Decrements in Morning and Evening Energy Are Associated With a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Gynecologic Cancers Receiving Chemotherapy.

Background: Decrements in energy are a significant problem associated with chemotherapy. To date, no study examined the variability of energy in patients with gynecologic cancers.

Objective: To identify distinct morning and evening energy profiles in patients with gynecologic cancers and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, other common symptoms, and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes.

Self-reported cancer-related cognitive impairment is associated with perturbed neurotransmission pathways.

Background: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is reported by 45% of patients with cancer. Significant gaps in knowledge remain regarding the mechanisms that underlie CRCI.

Objectives: Using a data-driven approach, the study purpose was to evaluate for perturbed pathways associated with membership in the High versus the Low CRCI profiles.

Experiences in Recruitment for Hispanic, Non-Hispanic Black, and Other Non-White Cancer Survivors Through Community Outreach and Other Targeted Approaches.

Objectives: Recruitment of racial/ethnic underserved populations in oncology research is essential to address health disparities. This article presents strategies and lessons learned from community outreach and other approaches for recruiting non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and other non-White survivors of cancer into a pilot study that investigated biopsychosocial determinants of health behaviors.

Methods: We critically examined the participant recruitment approaches to explore challenges and successful strategies and develop recommendations for future studies.

Worse Morning Energy Profiles Are Associated with Significant Levels of Stress and Decrements in Resilience in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: Evidence suggests that lower levels of morning energy are associated with higher levels of stress and lower levels of resilience in patients receiving chemotherapy. Study purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct morning energy profiles; evaluate for differences among the profiles in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as measures of stress, resilience, and coping.

Methods: A total of 1,343 outpatients receiving chemotherapy completed a demographic questionnaire and measures of global, cancer-related, and cumulative life stress, and resilience at study enrollment.

Associations Between Preoperative Shortness of Breath and Potassium Channels Gene Variations in Women With Breast Cancer.

Objectives: Shortness of breath is a common symptom in patients with cancer. However, the mechanisms that underlie this troublesome symptom are poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of and associated risk factors for shortness of breath in women prior to breast cancer surgery and identify associations between shortness of breath and polymorphisms for potassium channel genes.

The Interplay of Psycho-Social Determinants on Quality of Life and Health Behaviors Among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic Black Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore psycho-social factors (i.e., socio-demographics, health insurance, stress) associated with Quality of life (QOL) and the degree to which self-reported access to healthcare and health behaviors (i.

Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast, Gastrointestinal, Gynecological, or Lung Cancer.

Background: Individuals who undergo chemotherapy for cancer are at elevated risk of developing depressive symptoms, yet substantial interindividual variation exists in trajectories of these symptoms.

Objective: To examine interindividual variations in trajectories of depressive symptoms during 2 cycles of chemotherapy and to evaluate associations between demographic and clinical characteristics, symptom severity scores, psychological adjustment characteristics (eg, stress and coping), and initial levels and trajectories of depressive symptoms.

Methods: Patients (n = 1323) diagnosed with breast, gynecologic, lung, or gastrointestinal cancer completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale 6 times, over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.

Gastrointestinal and Neuropsychological Symptoms Are Associated With Distinct Vomiting Profiles in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct chemotherapy-induced vomiting (CIV) profiles; determine how these subgroups differ on several demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics; and evaluate factors associated with chemotherapy-induced nausea and CIV profiles.

Sample & Setting: Adult patients (N = 1,338) receiving cancer chemotherapy.

Methods & Variables: Data were collected on demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics.

Palpitations in Women With Breast Cancer Are Associated With Polymorphisms for Neurotransmitter Genes.

Objectives: To evaluate for associations between the occurrence of palpitations reported by women prior to breast cancer surgery and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for neurotransmitter genes.

Sample & Setting: A total of 398 women, who were scheduled for unilateral breast cancer surgery, provided detailed information on demographic and clinical characteristics and the occurrence of palpitations prior to breast cancer surgery.

Methods & Variables: The occurrence of palpitations was assessed using a single item (i.

Exploration of Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Cancer Survivors.

Objectives: To evaluate associations among social determinants of health (SDOH), stress, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and quality of life among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic cancer survivors.

Sample & Setting: Individuals who had completed cancer treatment and did not identify as White (N = 46) were recruited through community partnerships in western Massachusetts and a state cancer registry.

Methods & Variables: This descriptive cross-sectional study used questionnaires and morning salivary samples to collect data between June 2022 and September 2023.

Lower Income, Smoking, Cardiopulmonary Comorbidities, and Higher Symptom Burden Influence the Occurrence of Cough in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To identify subgroups of patients with distinct cough occurrence profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups.

Sample & Setting: Outpatients receiving chemotherapy (N = 1,338) completed questionnaires six times over two chemotherapy cycles.

