Three-year trajectories and associated factors of fear of cancer recurrence in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients: a longitudinal study.

Purpose: Limited data exists on the long-term course of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. One in five patients was found to experience persistent high FCR in the first months after diagnosis. This study assessed the 3-year trajectories and associated factors of FCR in newly diagnosed HNC patients.

Perspectives of patients, partners, primary and hospital-based health care professionals on living with advanced cancer and systemic treatment.

Purpose: An emerging group of patients lives longer with advanced cancer while receiving systemic treatment. This study aimed to investigate psychosocial aspects of living longer with advanced cancer, and experiences with psychosocial care, from the perspectives of patients, partners, and health care professionals (HCPs).

Methods: From May to December 2020, participants were purposively selected.

Patient experiences with patient-led, home-based follow-up after curative treatment for colorectal cancer: a qualitative study.

Objectives: The number of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) in need of oncological follow-up is growing. As a response, patient-led, home-based follow-up (PHFU) was developed, implemented and assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate how patients experienced PHFU.

Toward implementation of an evidence-based intervention for fear of cancer recurrence: Feasibility in real-world psycho-oncology practice.

Objective: Few evidence-based interventions addressing high levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) have been implemented. Understanding how these might be implemented is crucial to bridge the research-practice gap. This study investigated the feasibility of implementing the blended Survivors' Worries of Recurrent Disease (SWORD) intervention in real-world psycho-oncology practice.

Randomized controlled trial of an individual blended cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce psychological distress among distressed colorectal cancer survivors: The COloRectal canceR distrEss reduCTion trial.

Objective: Colorectal cancer survivors (CRCS) often experience high levels of distress. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effect of blended cognitive behavior therapy (bCBT) on distress severity among distressed CRCS.

Methods: CRCS (targeted N = 160) with high distress (Distress Thermometer ≥5) between 6 months and 5 years post cancer treatment were randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to receive bCBT, (14 weeks including five face-to-face, and three telephone sessions and access to interactive website), or care as usual (CAU).

Towards patient-led follow-up after curative surgical resection of stage I, II and III colorectal cancer (DISTANCE-trial): a study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers. Approximately 20-30% of stage I-III CRC patients develop a recurrent tumour or metastases after curative surgical resection. Post-operative follow-up is indicated for the first five years after curative surgical resection.

The association between anastomotic leakage and health-related quality of life after colorectal cancer surgery.

Aim: Colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL) is a serious complication. Studies on the impact of AL on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between AL and HRQoL in colorectal cancer patients up to 2 years after diagnosis, and to evaluate whether AL is associated with a clinically relevant decrease in HRQoL over time.

Reasons for non-participation in a psychological intervention trial for distress in colorectal cancer survivors.

Objective: High psychological distress is reported by one third of colorectal cancer survivors (CRCS). However, intervention studies for CRCS have reported low participation rates. In this study, reasons for non-participation and low uptake in a psychological intervention trial were investigated.

Evaluating the capacity of the distress thermometer to detect high fear of cancer recurrence.

Objectives: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is common and burdensome to patients, but often remains undetected. Oncology professionals report need for tools to improve FCR detection in routine care. Oncology care guidelines recommend the Distress Thermometer (DT) for distress screening, but it has not been validated for FCR.

Barriers and facilitators for implementation of the SWORD evidence-based psychological intervention for fear of cancer recurrence in three different healthcare settings.

Purpose: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) interventions are effective, but few are implemented. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators for implementing the evidence-based blended SWORD intervention in routine psycho-oncological care.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 19 cancer survivors and 18 professionals from three healthcare settings assessed barriers and facilitators in six domains as described by the determinant frameworks of Grol and Flottorp: (1) innovation, (2) professionals, (3) patients, (4) social context, (5) organization, and (6) economic and political context.

Cognitive functioning and mental health in children with a primary mitochondrial disease.

Background: Studies regarding cognitive and mental health functioning in children with mitochondrial disease (MD) are scarce, while both are important issues given their impact on QoL. Knowledge on these aspects of functioning and its relationship with disease parameters is essential to gather more insight in working mechanisms and provide recommendations for future research and patientcare. The aim of this study was to map the cognitive functioning and mental health in children with MD in relation to disease specific factors.

Identifying trajectories of fatigue in patients with primary mitochondrial disease due to the m.3243A > G variant.

