A medication diary-book for pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Indonesia.

Background: Event-free survival of pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia was low (20%). The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using a medication diary-book on the treatment outcome of childhood ALL.

Procedure: A randomized study was conducted with 109 pediatric patients with ALL in a pediatric oncology center in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Patient-reported quality of life after stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for early-stage lung cancer.

Background: Deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is frequently observed after surgery for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer. As stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) can result in local control percentages exceeding 90%, we studied baseline and post-treatment HRQOL in SABR patients.

Methods: HRQOL data were collected prospectively using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire in 382 consecutive patients treated with SABR.

Neuropsychological performance in survivors of breast cancer more than 20 years after adjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer can have adverse effects on cognition shortly after administration. Whether chemotherapy has any long-term effects on cognition is largely unknown, yet it becomes increasingly relevant because of the widespread use of chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer and the improved survival. We investigated whether cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) chemotherapy for breast cancer is associated with worse cognitive performance more than 20 years after treatment.

Comparing higher order models for the EORTC QLQ-C30.

Purpose: To investigate the statistical fit of alternative higher order models for summarizing the health-related quality of life profile generated by the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Methods: A 50% random sample was drawn from a dataset of more than 9,000 pre-treatment QLQ-C30 v 3.0 questionnaires completed by cancer patients from 48 countries, differing in primary tumor site and disease stage.

Compromised health-related quality of life in patients with low-grade glioma.

Purpose: To investigate the generic and condition-specific health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with low-grade glioma (LGG).

Patients And Methods: A total of 195 patients with LGG, which was diagnosed, on average, 5.6 years before the study, were compared with 100 patients with hematologic (non-Hodgkin's) lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukemia cancer (NHL/CLL) and 205 general population controls who were comparable with patients with LGG at the group level for age, sex, and education (healthy controls).

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in daily clinical practice: a community hospital-based study.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are major adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy. This study investigated: (1) the impact of CINV on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL) in daily clinical practice; (2) the association between patient characteristics and type of antiemetics and CINV; and (3) the role of CINV in physicians' decisions to modify antiemetic treatment.

Patients And Methods: This prospective, multicenter study was conducted in nine general hospitals in the Netherlands.

Treatment of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia with topical imiquimod: seven years median follow-up of a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Recently we reported on the efficacy of imiquimod for treating vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded randomized clinical trial (RCT). Four weeks after treatment, a complete response was observed in 35% of patients and a partial response in 46%. All complete responders remained disease-free at 12 months follow-up.

Predictors of neuropsychological improvement following cognitive rehabilitation in patients with gliomas.

This study investigated the specific patient factors that predict responsiveness to a cognitive rehabilitation program. The program has previously been demonstrated to be successful at the group level in patients with gliomas, but it is unclear which patient characteristics optimized the effect of the intervention at the individual level. Four categories of possible predictors of improvement were selected for evaluation: sociodemographic and clinical variables, self-reported cognitive symptoms, and objective neuropsychological test performance.

Normative data for the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC-sexuality items in the general Dutch population.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to generate Dutch reference data for the EORTC QLQ-C30 and for five sexuality items from the EORTC QL-item bank. Furthermore, to evaluate the relative impact of self-reported health problems on these outcomes and compare the Dutch normative EORTC QLQ-C30 overall QoL with available Scandinavian and German normative data.

Methods: QLQ-C30 and sexual item normative data were obtained from the Health and Health Complaints project from CentERdata.

Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses of health-related quality of life instruments using logistic regression.

Background: Differential item functioning (DIF) methods can be used to determine whether different subgroups respond differently to particular items within a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) subscale, after allowing for overall subgroup differences in that scale. This article reviews issues that arise when testing for DIF in HRQoL instruments. We focus on logistic regression methods, which are often used because of their efficiency, simplicity and ease of application.

Interpretation of differential item functioning analyses using external review.

Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses are used to determine whether certain groups respond differently to a particular item of a test or questionnaire; however, these do not explain the reasons for observed response differences. Many studies have used external reviews of items, sometimes using blinded reviewers, to help interpret these results. The authors conducted a literature review of this topic to describe the current usage of external reviews alongside DIF analyses.

Effects of mode of administration (MOA) on the measurement properties of the EORTC QLQ-C30: a randomized study.

Background: While modern electronic data collection methods (e.g., computer touch-screen or web-based) hold much promise, most current studies continue to make use of more traditional data collection techniques, including paper-and-pencil administration and telephone interviews.

Cancer-related fatigue: clinical practice versus practice guidelines.

Purpose: This study investigated adherence to treatment guidelines on cancer-related anaemia and fatigue (CRA/CRF) and factors influencing the choice of intervention.

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 136 cancer patients being treated with chemotherapy in a large community hospital completed a questionnaire at consecutive outpatient visits assessing fatigue (the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue) and fatigue-related counselling and advice received. Data on administration of chemotherapy and use of epoetin or blood transfusions were abstracted from the medical records.

Psychological distress and quality of life of partners of individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis.

