Effects of aerobic exercise on neurocognitive function in postmenopausal women receiving endocrine therapy for breast cancer: The Exercise Program in Cancer and Cognition randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The Exercise Program in Cancer and Cognition (EPICC) Study was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to determine whether six months of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves neurocognitive function in women with breast cancer (BC) receiving endocrine therapy (ET). Methods: Postmenopausal women with hormone receptor+, early-stage BC, within two years post-primary therapy were randomized to the exercise intervention (six months, ≥150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise/week) or usual care control condition. Outcomes were assessed at pre-randomization and after intervention completion. Groups were compared using linear mixed-effects modeling. Results: Participants (N=153) were X ¯ = 62.09 ± 8.27 years old, with stage I BC (64.1%) and a median of 4.7 months post-diagnosis. We found a group-by-time interaction (p=0.041) and a trend for the main effect of time (p=0.11) for processing speed with improved performance in the exercise group and no change in the controls. Similar main effects of time were observed for learning and memory (p=0.024) and working memory (p=0.01). Better intervention adherence was associated with improved processing speed (p=0.017). Conclusions: Six months of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves processing speed in postmenopausal women with BC receiving ET who initiate exercise within two years of completing primary therapy (surgery +/- chemotherapy). This is the first large-scale study to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on neurocognitive function in women with BC. Additional research is needed to address the long-term effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive function.

I'm still me, I'm still a person: war metaphor use and meaning making in women with metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The war metaphor is one strategy used frequently in breast cancer to inspire individuals in a "fight" against cancer and assist patients in navigating their illness experience. Despite prominent use, the emotional impact of this language has not been examined in the context of meaning making among women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: This study involved a semi-structured interview considering the war metaphor's impact on women's illness experience with MBC. Participants (n = 22) had been diagnosed with MBC for at least 6 months or following 1 disease progression and were undergoing treatment at an NCI-designated cancer center in Western Pennsylvania at the time of interview. Each participant underwent an individual interview exploring the war metaphor's impact on illness experience. Qualitative thematic analysis was performed to assess feelings about the war metaphor and emotional response to the lived experience of cancer. RESULTS: Two themes were identified surrounding metaphor use and participants' experiences with meaning making in cancer. First, women with MBC perceive the diagnosis as an "unfair fight" due to its incurable nature. Second, patients use alternative language of "living life" and communicate resistance to being defined by their cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION: War metaphors are one collection of terminology people use to understand their diagnosis. However, their use may apply pressure to prioritize positivity in the face of diagnosis and treatment, in a unique clinical context where this may not be adaptive. These findings affirm a need to consider patients' lived experiences to best facilitate psychological adjustment to illness.

Hope and illness expectations: A cross-sectional study in patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: The fear of taking away hope hinders clinicians' willingness to share serious news with patients with advanced disease. Unrealistic illness expectations, on the other hand, can complicate decision making and end-of-life care outcomes. Exploration of the association between hope and illness expectations can support clinicians in better communication with their patients. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore whether realistic illness expectations are associated with reduced hope in people with advanced cancer. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional secondary analysis of baseline data from a primary palliative care cluster-randomized trial CONNECT (data collected from July 2016 to October 2020). Hope was measured by Herth Hope Index. Illness expectations were measured by assessing patients' understanding of their treatment goals, life expectancy, and terminal illness acknowledgement. Multivariable regression was performed, adjusting for demographical and clinical confounders. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with advanced solid cancers recruited across 17 oncology clinics. RESULTS: Data from 672 patients were included in the study, with mean age of 69.3 years (±10.2), 53.6% were female. Proportion of patients indicating realistic expectations varied based on which question was asked from 10% to 46%. Median level of hope was 39 (IQR = 36-43). Multivariate non-inferiority regression did not find any significant differences in hope between patients with more and less realistic illness expectations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that hope can be sustained while holding both realistic and unrealistic illness expectations. Communication about serious news should focus on clarifying the expectations as well as supporting people's hopes.

Factors associated with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treatment patterns and patient-reported outcomes across a large integrated health network.

