Work ability following breast cancer - the MyHealth randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: We previously demonstrated positive effects on quality of life and mental health following breast cancer when comparing a nurse-led follow-up program without scheduled visits (MyHealth) to regular follow-up. This study aims to examine whether MyHealth also positively impacts self-reported work ability.

Patients/material And Methods: A total of 288 patients, potentially active on the labour market, were randomized to MyHealth or control follow-up after primary treatment for early-stage breast cancer (2017-2019).

Psychometric validation of the Danish BREAST-Q reconstruction module.

Aim/background: Patient-reported outcome measurement instruments are important tools in understanding a breast reconstruction's impact on the patients' quality of life. A psychometric validation is essential before applying a patient-reported outcome measurement instrument in clinical practice and research. The BREAST-Q is a specific, validated questionnaire for breast surgery outcomes that has been translated from English to Danish.

MELACARE Nurse-led follow-up after early-stage melanoma: protocol and feasibility.

Background And Purpose: We developed the Melacare nurse-led intervention, which combines education in skin self-examination as a resource-conscious approach to detecting recurrence and management of fear of cancer recurrence in patients treated for melanoma. This publication presents the Melacare study protocol and evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of Melacare prior to a larger randomised controlled trial.

Material And Methods: Feasibility and acceptability of Melacare were evaluated in an intervention-only feasibility study, in which patients attended two nurse-led intervention sessions coupled with an educational booklet.

Online Ambassador Visits for Hospitalized Children With Cancer: Qualitative Evaluation of Implementation.

Background: Children with cancer or cancer-like disease risk treatment-related isolation, which can negatively impact their peer relationships and social competencies and exacerbate their loneliness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased online socialization became the new normal imposed by national isolation guidelines. To adhere to the treatment-related isolation guidelines, children with cancer were offered online classmate "ambassador" visits during hospitalization.

Coping and grief symptoms after parental loss in adolescence - a nationwide follow-up study.

Knowledge about effective coping strategies is important to support bereaved adolescents who have lost a parent. We used data on 104 bereaved adolescents (13-17 years) from the FALCON nationwide questionnaire study of parentally bereaved families. We examined associations between adolescents' control-oriented and escape-oriented coping strategies (KidCOPE scale) approximately two months after loss and grief symptoms (PG-13 scale) at six months follow-up.

The experiences of grandparents involved in the home-based end-of-life care of their grandchild with cancer: A qualitative secondary data analysis.

While grandparents are often a valuable resource in home-based pediatric end-of-life care, they may also experience psychological consequences when faced with their grandchild's illness and death. In this qualitative study, we performed semi-structured interviews with seven bereaved grandparents of four children with cancer who received home-based end-of-life care and died at home at age <18. Through qualitative content analysis we identified the overarching theme: "Navigating complex and unclear roles to support the family" and five themes: (1) Providing comfort and support; (2) Balancing and adapting involvement; (3) Worrying silently; (4) Managing difficult emotions; and (5) Calling for support and understanding.

Improving family grief outcomes: A scoping review of family-based interventions before and after the death of a child.

Background: Experiencing the illness and death of a child is a traumatic experience for the parents and the child's siblings. However, knowledge regarding effective grief interventions targeting the whole family is limited, including how to integrate age-appropriate support for siblings.

Aim: We aimed to synthesize the empirical literature regarding grief interventions that target the whole family before and/or after the death of a child.

Nurse-Led Individualized Follow-Up Versus Regular Physician-Led Visits After Early Breast Cancer (MyHealth): A Phase III Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Follow-up after breast cancer with regular visits has failed to detect recurrences, be cost-effective, and address patient needs.

Methods: MyHealth is a phase III randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02949167).

Sexuality, intimacy, and body image among adolescents and young adults with cancer: a qualitative, explorative study.

Aim: The aim of this study was threefold: (1) to explore Danish adolescents and young adults' (AYAs) thoughts concerning sexual health particularly focusing on sexuality, intimacy, and body image throughout a cancer trajectory, (2) to investigate how AYAs experience healthcare professionals address of- and respond to sexual health issues, and (3) to identify AYAs' suggestions on how to support conversation about sexual health.

Methods: A qualitative, single-center study was conducted, including AYAs (18-29 years) diagnosed with cancer recruited at the University Hospital of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted from January-February 2023, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Barriers and facilitators to national guideline implementation for palliative cancer care in a Danish cross-sectoral healthcare setting: A qualitative study of healthcare professionals' experiences.

Objective: Patients with incurable cancer should receive general palliative care according to their needs, as provided through collaboration between hospital departments, municipalities, and general practices and as outlined in national guidelines. However, the implementation of general palliative care in Denmark has been inadequate. This study aimed to investigate the healthcare professionals' (HCPs') perceptions on barriers to and facilitators of the implementation of the Danish National Guideline (NG) for general palliative care.

Patient Engagement in Research Scale (PEIRS-22): Danish translation, applicability, and user experiences.

Background: Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in health research is gaining increased attention and acceptance worldwide. Reliable measurements are crucial to accurately assess, monitor, and evaluate patient involvement efforts in research. The Patient Engagement in Research Scale (PEIRS-22) measures meaningful patient and family caregiver engagement in research.

Cumulative incidence of second primary cancers in a large nationwide cohort of Danish cancer survivors: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: A new primary cancer is a serious late effect of a pre-existing cancer diagnosis, and can be attributed to hereditary cancer syndromes, immune or hormonal factors, cancer treatment, or modifiable lifestyle or environmental factors. We investigated the absolute and relative incidence of second primary cancers in a large cohort of Danish cancer survivors. Furthermore, we examined the association between alcohol-related, smoking-related, virus-related, and hormone-related first and second primary cancers.

