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)'s impact on work loss remains poorly described. We evaluated associations between the duration of CINV episodes, CINV-related work loss (CINV-WL), and CINV-related activity impairment (CINV-AI) in patients with breast cancer receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. METHODS: We analyzed data from a prospective CINV prophylaxis trial of netupitant/palonestron and dexamethasone for patients receiving an anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) for breast cancer (NCT0340371). Over the observed CINV duration (0-5 days), we analyzed patient-reported CINV-WL and CINV-AI for the first two chemotherapy cycles. We categorized patients as having either extended (≥ 3 days) or short (1-2 days) CINV duration and quantified its impact on work using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). RESULTS: Overall, we captured data for 792 cycles in 402 women, including 136 (33.8%) employed patients with 35.3% reporting CINV. Of those with CINV, patients reported CINV-WL in 26 cycles and CINV-AI in 142 cycles. Of those with CINV, 55.3% of extended CINV cycles experienced CINV-WL compared to 16.7% of short CINV cycles (p < 0.001). The relative risk of CINV-WL between extended and short CINV was 3.32 (p < 0.01) for employed patients. The mean difference in CINV-AI scores (higher = worse) between extended and short duration CINV was 5.0 vs. 3.0 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Extended (≥ 3 days) CINV was associated with more than triple the risk of CINV-WL and higher CINV-AI compared with short CINV.

Isavuconazonium or posaconazole for antifungal prophylaxis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Invasive fungal infection (IFI) prophylaxis is recommended in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during induction chemotherapy. Posaconazole (POSA) is the recommended agent of choice; however, this medication can be associated with QTc prolongation, hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence for the role of isavuconazole (ISAV) in this setting as an alternative to POSA. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the use of ISAV prophylaxis for primary IFI prevention in patients with AML undergoing induction. Additionally, the study investigated the use of ISAV trough concentration monitoring and compared these results to the efficacy of POSA therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Other secondary objectives included assessing the rates of toxicities associated with either prophylactic agent. This study analyzed the impact these toxicities had on patient outcomes by examining the need to hold or discontinue therapy. The final endpoint considered the efficacy associated with multiple dosing strategies employed at the study institution. Specifically, this included the use of loading doses or foregoing these when initiating prophylaxis. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center, cohort study. Patients included in this study were adults with AML admitted to Duke University Hospital between June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2021, who received induction chemotherapy and primary IFI prophylaxis for at least 7 days. Exclusion criteria included patients who received concomitant antifungal agents and patients who received antifungal agents as secondary prophylaxis. RESULTS: 241 patients met inclusion criteria with 12 (4.98%) participants in the ISAV group and 229 (95.02%) participants in the POSA group. The IFI incidence in the POSA group was 14.5%, while the ISAV group did not have any occurrences of IFI. No significant difference was found in the rate of IFI occurrence between the two treatment groups (p = 0.3805). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the use of a loading dose when initiating prophylaxis could impact rates of IFI for this patient population. CONCLUSION: Due to no difference in incidence, patient specific factors such as concomitant medications and baseline QTc should influence the choice between prophylactic agent.

Do you mind if I record?: Perceptions and practice regarding patient requests to record clinic visits in oncology.

BACKGROUND: Audio recordings of oncology clinic discussions can help patients retain and understand information about their disease and treatment decisions. Access to this tool relies on acceptance of recordings by oncologists. This is the first study to evaluate experience and attitudes of oncologists toward patients recording clinic visits. METHODS: Medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists from 5 US cancer centers and community affiliates were surveyed to evaluate clinicians' experience, beliefs, and practices regarding patient-initiated recordings. RESULTS: Among 360 oncologists (69% response rate), virtually all (93%) have experienced patients seeking to record visits. Although 75% are comfortable with recording, 25% are uncomfortable and 56% report concerns ranging from less thorough discussions to legal liability. Most (85%) always agree when patients ask to record, but 15% never or selectively allow recording. Although 51% believe recording is positive for the patient-physician relationship, a sizable minority report that it can lead to less detailed conversations (28%) or avoidance of difficult topics, including prognosis (33%). Views did not vary based on subspecialty, practice setting, or geographic region, but older age and years in practice were associated with more positive views of recording. The majority of clinicians (72%) desire institutional policies to govern guidelines about recordings. CONCLUSIONS: Most oncologists are comfortable with patient requests to record visits, but a sizable minority remain uncomfortable, and access to recording varies solely on physician preference. This difference in care delivery may benefit from institutional policies that promote access while addressing legitimate physician concerns over privacy and appropriate use of recordings.

Utilization of Text Messages to Supplement Rounding Communication: a Randomized Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Fragmented communication with patients and families during hospitalizations often leaves patients confused about the daily plan. OBJECTIVE: To pilot a supplemental text message-based platform for improving bidirectional communication about the clinical plan and patients' goals. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: Thirty adult patients, thirty caregivers of pediatric patients, and the interns caring for them on inpatient general medicine and pediatric services. INTERVENTIONS: Patients and caregivers were texted or emailed daily to report their personal goal and assess their understanding of the team's clinical plan. Interns were texted daily to report the team's clinical plan and to assess their understanding of the patient's personal goal. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcomes were feasibility, defined as survey response rates, and acceptability. Secondary outcomes were patient comprehension of the clinical plan, trainee comprehension of the patient's goal, patient-centered communication scores, and educational satisfaction scores. KEY RESULTS: Thirty adult patients, thirty caregivers of pediatric patients, fourteen general medicine interns, and six general pediatric interns enrolled. Intervention feasibility was met, with survey response rates of 80% for general medicine trainees, 67% for general pediatric trainees, 58% for adult patients, and 70% for caregivers. Patients and caregivers in the intervention arm had higher understanding of medication changes (76% vs 50%, p = 0.02) and new consultations (90% vs 61%, p = 0.002). Interns had higher understanding of patients' goals in the intervention arm (93% vs 40%, p < 0.001), particularly for adult patients (97% vs 17%, p < 0.001). Caregivers rated communication higher regarding information to help make decisions (p = 0.04). Interviews demonstrated high acceptability. CONCLUSIONS: Our text message-based communication intervention was feasible and acceptable to all involved participants, with preliminary signals of efficacy. The intervention may contribute to improved understanding of medication changes and new consultations, as well as help in making decisions. A large, randomized efficacy trial of this intervention is warranted. Graphical abstract.