PURPOSE: To examine associations between ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) patients' characteristics, treating locations and DCIS treatments received and to pilot assessing quality-of-life (QoL) values among DCIS patients with diverse backgrounds. METHODS: We performed a retrospective tumor registry review of all patients diagnosed and treated with DCIS from 2018 to 2019 in the UPMC-integrated network throughout central and western Pennsylvania. Demographics, clinical information, and administered treatments were compiled from tumor registry records. We categorized contextual factors such as different hospital setting (academic vs. community), socioeconomic status based on the neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) as well as age and race. QoL survey was administered to DCIS patients with diverse backgrounds via QoL questionnaire breast cancer module 23 and qualitative assessment questions. RESULTS: A total of 912 patients were reviewed. There were no treatment differences noted for age, race, or NDI. Mastectomy rate was higher in academic sites than community sites (29 vs. 20.4%; p = 0.0045), while hormone therapy (HT) utilization rate was higher in community sites (74 vs. 62%; p = 0.0012). QoL survey response rate was 32%. Only HT side effects negatively affected in QoL scores and there was no significant difference in QoL domains and decision-making process between races, age, NDI, treatment groups, and treatment locations. CONCLUSION: Our integrated health network did not show chronically noted disparities arising from social determinates of health for DCIS treatments by implementing clinical pathways and system-wide peer review. Also, we demonstrated feasibility in collecting QoL for DCIS women with diverse backgrounds and different socioeconomic statuses.

Stakeholder perspectives on six identified interpersonal communication components of patient navigation in breast cancer care.

PURPOSE: Although identified as a key competency domain and a needed area of professional development, interpersonal communication in breast cancer care patient navigation is understudied. Moreover, the patient-navigator relationship may be influenced by the interpersonal communication skills and behaviors of the patient navigator. This paper reports on the interpretation step of a concept mapping study, where key stakeholders shared their perspectives on six identified interpersonal communication components of breast cancer care patient navigation. METHODS: This study utilized concept mapping, a community-engaged mixed method approach. After conducting brainstorming, sorting, and concept mapping analysis, a six-cluster concept map of interpersonal communication in breast cancer care patient navigation was identified. Interpretation sessions with each participant group (patients, patient navigators, administrators) allowed both naming and more in-depth exploration of the six clusters. The sessions were led by a facilitator, the PI, and were audio recorded and transcribed. RESULTS: Six 2-h interpretation sessions were conducted with 21 participants, including patients with breast cancer, breast cancer patient navigators (lay or medically trained), and patient navigation administrators from Western Pennsylvania. Through a group consensus process, the six clusters were named. Participants identified that all six identified components were essential to patient navigation, but the ability to build patient-centered trust and relationships and maintain professional communication were the most impactful components of the patient-navigator relationship. CONCLUSION: These findings validate the importance of interpersonal skills and behaviors of patient navigators in breast cancer care. These findings can inform the patient navigation role description, competencies, and the development of curriculum for training and metrics for evaluation.

Hope and advance care planning in advanced cancer: Is there a relationship?

BACKGROUND: Clinicians often cite a fear of giving up hope as a reason they defer advance care planning (ACP) among patients with advanced cancer. The objective of this study was to determine whether engagement in ACP affects hope in these patients. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of primary palliative care in advanced cancer. Patients who had not completed ACP at baseline were included in the analysis. ACP was assessed in the forms of an end-of-life (EOL) conversation with one's oncologist and completion of a living will or advance directive (AD). Measurements were obtained at baseline and at 3 months. Hope was measured using the Herth Hope Index (HHI) (range, 12-48; higher scores indicate higher hope). Multivariate regression was performed to assess associations between ACP and hope, controlling for baseline HHI score, study randomization, patient age, religious importance, education, marital status, socioeconomic status, time since cancer diagnosis, pain/symptom burden (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System), and anxiety/depression score (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale)-all variables known to be associated with ACP and/or hope. RESULTS: In total, 672 patients with advanced cancer were enrolled in the overall study. The mean age was 69 ± 10 years, and the most common cancer types were lung cancer (36%), gastrointestinal cancer (20%) and breast/gynecologic cancers (16%). In this group, 378 patients (56%) had not had an EOL conversation at baseline, of whom 111 of 378 (29%) reported having an EOL conversation by 3 months. Hope was not different between patients who did or did not have an EOL conversation over the study period (mean ± standard deviation ∆HHI, 0.20 ± 5.32 vs -0.53 ± 3.80, respectively; P = .136). After multivariable adjustment, hope was significantly increased in patients who had engaged in an EOL conversation (adjusted mean difference in ∆HHI, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.08-1.82; P = .032). Similarly, of 216 patients (32%) without an AD at baseline, 67 (31%) had subsequently completed an AD. Unadjusted hope was not different between those who did and did not complete an AD (∆HHI, 0.20 ± 3.89 vs -0.91 ± 4.50, respectively; P = .085). After adjustment, hope was significantly higher in those who completed an AD (adjusted mean difference in ∆HHI, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.13-2.49; P = .030). CONCLUSIONS: The current results demonstrate that hope is not decreased after engagement in ACP and indeed may be increased. These findings may provide reassurance to clinicians who are apprehensive about having these important and difficult conversations. LAY SUMMARY: Many oncologists defer advance care planning (ACP) out of concern for giving up hope. This study demonstrates that hope is not decreased in patients who have engaged in ACP either as a conversation with their oncologists or by completing an advance directive. With this information, providers may feel more comfortable having these important conversations with their patients.

