Feasibility Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Treatment-Related Sequelae, and Inflammatory Markers in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: To explore the incidence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in breast cancer survivors and potential associations with long-term treatment-related sequelae.

Sample & Setting: English-speaking breast cancer survivors three or more years from diagnosis with complete treatment response (N = 120) were recruited prior to scheduled survivorship clinic visits.

Methods & Variables: Participants in this cross-sectional observational feasibility study rated anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive issues, resilience, and ACEs (experienced prior to age 18 years).

Factors affecting advance care planning in older adults with cancer.

Introduction: Advance care planning (ACP) has been widely endorsed and recommended for its many potential benefits, including improved end-of-life (EOL) care, enhanced satisfaction with care, and reduced anxiety and depression. However, little is known about the ACP completion rates and factors affecting ACP among older adults with cancer. This study's purpose was to examine biological, psychological, and social factors affecting ACP in this population.

Emerging From the Haze™: Pilot Feasibility Study Comparing Two Virtual Formats of a Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention.

Objectives: To gather feasibility and preliminary data comparing two virtual delivery methods for providing Emerging From the Haze™ (Haze) to cancer survivors compared to waitlist control (WLC).

Sample & Setting: Eligible participants (N = 93) reported cancer-related cognitive impairment following chemotherapy for stage I-III solid tumors, Hodgkin lymphoma, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Methods & Variables: A three-arm randomized design was used to compare virtual live group presentation of Haze sessions, virtual prerecorded Haze group sessions, and WLC.

Defining the Role of the Advanced Practice Provider Within the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program.

Purpose: Oncology advanced practice providers (APPs), including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, and clinical pharmacists, contribute significantly to quality cancer care. Understanding the research-related roles of APPs in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) could lead to enhanced protocol development, trial conduct, and accrual.

Methods: The 2022 NCORP Landscape Assessment Survey asked two questions about the utilization and roles of APPs in the NCORP.

Outpatient Oncology Fall Risk: A Quality Improvement Project.

Introduction: Patients receiving cancer treatment are at high risk for falls. No current guidelines or standards of care exist for assessment and prevention of outpatient oncology falls. This quality improvement project's purpose was to 1) describe and evaluate outpatient oncology falls data to determine root cause(s), and develop, implement, and evaluate intervention strategies for future policy refinement, and 2) compare fall rates pre/post implementation of a system-wide Ambulatory Fall Risk Bundle.

Feasibility and acceptability of an online intervention to enhance hopefulness among oncology professionals.

Background: Patients prefer medical communication including both hopefulness and realism, though health-care professional (HCPs) struggle to balance these. Providers could thus benefit from a detailed personal understanding of hope, allowing them to model and convey it to patients. Additionally, given that hope is associated with lower levels of burnout, HCPs may benefit from tools designed to enhance their own personal hopefulness.

First-Line Immunotherapy with Check-Point Inhibitors: Prospective Assessment of Cognitive Function.

Approximately 40% of patients with cancer are eligible for check-point inhibitor (CPI) therapy. Little research has examined the potential cognitive impact of CPIs. First-line CPI therapy offers a unique research opportunity without chemotherapy-related confounders.

Psycholinguistic Assessment of Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: To gather preliminary data on correlations among psycholinguistic measures, self-report of cognitive function, and performance on neurocognitive tests in breast cancer survivors.

Sample & Setting: Participants were breast cancer survivors who reported issues with cognitive function after completion of chemotherapy. This secondary analysis used data from participants in parent studies at two National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers.

An evaluation of stakeholder engagement in comparative effectiveness research: lessons learned from SWOG S1415CD.

Stakeholder engagement is central to comparative effectiveness research yet there are gaps in definitions of success. We used a framework developed by Lavallee  defining effective engagement criteria to evaluate stakeholder engagement during a pragmatic cluster-randomized trial. Semi-structured interviews were developed from the framework and completed to learn about members' experiences.

Staying Strong and Healthy During Androgen Deprivation Therapy.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer is associated with cardiovascular comorbidities and numerous adverse effects decreasing health-related quality of life. Both exercise and dietary interventions have shown promise in reducing ADT-related negative sequelae. However, feasibility for personalized combined exercise/nutrition/education interventions is not well established.

Loneliness as a risk factor for cancer-related cognitive impairment: a secondary data analysis from the Haze study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between loneliness and cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) in a cohort of breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Female breast cancer survivors (stage I-III) reporting cognitive impairments 2 months to 5 years after chemotherapy ( = 61) participated in a prospective, nonblinded, waitlist-controlled pilot study. The intervention was a tailored cognitive rehabilitation program.

Androgen Deprivation and Sleep Disturbance: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of Remote Assessment and Intervention.

Background: Men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PC) are at risk for cardiovascular comorbidities and cognitive changes. Interventional research involves in-person assessment of physical fitness/activity and cognitive function, which has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Androgen deprivation therapy-related hot flashes and nocturia increase risk for insomnia.