Objective: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a genetic condition characterized by the development of multiple adenomas in the colorectum that could lead to colorectal cancer. Our aim was to assess levels and predictors of psychological distress and quality of life (QOL) among partners of FAP-patients.

Methods: A nationwide, cross-sectional survey using validated self-report questionnaires assessing psychological distress and QOL.

Effects of tamoxifen and exemestane on cognitive functioning of postmenopausal patients with breast cancer: results from the neuropsychological side study of the tamoxifen and exemestane adjuvant multinational trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of adjuvant tamoxifen and exemestane on cognitive functioning in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer (BC).

Patients And Methods: Neuropsychological assessments were performed before the start (T1) and after 1 year of adjuvant endocrine treatment (T2) in Dutch postmenopausal patients with BC, who did not receive chemotherapy. Patients participated in the international Tamoxifen and Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational trial, a prospective randomized study investigating tamoxifen versus exemestane as adjuvant therapy for hormone-sensitive BC.

Attitudes toward genetic testing in childhood and reproductive decision-making for familial adenomatous polyposis.

Childhood DNA testing, prenatal diagnosis (PND) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) are available for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). However, the use of PND and PGD is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes toward, and experiences with, childhood DNA testing, PND and PGD among members of families at high risk for FAP.

Chemotherapy-related side effects in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Indonesia: parental perceptions.

Noncompliance with prescribed medication has been associated with increased chance of relapse and poor outcome. Side effects may be an important cause of noncompliance. Fifty-one parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a tertiary care hospital in Indonesia were interviewed about their perception of side effects and their impact on treatment noncompliance and daily activities.

The practical impact of differential item functioning analyses in a health-related quality of life instrument.

Introduction: Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses are commonly used to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments. There is, however, a lack of consensus as to how to assess the practical impact of statistically significant DIF results.

Methods: Using our previously published ordinal logistic regression DIF results for the Fatigue scale of a HRQoL instrument as an example, the practical impact on a particular Norwegian clinical trial was investigated.

The impact of different definitions and reference groups on the prevalence of cognitive impairment: a study in postmenopausal breast cancer patients before the start of adjuvant systemic therapy.

Objective: Several prospective studies into the effects of adjuvant systemic therapy on cognitive functioning suggest that a proportion of breast cancer patients show cognitive deficits already before the start of systemic therapy. Owing to, among others, methodological inconsistency, studies report different rates of this pre-treatment cognitive impairment. We examined the impact of four different criteria of cognitive impairment and two types of reference groups (a study-specific healthy reference group versus published normative data) on the prevalence of cognitive impairment.

Cognitive rehabilitation in patients with gliomas: a randomized, controlled trial.

Purpose: Patients with gliomas often experience cognitive deficits, including problems with attention and memory. This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the effects of a multifaceted cognitive rehabilitation program (CRP) on cognitive functioning and selected quality-of-life domains in patients with gliomas.

Patients And Methods: One hundred forty adult patients with low-grade and anaplastic gliomas, favorable prognostic factors, and both subjective cognitive symptoms and objective cognitive deficits were recruited from 11 hospitals in the Netherlands.

Psychological distress and use of psychosocial support in familial adenomatous polyposis.

Objective: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is characterized by multiple adenomas in the colorectum with a high risk to develop colorectal cancer. It is unclear whether individuals at risk of FAP experience distress due to this potentially life-threatening disease. This nationwide study assessed: (1) the prevalence of psychological distress; and (2) the need for and use of specialized professional psychosocial support.

Differential item functioning (DIF) in the EORTC QLQ-C30: a comparison of baseline, on-treatment and off-treatment data.

Introduction: Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses can be used to explore translation, cultural, gender or other differences in the performance of quality of life (QoL) instruments. These analyses are commonly performed using "baseline" or pretreatment data. We previously reported DIF analyses to examine the pattern of item responses for translations of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 QoL instrument, using only data collected prior to cancer treatment.

Carotid intima-media thickness and arterial stiffness in HIV-infected patients: the role of HIV, antiretroviral therapy, and lipodystrophy.

Objectives: HIV-infected patients using combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) have an increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to identify the effects of HIV, ART, and lipodystrophy (LD) on carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT), a surrogate measure of atherosclerosis, and arterial stiffness, a marker of cardiovascular risk.

Design: Case-control study of 77 HIV-infected men (55 exposed to ART, 22 ART naive, and 23 with LD) and 52 controls.

Parental experiences of childhood leukemia treatment in indonesia.

In our study, we examined socioeconomic, treatment-related, and psychologic experiences of parents during the acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment of their children in an academic hospital in Indonesia. Children were treated with the WK-ALL-2000 protocol and received donated chemotherapy. From November 2004 to April 2006, 51 parents were interviewed by psychologists using semi-structured questionnaires.

Health-related quality of life assessment in Indonesian childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Most studies on Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in children with cancer were conducted in developed countries. The aims of this study were to assess the HRQOL in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients in Indonesia and to assess the influence of demographic and medical characteristics on HRQOL.

Methods: After cultural linguistic validation, a cross-sectional study of HRQOL was conducted with childhood ALL patients and their guardians in various phases of treatment using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.