Early-stage breast cancer menopausal symptom experience and management: exploring medical oncology clinic visit conversations through qualitative analysis.

PURPOSE: Women being treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer experience menopausal symptoms that vary in presentation and impact on quality of life. The clinical visit before each chemotherapy cycle provides an important opportunity to allow patients to dialogue with their medical oncology healthcare providers about these symptoms and identify strategies for self-management. The objective of this study was to characterize patient and provider interactions regarding the menopausal symptom experience and management in the context of breast cancer treatment. METHODS: Thematic analysis was employed to analyze 61 transcripts from clinical encounters of women receiving chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Transcripts were chosen based on their inclusion of menopausal symptom discussion. RESULTS: Themes were separated into three distinct categories: patient, clinician, and dyadic themes. The overarching theme was goal discordance in the clinical visit, which was reflected in the following themes: unexpected and unprepared; distressed, disrupted and disturbed; clinical insensitivity; missed opportunity for management and empathy; and use of humor and colloquial language. Overall, women were unprepared for the menopausal symptom experience, and clinicians did not often provide management, interventions, or empathetic responses. CONCLUSION: There is a need to develop more astute assessment and communication regarding menopausal symptoms during the clinical visit. Possible interventions include a more holistic assessment, algorithms to facilitate the clinician's attention and response to menopausal symptoms, and treatment of symptoms.

Trajectories of neuropsychological symptom burden in postmenopausal women prescribed anastrozole for early-stage breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) prolong survival for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HR + BC) but also burden patients with symptoms, a major reason for suboptimal AI adherence. This study characterizes inter-relationships among symptom measures; describes neuropsychological symptom burden trajectories; and identifies trajectory group membership predictors for postmenopausal women prescribed anastrozole for HR + BC. METHODS: This study utilized prospectively collected data from a cohort study. Relationships among various self-reported symptom measures were examined followed by a factor analysis to reduce data redundancy before trajectory analysis. Four neuropsychological scales/subscales were rescaled (range 0-100) and averaged into a neuropsychological symptom burden (NSB) score, where higher scores indicated greater symptom burden. Group-based trajectory modeling characterized NSB trajectories. Trajectory group membership predictors were identified using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Women (N = 360) averaged 61 years old, were mostly White, and diagnosed with stage I HR + BC. Several measures were correlated temporally but four neuropsychological measures had strong correlations and dimensional loadings. These four measures, combined for the composite NSB, averaged (mean ± standard deviation) 17.4 ± 12.9, 18.0 ± 12.7, 19.5 ± 12.8, and 19.8 ± 13.0 at pre-anastrozole, 6, 12, and 18 months post-initiation, respectively. However, the analysis revealed five NSB trajectories-low-stable, low-increasing, moderate-stable, high-stable, and high-increasing. Younger age and baseline medication categories (pre-anastrozole), including anti-depressants, analgesics, anti-anxiety, and no calcium/vitamin D, predicted the higher NSB trajectories. CONCLUSION: This study found relationships among neuropsychological symptom measures and distinct trajectories of self-reported NSB with pre-anastrozole predictors. Identifying symptom trajectories and their predictors at pre-anastrozole may inform supportive care strategies via symptom management interventions to optimize adherence for women with HR + BC.

