The immersive experience of virtual reality during chemotherapy in patients with early breast and ovarian cancers: The patient's dream study.

Background: A virtual reality experience (VRE) could represent a viable non-pharmacological intervention to reduce and better manage the main factors of psychophysical distress related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Aim: The "Patient's Dream" study was a two-arm randomized controlled trial conducted at the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute - IRCCS (Rome, Italy) from April 2019 to January 2020 to evaluate VRE impact in patients affected by breast or ovarian cancer. Before starting the first cycle of chemotherapy (CT), patients were randomized to receive the VRE (VRE arm) as "distraction therapy" or to entertain themselves with conventional means (control arm). The primary aims were the assessment of psychological distress, anxiety and quality of life between the two study arms. Secondary endpoints were the perceived time during the first course of CT and the acute and late toxicity. Results: Fourty-four patients were enrolled, 22 patients were randomly assigned to the VRE arm and 22 to the control arm. Collected data underline the absence of prevalent disturbs of anxiety and depression in both groups. Nevertheless, even if the state anxiety values before and after CT decreased in both groups, this reduction was statistically significant over time only in the VRE arm. The duration of therapy perceived by patients undergoing distraction therapy was significantly shorter when compared to the control group. The use of VRE during the first CT cycle appeared to reduce asthenia outcomes. Conclusion: Obtained data suggest that the VRE positively influenced the levels of state anxiety among cancer patients and support the continuous research on VRE as a distraction intervention, with the aim to meet the clinical need for effective nonpharmacologic adjunctive therapies. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05234996, identifier NCT05234996.

Immunogenicity and Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine BNT162b2 for Patients with Solid Cancer: A Large Cohort Prospective Study from a Single Institution.

PURPOSE: We assessed the immunogenicity and safety of the BNT162b2 vaccine in a large cohort of patients with cancer (CP). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: From March 1, 2021 to March 20, 2021, this prospective cohort study included 816 CP afferent to our institution and eligible for the vaccination. A cohort of 274 health care workers (HCW) was used as age- and sex-matched control group. BNT162b2 was administered as a two-dose regimen given 21 days apart. Blood samples to analyze anti-Spike (S) IgG antibodies (Ab) were collected prevaccination [timepoint (TP) 0], and at 3 weeks (TP1) and 7 weeks (TP2) after the first dose. RESULTS: Patients characteristics: median age 62 (range, 21-97); breast/lung cancer/others (31/21/48%); active treatment/follow-up (90/10%). In the whole CP cohort, the serologic response rate (RR) and the titre of anti-S IgG significantly increased across the TPs; at TP2, the responders (IgG >15 AU/mL) were 94.2%. Active chemotherapy and chronic use of steroids were independent predictors of lower RR. Adverse events (AE) after the booster predicted higher likelihood of response (OR, 4.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.63-9.99; P = 0.003). Comparing the matched cohorts, the responders were significantly lower in CP than in HCW at TP1 (61.2% vs. 93.2%) and TP2 (93.3% vs. 100%), while the geometric mean concentration of IgG did not significantly differ at TP2 being significantly lower in CP (23.3) than in HCW (52.1) at TP1. BNT162b2 was well tolerated in CP; severe-grade AEs were 3.5% and 1.3% after the first and second doses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BNT162b2 assures serologic immunization without clinically significant toxicity in CP. The second dose is needed to reach a satisfactory humoral response.

Nurses' perception of the oncology patient's death: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Death is one of the basic theme with which nurses are faced, and for which it is hard for them to prepare deeply and sincerely. The difficulties in handling the emotional burden can cause them to develop negative feelings towards life and clinical practice, so that it affects their caregiving capacity and the quality of care provided. AIM: To explore nurses' perceptions facing the death of a hospitalized oncology patient. METHODS: Qualitative phenomenological study. The sample of nurses was recruited at IRCCS (Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare) in Rome, a hospice in Latina and a hospice in Rieti. The data were collected by means of focus groups. The semi-structured interviews featuring three guiding questions constructed for this purpose, were audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed using the analysis framework approach. RESULTS: In total 7 focus groups were conducted with a total participation of 39 nurses. Four themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: "The different meanings of death", "The rupture of death", "The perceptual variables of death", and "Requests for help". CONCLUSION: The study highlighted the need to provide nurses with substantial psychological and emotional support, and give consideration to organizational and environmental factors for better management of the event of death in oncology.

The association between personality trait and the development of postoperative complications in enterostomized patients. Systematic review of literature.

AIM: To investigate the presence of association between the personality trait and the onset of postoperative complications in patients undergoing enterostomy packaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic review of the literature. RESULTS: Type D personality traits and those with a low tendency to optimism and temperament (ex. anxiety-depressive syndrome) would seem to be associated with an increased risk of developing postoperative psychiatric morbidity and reduced levels of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in enterostomized patients for colorectal cancer (CRC). Also, type-D personality, has been associated with greater risk of multiple comorbidities including an increased risk of heart failure unrelated to other sociodemographic causes 32-34-35. Personality with little tendency to optimism may represent a predictive factor on the development of psychological suffering one year after the diagnosis of CRC 3. Patients with personality traits associated with reduced levels of life satisfaction and / or reduced coping capacity require longer hospitalization time 26. DISCUSSION: Several studies highlight the presence of association between personality traits oriented to performance, persistence and extroversion and outcomes in various areas of surgery 14,2,-27,30. However, in almost all cases, the outcomes measured do not correspond to the early post-operative complications defined in the inclusion criteria but to mediumlong term psychological and rehabilitative outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: From the review study, no sources were found concerning the association between the personality trait and the onset of early postoperative complications in enterostomised patients, highlighting, furthermore, a lack of data on the subject involving the entire field of abdominal surgery. KEY WORDS: Personality trait, Enterostomy, Post-operative complications.