Risk factors of unmet needs among women with breast cancer in the post-treatment phase.

Objective: Unmet health care needs require additional care resources to achieve optimal patient well-being. In this nationwide study we examined associations between a number of risk factors and unmet needs after treatment among women with breast cancer, while taking into account their health care practices. We expected that more care use would be associated with lower levels of unmet needs.

Health care use and remaining needs for support among women with breast cancer in the first 15 months after diagnosis: the role of the GP.

Background: The number of women with breast cancer in general practice is rising. To address their needs and wishes for a referral, GPs might benefit from more insight into women's health care practices and need for additional support.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of health care use and remaining needs among women with breast cancer in the first 15 months after diagnosis.

Trends in Overall Survival and Treatment Patterns in Two Large Population-Based Cohorts of Patients with Breast and Colorectal Cancer.

Previous studies showed substantial improvement of survival rates in patients with cancer in the last two decades. However, lower survival rates have been reported for older patients compared to younger patients. In this population-based study, we analyzed treatment patterns and the survival of patients with breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).

Patient- and tumor-related predictors of chemotherapy intolerance in older patients with cancer: A systematic review.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate patient-related factors (e.g. depressive symptoms, cognition, mobility, activities of daily living (ADL)) as well as tumor-related factors (e.

Functional status decline in older patients with breast and colorectal cancer after cancer treatment: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to disentangle the impact of age and that of cancer diagnosis and treatment on functional status (FS) decline in older patients with cancer.

Materials And Methods: Patients with breast and colorectal cancer aged 50-69years and aged ≥70years who had undergone surgery, and older patients without cancer aged ≥70years were included. FS was assessed at baseline and after 12months follow-up, using the Katz index for activities of daily living (ADL) and the Lawton scale for instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).

Predictors of enduring clinical distress in women with breast cancer.

To date, little is known about enduring clinical distress as measured with the commonly used distress thermometer. We therefore used the distress thermometer to examine: (a) the prevalence of enduring clinical distress, distress-related problems, and subsequent wish for referral of women with breast cancer, and (b) sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial predictors of enduring clinical distress. The study had a multicenter, prospective, observational design.

Don't forget the dentist: Dental care use and needs of women with breast cancer.

Purpose: Patients with breast cancer may develop dental problems due to treatment. We examined the prevalence of their dental care use and needs, compared the prevalence of use with that of the general population, and examined which factors predict patients' dental care use.

Methods: Patients with primary breast cancer completed a questionnaire at 6 and 15 months post-diagnosis.

A cohort study on the evolution of psychosocial problems in older patients with breast or colorectal cancer: comparison with younger cancer patients and older primary care patients without cancer.

Background: Although older cancer survivors commonly report psychosocial problems, the impact of both cancer and ageing on the occurrence of these problems remains largely unknown. The evolution of depression, cognitive functioning, and fatigue was evaluated in a group of older cancer patients in comparison with a group of younger cancer patients and older persons without cancer.

Methods: Older (≥70 years) and younger cancer patients (50-69 years) with breast or colorectal cancer stage I-III, and older persons without cancer (≥70 years) were included.

The Value of Fatigue Severity to Rule Out Depression in Older Adult Patients With Cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To evaluate whether fatigue severity can serve as a cue to investigate the presence of depression in older adult patients with cancer.

Design: Cross-sectional observational cohort study.

Setting: Seven hospitals and general practices in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Loneliness in patients with cancer: the first year after cancer diagnosis.

Objectives: We studied the frequency and evolution of social and emotional loneliness in older cancer patients in comparison with younger cancer patients and older people without cancer. We evaluated if changes in common cancer-related and ageing-related problems such as fatigue, cognitive functioning and functional status contributed to the occurrence of loneliness.

Methods: This study was part of the KLIMOP study (Dutch acronym for project on older cancer patients in Belgium and the Netherlands) and included older (≥70 years) and younger cancer patients (50-69 years) and older people without cancer.

Geriatric screening tools are of limited value to predict decline in functional status and quality of life: results of a cohort study.

Background: Geriatric screening tools are increasingly implemented in daily practice, especially in the oncology setting, but also in primary care in some countries such as the Netherlands. Nonetheless, validation of these tools regarding their ability to predict relevant outcomes is lacking. In this study we evaluate if geriatric screening tools predict decline in functional status and quality of life after one year, in a population of older cancer patients and an older primary care population without cancer with a life expectancy of at least six months.

The relation between depression, coping and health locus of control: differences between older and younger patients, with and without cancer.

Objective: Depression is an important health issue in cancer patients. People use different coping strategies and health locus of control to manage stressful situations, which relate to different risks of depression. Coping strategies and health locus of control can be changed by cognitive behavioral interventions.

Study protocol of KLIMOP: a cohort study on the wellbeing of older cancer patients in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Background: Cancer is mainly a disease of older patients. In older cancer patients, additional endpoints such as quality of survival and daily functioning might be considered equally relevant as overall or disease free survival. However, these factors have been understudied using prospective designs focussing on older cancer patients.