Protocol for Symptom Experience, Management, Outcomes, and Adherence in Women Receiving Breast Cancer Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The 5-year survival for Black women with breast cancer in the United States is lower than White women for stage-matched disease. Our past and ongoing work and that of others suggest that symptom incidence, cancer-related distress, and ineffective communication contribute to racial disparity in dose reduction and early therapy termination. Although race is perhaps the most studied social determinant of health, it is clear that race alone does not account for all disparities. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to present a study protocol of Black and White women prescribed breast cancer chemotherapy. The aims are to (1) examine and compare chemotherapy received/prescribed over time and in total; (2a) examine and compare symptom incidence, distress, and management and clinical encounter, including patient-centeredness of care and management experience over time and (2b) correlate symptom incidence, distress, and management experience to Aim 1; and (3) explore the effects of social determinants of health, including age, income, education, zip code, and lifetime stress exposure, on Aims 1, 2a, and 2b. METHODS: A longitudinal, repeated-measures (up to 18 time points), comparative, mixed-methods design is employed with 179 White and 179 Black women from 10 sites in Western Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio over the course of chemotherapy and for 2 years following completion of therapy. RESULTS: The study began in January 2018, with estimated complete data collection by late 2023. DISCUSSION: This study is among the first to explore the mechanistic process for racial disparity in dosage and delay across the breast cancer chemotherapy course. It will be an important contribution to the explanatory model for breast cancer treatment disparity and may advance potential mitigation strategies for racial survival disparity.

Symptom Experience, Management, and Outcomes According to Race and Social Determinants Including Genomics, Epigenomics, and Metabolomics (SEMOARS + GEM): an Explanatory Model for Breast Cancer Treatment Disparity.

Even after controlling for stage, comorbidity, age, and insurance status, black women with breast cancer (BC) in the USA have the lowest 5-year survival as compared with all other races for stage-matched disease. One potential cause of this survival difference is the disparity in cancer treatment, evident in many population clinical trials. Specifically, during BC chemotherapy, black women receive less relative dose intensity with more dose reductions and early chemotherapy cessation compared with white women. Symptom incidence, cancer-related distress, and ineffective communication, including the disparity in patient-centeredness of care surrounding patient symptom reporting and clinician assessment, are important factors contributing to racial disparity in dose reduction and early therapy termination. We present an evidence-based overview and an explanatory model for racial disparity in the symptom experience during BC chemotherapy that may lead to a reduction in dose intensity and a subsequent disparity in outcomes. This explanatory model, the Symptom Experience, Management, Outcomes and Adherence according to Race and Social determinants + Genomics Epigenomics and Metabolomics (SEMOARS + GEM), considers essential factors such as social determinants of health, clinician communication, symptoms and symptom management, genomics, epigenomics, and pharmacologic metabolism as contributory factors.

The Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale: A validation study.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically test the validity of the Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale. BACKGROUND: Female cancer survivors need to self-advocate to overcome challenges associated with cancer yet no valid measure of self-advocacy exists. DESIGN: Instrument development. Mixed-mode cross-sectional survey design. PARTICIPANTS: We recruited adult females (18+ years; N = 317) with a history of invasive cancer from local and national tumour registries and advocacy organizations to complete online or paper questionnaires. METHODS: Between July 2014 - March 2015 to evaluate the construct validity based on evidence of the scale's: (1) internal structure consistent with the underlying model of self-advocacy; (2) sensitivity to differences between groups known to differ in self-advocacy skills; (3) relationships between self-advocacy and key potential predictors (openness and conscientiousness; information engagement; social support) and outcomes (symptom burden and healthcare utilization); (4) relationships between self-advocacy and related concepts (patient activation; self-advocacy within another patient population); and (5) relationships between self-advocacy and criterion measures. Analyses included an exploratory factor analysis, t tests, and bivariate correlations using validated, reliable measures for constructs. RESULTS: Evidence from all five hypotheses supported the construct validity of the Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale. The factor analysis confirmed the three underlying dimensions of self-advocacy resulting in a 20-item measure with strong internal consistency that explained almost half of response variance. CONCLUSION: The Female Self-Advocacy in Cancer Survivorship Scale is a valid, reliable measure of how well adult female cancer survivors can get their needs met in the face of adversity.