Machine learning applied in patient-reported outcome research-exploring symptoms in adjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Background: Patient-reported outcome (PRO) data may help us better understand the life of breast cancer patients. We have previously collected PRO data in a national Danish breast cancer study in patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of the present post-hoc explorative study is to apply Machine Learning (ML) algorithms using permutation importance to explore how specific PRO symptoms influence nonadherence to six cycles of planned adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality after cancer: a nationwide registry-based cohort study in Denmark 2005-2017.

Background: Concurrent chronic diseases and treatment hereof in patients with cancer may increase mortality. In this population-based study we examined the individual and combined impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality, across 20 cancers and with 13-years follow-up in Denmark.

Materials And Methods: This nationwide study included all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015, and followed until the end of 2017.

The use and timing of rehabilitation and palliative care to cancer patients, and the influence of social vulnerability - a population-based study.

Objectives: To identify and investigate different cohorts of cancer patients' use of physical rehabilitation and specialised palliative care (SPC) services, focusing on patients with incurable cancer and the impact of social vulnerability.

Methods: The sample originated from patients diagnosed during 2013-2018 and alive 1 January 2015. Use of physical rehabilitation and/or SPC units were identified from contacts registered in population-based administrative databases.

Who are the vulnerable lung cancer patients at risk for not receiving first-line curative or palliative treatment?

Background: To identify non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in need of comprehensive support, we examined the association between patient and disease-related factors of vulnerability related to not receiving guideline-recommended treatment.

Material And Methods: We identified 14,597 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with performance status <3 during 2013-2018 in the Danish Lung Cancer Registry. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for receiving guideline-recommended treatment according to stage, comorbidities, age, performance status, long distance to hospital, cohabitation status, education and alcohol abuse.

Stage-Specific Risk of Recurrence and Death From Melanoma in Denmark, 2008-2021: A National Observational Cohort Study of 25 720 Patients With Stage IA to IV Melanoma.

Importance: To ensure optimal treatment and surveillance of patients with melanoma, knowledge of the clinical stage-specific risk of recurrence, mortality, and recurrence patterns across the American Joint Committee on Cancer Eighth Edition (AJCC8) substages is needed.

Objective: To estimate stage-specific recurrence and melanoma-specific mortality rates, assess absolute stage-specific risks of recurrence and mortality, and describe stage-specific recurrence patterns, including conditional rates.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected nationwide population-based registry data.

Recruitment and retention challenges and strategies in randomized controlled trials of psychosocial interventions for children with cancer and their parents: a collective case study.

In pediatric oncology there are few examples of successful recruitment and retention strategies in psychosocial care research. This study aims to summarize experiences, challenges, and strategies for conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychosocial intervention studies among children with cancer and their parent(s). We conducted a collective case study.

Child-centered communication interventions in pediatric oncology: A scoping review and proposed new communication model.

Child-centered communication in pediatric oncology can be challenging. We aimed to review communication interventions with children about cancer treatment and prognosis to identify potentially effective child-centered communication models and approaches. We updated a previous review on communication interventions in oncology and searched MEDLINE, Scopus, and PsychINFO for studies indexed between October 2019 up to October 2022.

Social vulnerability among cancer patients and changes in vulnerability during their trajectories - A longitudinal population-based study.

Background: Identification of socially vulnerable cancer patients in the health care system is difficult. Only little is known concerning changes in the patients' social circumstances during the trajectory. Such knowledge is valuable regarding the identification of socially vulnerable patients in the health care system.

Effect of a Nurse Navigation Intervention on Mental Symptoms in Patients With Psychological Vulnerability and Breast Cancer: The REBECCA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The unmet needs regarding symptom management of psychological distress among patients with breast cancer must be addressed. However, little evidence exists on effective interventions, such as nurse navigation.

Objective: To compare the long-term effects of the REBECCA (Rehabilitation After Breast Cancer) nurse navigation intervention vs usual care in patients with breast cancer who were psychologically vulnerable.

Cohort profile of FALCON: a prospective nationwide cohort of families with minor children who have lost a parent in Denmark in 2019-2021.

Difficulties in recruiting newly bereaved families and following them over time present a major barrier in grief research following the death of a spouse/parent. We established FALCON-the first prospective nationwide cohort of families with children below age 18 years whose parent died in Denmark between April 2019 and July 2021. Data from parents and children were collected within 2 months of death with ongoing follow-up assessments up to 18 months post-death.

Are education and cohabitation associated with health-related quality of life and self-management during breast cancer follow-up? A longitudinal study.

Background: Oncologist-led follow-up after breast cancer (BC) is increasingly replaced with less intensive follow-up based on higher self-management, which may overburden the less resourceful patients. We examined whether socioeconomic factors measured recently after the implementation of a new follow-up program for BC patients were associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-management 12 months later.

Methodology: Between January and August 2017, we invited 1773 patients in Region Zealand, Denmark, to participate in baseline and 12 months follow-up questionnaires.

The association between education and fear of recurrence among breast cancer patients in follow-up - and the mediating effect of self-efficacy.

Background: Major restructuring of surveillance after breast cancer treatment with less follow-up consultations may result in insecurity and fear of recurrence (FCR) among the less resourceful breast cancer patients. We investigate the association between breast cancer patients' education and FCR and if self-efficacy mediates the associations between education and FCR.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted from 2017 to 2019, among 1773 breast cancer patients shortly after having their follow-up switched from regular outpatient visits with an oncologist to either nurse-led or patient-initiated follow-up, with a subsequent questionnaire after 12 months.