Methods & Variables: Occurrence of cough was assessed using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale.

Self-Reported Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Breast Cancer Is Associated With Potassium Channel Gene Polymorphisms.

Objectives: To evaluate for associations of polymorphisms for potassium channel genes in patients with breast cancer who were classified as having high or low-moderate levels of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI).

Sample & Setting: 397 women who were scheduled to undergo surgery for breast cancer on one breast were recruited from breast care centers located in a comprehensive cancer center, two public hospitals, and four community practices.

Methods & Variables: CRCI was assessed using the Attentional Function Index prior to and for six months after surgery.

Stress and Coping in Patients With Cancer With Depression and Sleep Disturbance.

Objectives: To evaluate for differences in global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress, as well as resilience and use of various coping strategies among five groups (no depression or sleep disturbance, no depression and moderate sleep disturbance, subsyndromal depression and very high sleep disturbance, moderate depression and moderate sleep disturbance [Both Moderate]; and high depression and very high sleep disturbance [Both High]).

Sample & Setting: Patients (N = 1,331) receiving chemotherapy were recruited from outpatient oncology clinics.

Methods & Variables: Measures of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress, resilience, and coping were obtained.

Perturbations in inflammatory pathways are associated with shortness of breath profiles in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy.

Purpose: One plausible mechanistic hypothesis is the potential contribution of inflammatory mechanisms to shortness of breath. This study was aimed to evaluate for associations between the occurrence of shortness of breath and perturbations in inflammatory pathways.

Methods: Patients with cancer reported the occurrence of shortness of breath six times over two cycles of chemotherapy.

Increases in stress and adverse childhood experiences are associated with the co-occurrence of anxiety and depression in oncology patients.

Purpose: Identify subgroups of patients with distinct joint anxiety AND depression profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as stress, resilience, and coping.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Participants: Patients ( = 1328) receiving chemotherapy.

Stress Exposures Contribute to Worse Joint Morning and Evening Fatigue Profiles in Patients With Cancer During Chemotherapy.

Objectives: To evaluate differences among stress, resilience, and coping strategies related to morning and evening fatigue profiles (both low, low morning and moderate evening, both moderate, and both high).

Sample & Setting: Data were collected from 1,334 adult patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Methods & Variables: Morning and evening fatigue severity were rated over two cycles of chemotherapy using the Lee Fatigue Scale.

Stability and consistency of symptom clusters in younger versus older patients receiving chemotherapy.

Background: By 2035, the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases will double and over 50% will be in older adults. Given this rapidly growing demographic, a need exists to understand how age influences oncology patients' symptom burden. The study purposes were to evaluate for differences in the occurrence, severity, and distress of 38 symptoms in younger (< 60 years) versus older (≥ 60 years) oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy and to evaluate for differences in the stability and consistency of symptom clusters across the two age groups.

Identification Of A Higher Risk Lymphedema Phenotype And Associations With Cytokine Gene Polymorphisms.

Context: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is chronic condition that occurs in 5% to 75% of women following treatment for breast cancer. However, little is known about the risk factors and mechanisms associated with a worse BCRL profile.

Objectives: Identify distinct BCRL profiles in women with the condition (i.

Higher Levels of Multiple Types of Stress Are Associated With Worse State Anxiety and Morning Fatigue Profiles in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Background: Anxiety and fatigue are common problems in patients receiving chemotherapy. Unrelieved stress is a potential cause for the co-occurrence of these symptoms.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct state anxiety and morning fatigue profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as measures of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress and resilience and coping.

Worse Depression Profiles Are Associated With Higher Symptom Burden and Poorer Quality of Life in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer.

Background: Depression is a pervasive symptom in patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Objectives: Purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct depression profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, severity of common symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes among these subgroups.

Methods: Patients with gynecological cancer (n = 231) completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale 6 times over 2 cycles of chemotherapy.

Increased Stress Is Associated With Severe Pain and Decrements in Cognitive Function in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Objectives: Purposes were to identify subgroups of adult oncology patients (n = 1342) with distinct joint profiles of worst pain and cognitive function (CF) and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the severity of three distinct types of stress, resilience, and coping.

Data Sources: Measures of pain and CF were evaluated six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. The other measures of demographic and clinical characteristics, stress, resilience, and coping were completed at enrollment (ie, prior to the second or third cycle of chemotherapy).

Healthy Behaviors Among Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic People Affected by Cancer During the Posttreatment Survivorship: A Qualitative Study.

Background: There are disparities in health behaviors across racial and ethnic groups. However, limited studies focus on cancer survivors' experiences developing and maintaining healthy behaviors, particularly in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Hispanic people.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the experiences of NHB and Hispanic people affected by cancer in developing and maintaining positive health behaviors beyond a cancer diagnosis.