Symptom incidence, distress, cancer-related distress, and adherence to chemotherapy among African American women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: There is a persistent racial survival disparity between African American (AA) and white women with breast cancer. There is evidence that symptom incidence, associated distress, and overall cancer-related distress may be unexplored, important contributing factors. The purpose of the current study was to: 1) describe and compare the number of chemotherapy-related symptoms and associated distress among AA women with breast cancer over the course of chemotherapy at 3 time points (at baseline before initiating chemotherapy, midpoint, and at the completion of chemotherapy); and 2) to describe the relationship between the number of chemotherapy-related symptoms and overall cancer distress compared with the ability to receive at least 85% of the prescribed chemotherapy within the prescribed timeframe. METHODS: Descriptive, comparative, and correlational analyses of symptom incidence, symptom distress, cancer-related distress, and prescribed chemotherapy dose received among a cohort of AA women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer were performed. RESULTS: AA women (121 women) experienced worsening symptoms from baseline to midpoint in chemotherapy and then stabilized for the duration of therapy. The inability to receive 85% of the prescribed chemotherapy within a prescribed time point was found to be significantly correlated with midpoint symptom distress. CONCLUSIONS: The main findings of the current study were that AA women experience a deterioration in symptom distress over the course of chemotherapy from baseline (before chemotherapy) to the midpoint, which was found to be associated with less adherence to chemotherapy overall. Thus, the incidence and management of physical and emotional symptoms, as measured through a multidimensional symptom measurement tool, may be contributing to breast cancer dose disparity and should be explored further. Cancer 2017;123:2061-2069. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Prevalence and determinants of end-of-life chemotherapy use in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Cessation of chemotherapy in the last few weeks of life could be an important quality-of-care benchmark. Proportion of metastatic breast cancer patients who receive end-of-life chemotherapy is not well described. We aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of end-of-life chemotherapy use in patients with metastatic breast cancer. A retrospective cohort study using a prospectively collated database of patients with metastatic breast cancer who died between January 1, 2010, and September 30, 2014, was conducted. End-of-life chemotherapy (EOLC) use was defined as receipt of chemotherapy within 2 weeks of death (EOLC2) and receipt of chemotherapy within 4 weeks of death (EOLC4). Patients who did not receive any chemotherapy in the last 4 weeks before death were categorized as non-EOLC. We identified 274 patients with metastatic breast cancer, of whom 28 received EOLC2 (10.2%) and 62 received EOLC4 (22.6%). In comparison with non-EOLC, patients receiving EOLC4 were younger and had greater disease burden. Patients in EOLC4 group received more number of lines of chemotherapy. In a multivariable analysis, younger age at metastatic disease and greater number of metastatic organ systems involved were predictors of end-of-life chemotherapy use. Prevalence of the use of end-of-life chemotherapy in our cohort was higher than previously described. More end-of-life chemotherapy was used in younger women, and those with greater disease burden. Earlier initiation of end-of-life discussions may be targeted to such patients.

Creating Quality Online Materials for Specialty Nurse Practitioner Content: Filling a Need for the Graduate Nurse Practitioner.

Nurse practitioners are entering specialized areas of practice immediately after graduation from nurse practitioner (NP) education and certification and are finding employment in specialized areas such as oncology. Rapidly achieving a knowledge base in this highly specialized area of medicine coupled with the stress of the new nurse practitioner role can lead to a very difficult orientation and transition period. There are several methods to provide specialized education to NPs during their orientation period. Unfortunately, limitations such as a lack of motivated mentors, limited opportunities to practice the desired skill set or a lack of structure in regards to curriculum quality, and the learning needs of the new nurse hinder the NP's transition to practice. In response to either inadequate or non-standardized orientation to the specialty role of the oncology NP (ONP), a web-enhanced educational tool, funded through the National Cancer Institute, was developed for use in the USA: Oncology Nurse Practitioner Web Education Resource (ONc-PoWER). The development of ONc-PoWER was based upon essential education for NPs new to cancer care, adult learning theory, Bloom's Taxonomy, and foundations of quality online education. The five interactive web-based modules provide specialized education for the nurse practitioner new to oncology along with an on-site mentor to assist the NP in applying the course content to clinical practice.

