Objective: To compare menopause-related quality of life (QoL) after risk-reducing salpingectomy (RRS) versus risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) until 3 years of post-surgery.
Design: A prospective study (TUBA study) with treatment allocation based on patients' preference. Data were collected pre-surgery and at 3 months, 1 and 3 years of post-surgery.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: 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.
J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol
December 2024
Background: Online mindfulness based cognitive therapy (eMBCT) has been shown to reduce psychological distress in people with cancer. However, this population has reported lack of support and asynchronous communication as barriers to eMBCT, resulting in higher nonadherence rates than with face-to-face MBCT. Using a co-creation process, we developed 2 formats of eMBCT: group, blended (combination of therapist-guided group and individual online sessions) and individual, unguided (individual, unguided online sessions only).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although anxiety and depression are important determinants of mental health, the literature in this area is sparse as most studies focus on the period during treatment. Mental health problems can affect cancer recovery as well as quality of life and survival. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the prevalence of anxiety and depression in Slovenian cancer survivors after treatment and assessed the associated correlates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychooncology
January 2024
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).
J Med Internet Res
August 2023
Background: Many women experience at least one type of intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA), and although various support options are available, we still know relatively little about web-based interventions for IPVA survivors. We conducted a qualitative evaluation of the SAFE eHealth intervention for women experiencing IPVA in the Netherlands, complementing the quantitative evaluation of self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and multiple feasibility aspects.
Objective: This study assessed users' experiences and what, according to them, were useful and helpful aspects of the intervention.
J Med Internet Res
June 2023
Background: Intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) is a pervasive societal issue that impacts many women globally. Web-based help options are becoming increasingly available and have the ability to eliminate certain barriers in help seeking for IPVA, especially in improving accessibility.
Objective: This study focused on the quantitative evaluation of the SAFE eHealth intervention for women IPVA survivors.
Research usually investigates adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer in combination with younger and older cancer patients and survivors. However, AYAs with cancer are a unique group, and their caregivers' experience may also differ from other caregivers of cancer survivors. This systematic review aims to understand the impact of a cancer diagnosis on family caregivers, comparing the experience of caregivers of AYA childhood cancer survivors (AYA CCS) and caregivers of AYA with cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: One third of cancer patients and survivors experience psychological distress. Previous studies have shown that online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (eMBCT) supports cancer patients and survivors in managing distress. Lack of peer support and asynchronicity during online interventions have been reported as barriers for treatment adherence and can result in higher drop-out rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Resilience has become an important concept in health research, addressing mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to translate, adapt, and evaluate psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14), using a sample of general population and cancer survivors.
Methods: The original version of the RS-14 was first back-translated and pilot tested.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cancer Surviv
August 2023
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.
Objective: Non-adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) for breast cancer leads to increased recurrence and mortality risk and healthcare costs. Evidence on feasible, effective AET adherence interventions is scarce. This paper describes the systematic adaptation of the cost-effective adherence improving self-management strategy (AIMS) for patients with HIV to AET for women after breast cancer treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess the prevalence of unmet needs in post-treatment breast cancer survivors and identify sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables associated with reported unmet needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 430 post-treatment breast cancer survivors, ranging between 1 and 5 years after the procedure, completed the Cancer Survivors' Unmet Needs (CaSUN) questionnaire from September 2021 and January 2022. The multivariate logistic analysis identified factors associated with at least one reported unmet need in the total CaSUN scale and specific domains.
(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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: As the number of cancer survivors is growing, valid instruments for assessing cancer survivors' needs are required. Thus, the aim of this study was to translate and validate the Cancer Survivors Unmet Needs (CaSUN) scale.
Methods: Cancer survivors were recruited from 30 family medicine practices and separated into two samples (sample 1, n = 147; sample 2, n = 148).
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis
March 2023
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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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.