Nurse-guided patient self-treatment in integrative oncology: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Nurses are increasingly becoming involved in integrative oncology (IO) programs. This study examined the additive effect of nurse-provided guidance for self-administered IO therapies on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: The study was randomized and controlled, enrolling patients undergoing active oncology treatment with IO interventions for fatigue and other QoL-related outcomes. IO practitioner guidance on self-treatment with manual, relaxation, and/or traditional herbal therapies was provided to patients in both the intervention and control arms. However, patients in the intervention arms also received additional guidance on self-treatment by IO-trained palliative care nurses. All participants were assessed for fatigue and QoL at baseline and at 24-h follow-up, using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and the Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaire tools. RESULTS: Of 353 patients recruited, 187 were randomized to the intervention and 166 to the control group. Both groups had similar demographic and oncology-related characteristics. Patients in the intervention arm reported significantly greater improvement in ESAS scores for fatigue (p = 0.026) and appetite (p = 0.003) when compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The addition of nurse-provided guidance on self-administration of IO treatments to that provided by IO practitioners further reduced short-term scores for fatigue and improved appetite. The relationship between palliative and IO-supportive cancer care requires further study.

Impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative medicine programme on disturbed sleep quality among patients undergoing chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the impact of a patient-tailored complementary/integrative medicine (CIM) programme on sleep quality in patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast and gynaecological cancer. METHODS: Study participants received standard supportive care, with or without weekly CIM treatments. Disturbed sleep quality was defined as a score of ≥4 on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) or a score of ≥3 on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Adherence to integrative care was defined as attending ≥4 CIM treatments, with ≤30 days between each session. RESULTS: Of 388 eligible patients, 264 (68%) reported disturbed sleep quality. Baseline-to-follow up assessment (at 6 weeks) was optimal for 104 patients in the treatment group and for 76 controls, with 75 of treated patients found to be adherent to the CIM intervention. Sleep-related ESAS scores improved more significantly in treated patients (p=0.008), as did sleep-related concerns on EORTC (treatment group, p=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: A patient-tailored CIM programme may improve sleep quality and related concerns among patients with breast and gynaecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of CIM on sleep quality in this patient population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01860365.

Quality of life-related outcomes from a patient-tailored integrative medicine program: experience of Russian-speaking patients with cancer in Israel.

OBJECTIVE: Complementary/integrative medicine (CIM) is increasingly being integrated with standard supportive cancer care. The effects of CIM on quality of life (QOL) during chemotherapy need to be examined in varied socio-cultural settings. We purpose to explore the impact of CIM on QOL-related outcomes among Russian-speaking (RS) patients with cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: RS patients undergoing chemotherapy receiving standard supportive care were eligible. Patients in the treatment arm were seen by an integrative physician (IP) and treated within a patient-tailored CIM program. Symptoms and QOL were assessed at baseline, at 6, and at 12 weeks with the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), the Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaire, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS: Of 70 patients referred to the treatment arm, 50 (71.4 %) underwent IP assessment and CIM treatments. Of 51 referred to the control arm, 38 (76 %) agreed to participate. At 6 weeks, CIM-treated patients reported improved ESAS scores for fatigue (P = 0.01), depression (P = 0.048), appetite (P = 0.008), sleep (P < 0.0001), and general wellbeing (P = 0.004). No improvement was observed among controls. Between-group analysis found CIM-treated patients had improved sleep scores on ESAS (P = 0.019) and EORTC (P = 0.007) at 6 weeks. Social functioning improved between 6 and 12 weeks (EORTC, P = 0.02), and global health status/QOL scale from baseline to 12 weeks (EORTC, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: A patient-tailored CIM treatment program may improve QOL-related outcomes among RS patients undergoing chemotherapy. Integrating CIM in conventional supportive care needs to address cross-cultural aspects of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01860365 ).

Quality-of-life outcomes in patients with gynecologic cancer referred to integrative oncology treatment during chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: Integrative oncology incorporates complementary medicine (CM) therapies in patients with cancer. We explored the impact of an integrative oncology therapeutic regimen on quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes in women with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective preference study examined patients referred by oncology health care practitioners (HCPs) to an integrative physician (IP) consultation and CM treatments. QOL and chemotherapy-related toxicities were evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCAW) questionnaire, at baseline and at a 6-12-week follow-up assessment. Adherence to the integrative care (AIC) program was defined as ≥ 4 CM treatments, with ≤ 30 days between each session. RESULTS: Of 128 patients referred by their HCP, 102 underwent IP consultation and subsequent CM treatments. The main concerns expressed by patients were fatigue (79.8%), gastrointestinal symptoms (64.6%), pain and neuropathy (54.5 %), and emotional distress (45.5%). Patients in both AIC (n = 68) and non-AIC (n = 28) groups shared similar demographic, treatment, and cancer-related characteristics. ESAS fatigue scores improved by a mean of 1.97 points in the AIC group on a scale of 0-10 and worsened by a mean of 0.27 points in the non-AIC group (p = 0.033). In the AIC group, MYCAW scores improved significantly (p < 0.0001) for each of the leading concerns as well as for well-being, a finding which was not apparent in the non-AIC group. CONCLUSIONS: An IP-guided CM treatment regimen provided to patients with gynecological cancer during chemotherapy may reduce cancer-related fatigue and improve other QOL outcomes.