Patterns of change in cognitive function with anastrozole therapy.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effects of the first 18 months of anastrozole therapy on cognitive function in women with breast cancer. METHODS: This large, longitudinal cohort study was composed of postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer who received chemotherapy plus anastrozole (n = 114) or anastrozole alone (n = 173) and a control group (n = 110). Cognitive function was assessed before systemic therapy and 6, 12, and 18 months after therapy initiation and at comparable time points in controls. RESULTS: The chemotherapy-anastrozole and anastrozole-alone groups had poorer executive function than the controls at nearly all time points (P < .0001 to P = .09). A pattern of deterioration in working memory and concentration was observed during the first 6 months of anastrozole therapy for the chemotherapy-anastrozole group (P < .0001 and P < .0009, respectively) and the anastrozole-alone group (P = .0008 and P = .0002, respectively). This was followed by improved working memory and concentration from 6 to 12 months in both groups. The anastrozole-alone group had a second decline in working memory and concentration from 12 to 18 months after the initiation of therapy (P < .0001 and P = .02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Women with breast cancer had poorer executive functioning from the period before therapy through the entire first 18 months of therapy. A pattern of decline in working memory and concentration with initial exposure to anastrozole was observed. Women receiving anastrozole alone had a second deterioration in working memory and concentration from 12 to 18 months after therapy initiation. The longer term effects (>18 months) of anastrozole on cognitive function remain to be determined.

The Psychoneurologic Symptom Cluster and Its Association With Breast Cancer Genomic Instability.

OBJECTIVES: To phenotype the psychoneurologic (PN) symptom cluster in individuals with metastatic breast cancer and associate those phenotypes with individual characteristics and cancer genomic variables from circulating tumor DNA. SAMPLE & SETTING: This study included 201 individuals with metastatic breast cancer recruited in western Pennsylvania. METHODS & VARIABLES: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. Symptom data were collected via the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, and cancer genomic data were collected via ultra-low-pass whole-genome sequencing of circulating tumor DNA from participant blood. RESULTS: Three distinct PN symptom phenotypes were described in a population with metastatic breast cancer: mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, and severe mood-related symptoms. Breast cancer TP53 deletion was significantly associated with membership in a moderate to severe symptoms phenotype (p = 0.013). IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Specific cancer genomic changes associated with increased genomic instability may be predictive of PN symptoms. This finding may enable proactive treatment or reveal new therapeutic targets for symptom management.

Association Between Genes in the Nuclear Factor E2-Related Factor 2 Antioxidative Response Elements Pathway and Cancer-Related Fatigue in Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To explore genes in the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 antioxidative response elements (Nrf2-ARE) signaling pathway using a multiomics approach for associations with variability of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in postmenopausal women with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. SAMPLE & SETTING: Postmenopausal women (N = 116) with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were recruited from western Pennsylvania. METHODS & VARIABLES: Candidate genes from the Nrf2-ARE pathway were investigated for associations with CRF occurrence and severity. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression for occurrence and linear regression for severity. RESULTS: The rs2706110 TT genotype in NFE2L2 was associated with a 3.5-fold increase in odds of CRF occurrence. The cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) site cg22820568 in PRDX1 was associated with CRF occurrence and severity. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Biomarkers based on Nrf2-ARE genes may help to identify women at increased risk for more severe CRF and to develop targeted interventions.

Using Concept Mapping to Explore Interpersonal Communication Components of Patient Navigation in Breast Cancer Care.

