An Online Survey of Technology Use Among Patients With Cancer Aged 65 Years or Older.

Background: Historically, people aged 65 years or older have been slower to adopt new technology. However, technology use in this demographic continues to increase.

Objectives: This study aimed to understand how patients with cancer who are aged 65 years or older engage with technology and whether patient behavior related to technology use has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using Stakeholder Engagement to Overcome Barriers to Implementing Patient-reported Outcomes (PROs) in Cancer Care Delivery: Approaches From 3 Prospective Studies.

Introduction: Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures used during cancer care delivery improve communication about symptoms between patients and clinicians and reduce service utilization for uncontrolled symptoms. However, uptake of PROs in routine cancer care has been slow. In this paper, we describe stakeholder engagement activities used to overcome barriers to implementing PROs.

Expanding the NCCN guidelines for distress management: a model of barriers to the use of coping resources.

Cancer-related distress impacts quality of care, resource use, and patient outcomes. Patients are increasingly screened for distress, yet many do not receive coping resources and psychosocial support services that may help to reduce their distress. Distress screening must be paired with attention to the different phases of the distress and coping process, with emphasis on barriers and facilitators of cancer patients' use of coping resources.

Efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy in cancer-related psychiatric disorders across the trajectory of cancer care: a review.

At least 25-30% of patients with cancer and an even higher percentage of patients in an advanced phase of illness meet the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis, including depression, anxiety, stress-related syndromes, adjustment disorders, sleep disorders and delirium. A number of studies have accumulated over the last 35 years on the use of psychotropic drugs as a pillar in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Major advances in psycho-oncology research have also shown the efficacy of psychotropic drugs as adjuvant treatment of cancer-related symptoms, such as pain, hot flushes, pruritus, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and cognitive impairment.

Implementing distress management guidelines in ambulatory oncology: a quality improvement project.

Distress assessment and referral to psychosocial services is an essential component of evidence-based oncologic nursing care. Oncology nurses have an opportunity to address patient distress needs through leadership of implementation programs and support for the positive outcomes that engaging in psychosocial services provides. This quality improvement project was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and utility of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's distress management clinical practice guidelines in ambulatory oncology.

Improving a grief and loss program: caring for patients, families, and staff.

The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC) Grief and Loss Program provides supportive care services during bereavement which is considered part of the care continuum. This program received 50 death notifications per month upon project initiation and currently receives approximately 125 per month. Initial program evaluation was conducted via a pilot survey of bereaved parents as well as verbal and written evaluations from the transdisciplinary staff of Patient and Family Support Services.

Fertility considerations, counseling, and semen cryopreservation for males prior to the initiation of cancer therapy.

An innovative program jointly sponsored by members of the departments of obstetrics and urology and the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Michigan began in 2002. The Fertility Counseling and Gamete Cryopreservation Program (FCGCP) was created to provide counseling and education about therapy-induced infertility to newly diagnosed patients with cancer as well as facilitating the semen cryopreservation process. Unlike most sperm banking facilities in this country, this program is coordinated by an oncology nurse practitioner whose understanding of cancer and cancer treatments provides patients and staff with a unique perspective.