Severe fatigue is a common complaint in patients with primary mitochondrial disease. However, less is known about the course of fatigue over time. This longitudinal observational cohort study of patients with the mitochondrial DNA 3243 A>G variant explored trajectories of fatigue over 2 years, and characteristics of patients within these fatigue trajectories.

Psychosocial Aspects of Living Long Term with Advanced Cancer and Ongoing Systemic Treatment: A Scoping Review.

(1) Background: Studies examining the psychosocial impact of living long term on systemic treatment in advanced cancer patients are scarce. This scoping review aimed to answer the research question "What has been reported about psychosocial factors among patients living with advanced cancer receiving life-long systemic treatment?", by synthesizing psychosocial data, and evaluating the terminology used to address these patients; (2) Methods: This scoping review was conducted following the five stages of the framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005); (3) Results: 141 articles published between 2000 and 2021 (69% after 2015) were included. A large variety of terms referring to the patient group was observed.

A conceptual disease model for quality of life in mitochondrial disease.

Background: Previous studies in patients with a mitochondrial disease (MD) highlight the high prevalence of cognitive impairments, fatigue, depression, and a lower quality of life (QoL). The relationship with biological and physiological factors remains complex. The aim of this study is to investigate the status of and interrelationships between biological and physiological functioning, cognitive functioning as well as fatigue, depression, societal participation, health perceptions, and QoL, by using the Wilson and Cleary conceptual disease model, adapted to MD.

Facing facial weakness: psychosocial outcomes of facial weakness and reduced facial function in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Purpose: To assess the psychosocial outcomes of facial weakness in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional survey study. The severity of facial weakness was assessed by patients (self-reported degree of facial weakness) and by physicians (part I FSHD clinical score).

Health-related quality of life, psychological distress, and fatigue in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients treated with radium-223 therapy.

Background: Radium-223 is a registered treatment option for symptomatic bone metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Aim of this multicenter, prospective observational cohort study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), psychological distress and fatigue in mCRPC patients treated with radium-223.

Methods: Primary endpoint was cancer-specific and bone metastases-related HR-QoL, as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and BM-22 questionnaires.

Interventions addressing fear of cancer recurrence: challenges and future perspectives.

Purpose Of Review: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common concern among cancer survivors and support for FCR is one of the most cited unmet needs. High FCR was found to be related to increased use of healthcare services, specifically primary healthcare and medical consultations, and lower quality of life. In the past decade screening instruments for FCR and interventions have been developed and proven effective.

Psychological Problems among Head and Neck Cancer Patients in Relation to Utilization of Healthcare and Informal Care and Costs in the First Two Years after Diagnosis.

Background: To investigate associations between psychological problems and the use of healthcare and informal care and total costs among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.

Method: Data were used of the NETherlands QUality of Life and Biomedical Cohort study. Anxiety and depression disorder (diagnostic interview), distress, symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS), and fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and cancer worry scale (CWS) were measured at baseline and at 12-month follow-up.

Prospective longitudinal study on fear of cancer recurrence in patients newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer: Course, trajectories, and associated factors.

Background: This study assessed the course of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in patients newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC), identified FCR trajectories and factors associated with FCR trajectories.

Methods: Six hundred and seventeen HNC patients from the NET-QUBIC cohort study completed the Cancer Worry Scale-6 at diagnosis, 3 and 6 months post-treatment. FCR trajectories were identified using Latent Class Growth Analysis.

Trajectories of adjustment disorder symptoms in post-treatment breast cancer survivors.

Objective: Breast cancer survivors (BCS) may experience problems to adjust to their situation after cancer treatment completion. In case of severe distress, an adjustment disorder (AD) might develop. This study investigates the course of AD symptoms during 1 year and its predictors in BCS up to 5 years post-treatment.

Trajectories of health-related quality of life and psychological distress in patients with colorectal cancer: A population-based study.

Background: The aim of this nationwide cohort study was to examine the course of symptoms and trajectories of health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and psychological distress during follow-up and to identify vulnerable patients.

Methods: Patients with pathological stage I-III colorectal cancer (CRC) between 2013 and 2018 were included. Baseline characteristics were collected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry, and patients completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30/CR29, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) questionnaires at the baseline and subsequently at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.

Adjustment disorder in cancer patients after treatment: prevalence and acceptance of psychological treatment.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of adjustment disorder (AD) among cancer patients and the acceptance of psychological treatment, in relation to sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors.

Methods: Breast, prostate, and head and neck cancer patients of all stages and treatment modalities (N = 200) participated in this observational study. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Checklist Individual Strength, Distress Thermometer and problem list.