BACKGROUND: Research exploring the relational dimensions of patient navigation identifies interpersonal communication as fundamental to the patient navigator's (PN's) ability to reduce barriers to care and improve cancer care outcomes. Although interpersonal communication is a core competency for PNs, its key components are commonly understudied and overlooked. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify the key interpersonal communication components of patient navigation in breast cancer care that patients, PNs, and PN administrators perceived to impact the patient-navigator relationship. METHODS: This study used concept mapping, a community-engaged research method. Participants completed 3 concept mapping activities: brainstorming, sorting and rating, and interpretation. RESULTS: A total of 31 persons participated in the study: 13 patients, 14 PNs, and 4 PN administrators. The concept mapping analysis produced a 6-cluster concept map, and each concept was named through a group consensus process. Among the 6 concepts, both patients and PNs emphasized the importance of "Empathetic, Comprehensive, and Compassionate Support," "Bridge to Clinical Education and Supportive Resources," and "Ongoing Individualized Coordination of Care" as the most important components for facilitating the patient-navigator relationship. CONCLUSION: Patients, PNs, and PN administrators all emphasized the essential role of interpersonal communication in the PN-patient relationship and how it is woven into every aspect of the PN role. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: As a core competency, we need to work toward the development and testing of evidence-based training to support their professional development and ultimately promote positive cancer care outcomes.

Effects of socioeconomic status and race on survival and treatment in metastatic breast cancer.

Race and socioeconomic factors affect outcomes in breast cancer. We aimed to assess the effect of race and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) on overall survival and treatment patterns in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This is a retrospective cohort study involving patients (N = 1246) with distant breast cancer metastases diagnosed at UPMC Magee Women's Breast Cancer Clinic from 2000-2017. Overall survival and treatment patterns were compared between races (Blacks and whites) and SES groups (defined using Area Deprivation Index). Low SES, but not tumor characteristics, was associated with Black race (P < 0.001) in the study population. Low SES (Median [Interquartile Range, IQR] survival 2.3[2.2-2.5] years vs high SES 2.7[2.5-3.1] years, P = 0.01) and Black race (Median [IQR] survival 1.8[1.3-2.3] years, vs white 2.5[2.3-2.7] years P = 0.008) separately were associated with worse overall survival in patients with MBC. In the Cox Proportional Hazard model with SES, race, age, subtype, number of metastases, visceral metastasis, and year of diagnosis as covariates, low SES (Hazard ratio 1.19[1.04-1.35], P = 0.01), but not Black race (Hazard ratio 1.19[0.96-1.49], P = 0.12), independently predicted overall survival in MBC. Moreover, patients from low SES neighborhoods and Black race received fewer lines of chemotherapy than high SES and whites. In conclusion, low neighborhood SES is associated with worse outcomes in patients with MBC. Poor outcomes in Black patients with MBC, at least in part is driven by socioeconomic factors. Future studies should delineate the interplay between neighborhood SES, race, and their effects on tumor biology in MBC.

Examining Caregiver Outcomes in the CONNECT Intervention for Patients With Advanced Cancer.

CONTEXT: Palliative care offers patient and family centered approaches that may mitigate risk of caregiver burden and poor mood. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a palliative care intervention (CONNECT) improved burden, mood, and self-efficacy among caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: In this cluster randomized trial, patients and their caregivers were recruited from 17 Oncology clinics in Pennsylvania. Participants attended nurse-led monthly visits, addressing patient symptoms, goals of care, and advance care planning. At baseline and three months, we measured caregiver burden using Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12; range 0-48), caregiver anxiety and depression using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS-A, range 0-21; HADS-D, range 0-21). We measured caregiver self-efficacy at three months using Caregiver Inventory (CGI; range 0-189). RESULTS: We enrolled 441 caregivers and 381 completed three-month assessments. We found no significant differences in caregiver burden (adjusted mean difference -0.39; 95% CI -1.07-0.29, P = 0.90), depression (adjusted mean difference -0.22, 95% CI -0.97-0.55, P = 0.26), or anxiety (adjusted mean difference 0.09; 95% CI -1.25-1.43, P = 0.58), between the intervention and standard care at three months. Caregiver self-efficacy was higher at three months in the intervention compared to standard care (adjusted mean difference 9.36; 95% CI 0.95-17.77, P = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Caregivers in CONNECT did not experience improved burden or mood, however, they reported higher self-efficacy compared to caregivers receiving standard care. This study highlights the need for strategies to optimize caregiver outcomes in palliative care interventions.