The effect of mind-body exercise on cognitive function in cancer survivors: A systematic review.

Objective: Cancer-related cognitive impairments experienced by cancer survivors cause many to seek non-pharmacological intereventions to manage these symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of one such intervention, mindbody exercise (MBE), on cognitive function in cancer survivors.

Design: Searches for relevant studies were conducted in four electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science.

An Exploratory Study of Cognitive Function and Central Adiposity in Men Receiving Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer.

Objectives: To prospectively assess cognitive function, anthropomorphic measures, and bone mineral density in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer; explore relationships between cognitive function and central adiposity; and gather preliminary data from a personalized education, exercise, and nutrition intervention.

Sample & Setting: 33 participants consented from a randomized controlled intervention trial.

Methods & Variables: Neurocognitive performance and self-report of cognitive function were assessed at baseline and 6 and 12 months.

Feasibility Pilot Study of a Virtual Intervention for Survivors With Decreased Perceived Cognitive Function After Cancer Treatment.

Objectives: Many cancer survivors report issues with cognitive function following diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this single-arm pilot study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of virtual delivery of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for participants in virtual groups.

Sample & Setting: 37 adult cancer survivors reporting impaired cognitive function following primary treatment were enrolled from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and affiliates, the University of Kansas Cancer Center, and the Masonic Cancer Alliance.

Psycholinguistic Screening for Cognitive Decline in Cancer Survivors: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: To test the feasibility of using psycholinguistic speech analysis as a proxy for cognitive function in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Sample & Setting: Audio-recorded speech samples were collected from 13 men enrolled in a parent study at the University of Kansas Cancer Center in Kansas City.

Methods & Variables: Audio-recorded speech samples, collected from clinical interviews and in response to a prompt question during the parent study at two time points, were evaluated to determine feasibility relationships between neurocognitive and psycholinguistic measures.

Emerging From the Haze: A Multicenter, Controlled Pilot Study of a Multidimensional, Psychoeducation-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors Delivered With Telehealth Conferencing.

Objective: To quantify the effect of a psychoeducation-based cognitive rehabilitation intervention on breast cancer survivors' self-report of cognitive function and investigate the feasibility of accrual, adherence, and multisite program delivery using secure telehealth conferencing.

Design: Prospective, nonblinded, wait-list controlled pilot study.

Setting: Nonprofit academic medical center and university medical center with associated community practice affiliates.

Pilot Feasibility Study Examining Pupillary Response During Driving Simulation as a Measure of Cognitive Load in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: To test the feasibility of adding driving simulation tasks to measure visuospatial ability and processing speed to an existing neurocognitive battery for breast cancer survivors (BCSs).

Sample & Setting: 38 BCSs and 17 healthy controls from a cross-sectional pilot study conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Methods & Variables: Exploratory substudy measuring pupillary response, visuospatial ability, and processing speed during two 10-minute driving simulations (with or without n-back testing) in a sample of BCSs with self-reported cognitive complaints and healthy controls.

Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: Retrospective Analyses of a Multidimensional, Psychoeducation-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention.

Background: Managing cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a vital component of optimal cancer survivorship care. Results from several small studies indicate growing support for the use of cognitive rehabilitation and training strategies.

Objectives: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the effects of a six-week standardized, multidimensional, psychoeducation-based group cognitive rehabilitation intervention for CRCI.

Qigong intervention for breast cancer survivors with complaints of decreased cognitive function.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of an 8-week Qigong intervention to improve objectively and subjectively assessed cognitive function in breast cancer survivors who were 2 months to 8 years post completion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Methods: A randomized, single-blind, three-arm intervention pilot was conducted to compare Qigong to gentle exercise and survivorship support. Feasibility was measured by recruitment, group session attendance, and adherence to home practice for the two exercise groups.

Pupillary response: cognitive effort for breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional comparative pilot study was to evaluate cognitive effort, indexed by pupillary response (PR), for breast cancer survivors (BCS) with complaints of cognitive dysfunction following chemotherapy.

Study Aims: Compare the cognitive effort employed by BCS to healthy controls (HC) during neuropsychological tests (NPT) for memory, sustained attention, verbal fluency, visuospatial ability, processing speed and executive function; and Investigate the relationship between PR-indexed cognitive effort and participants' self-report of cognitive function.

Methods: Self-report of cognitive function was collected from 23 BCS and 23 HC.

Exercise as an Intervention to Mitigate Decreased Cognitive Function From Cancer and Cancer Treatment: An Integrative Review.

Background: Decreased cognitive function associated with non-central nervous system cancers and cancer treatment significantly affects cancer survivors' quality of life. Exercise may be an effective intervention to mitigate decreased cognitive function.

Objective: The aim of this article is to conduct an integrative review to summarize and critique the available evidence related to the use of exercise as a potential intervention for decreased cognitive function from cancer and cancer treatment.