Publications by authors named "E Grajkowska"
Article Synopsis
- Sleep-wake disturbances are prevalent among primary brain tumor patients, and this study explores the relationship between patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and data from smart wearables like Fitbits over a 4-week period.
- Fifty-four patients participated, wearing Fitbits to track their sleep patterns and completing various PROs at the start and end of the study, showing high compliance and reliability in the data collected.
- Results indicated that while some patients experienced significant improvements in sleep disturbance, a notable correlation was found between wake after sleep onset and sleep disturbance, highlighting a need for further research into sleep mechanics in this patient population.
Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain malignancy with <45% living a year beyond diagnosis. Previously published investigations of long-term survivors (LTS) provided clinical data but rarely incorporated a comprehensive clinical and molecular analysis. Herein, we identify clinical, imaging, molecular, and outcome features for 23 GBM-LTS patients and compare them with a matched cohort of short-term survivors (STS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Cancer patients experience distress and anxiety when undergoing imaging studies to monitor disease status, yet these symptoms are not always appropriately identified or well-managed. This interim analysis of a phase 2 clinical trial explored feasibility and acceptability of a virtual reality relaxation (VR) intervention for primary brain tumor (PBT) patients at the time of clinical evaluation.
Methods: English speaking, adult PBT patients with previous reports of distress and upcoming neuroimaging were recruited between March of 2021 and March 2022.
Article Synopsis
- Cancer patients often face anxiety during imaging studies, leading to the need for effective management of their distress.
- A phase 2 clinical trial tested a virtual reality relaxation (VR) intervention for primary brain tumor patients, assessing its feasibility and acceptability before neuroimaging.
- Out of 55 approached, 20 patients enrolled, with high satisfaction reported (90%) and minimal adverse effects, indicating the potential of VR as a supportive tool for managing psychological symptoms in this population.
Article Synopsis
- Financial toxicity, especially linked to unemployment, has a significant impact on cancer survivors, prompting an evaluation of how it relates to patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in individuals with primary CNS tumors (PCNST).
- The study, conducted between September 2016 and December 2019 with 277 participants, revealed that Hispanic individuals faced higher unemployment rates and reported greater functional impairments and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than employed counterparts.
- Unemployed participants exhibited notably higher levels of depressive (25% vs. 8%) and anxiety symptoms (30% vs. 15%), highlighting the mental health challenges associated with unemployment in this patient group.