Identification of Breast Cancer Survivors With High Symptom Burden.

Background: While women diagnosed with breast cancer have increased survival when compared with other cancers, survivorship may include residual symptom burden from treatment and continuing endocrine therapies.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify subgroups of breast cancer survivors experiencing similar symptom severity.

Methods: Participants were 498 women with breast cancer, not on active treatment.

Modeling symptom drivers of oral intake in long-term head and neck cancer survivors.

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between self-reported symptom severity and oral intake in long-term head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.

Methods: An observational survey study with retrospective chart abstraction was conducted. HNC patients who had completed an MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Head and Neck (MDASI-HN) questionnaire and also had clinician graded oral intake ratings (Functional Oral Intake Scale [FOIS]) were included.

Scientific imperatives, clinical implications, and theoretical underpinnings for the investigation of the relationship between genetic variables and patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes.

Objectives: There is emerging evidence for a genetic basis of patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes that can ultimately be incorporated into clinical research and practice. Objectives are (1) to provide arguments for the timeliness of investigating the genetic basis of QOL given the scientific advances in genetics and patient-reported QOL research; (2) to describe the clinical implications of such investigations; (3) to present a theoretical foundation for investigating the genetic underpinnings of QOL; and (4) to describe a series of papers resulting from the GENEQOL Consortium that was established to move this work forward.

Methods: Discussion of scientific advances based on relevant literature.

The establishment of the GENEQOL consortium to investigate the genetic disposition of patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes.

To our knowledge, no comprehensive, interdisciplinary initiatives have been taken to examine the role of genetic variants on patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes. The overall objective of this paper is to describe the establishment of an international and interdisciplinary consortium, the GENEQOL Consortium, which intends to investigate the genetic disposition of patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes. We have identified five primary patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes as initial targets: negative psychological affect, positive psychological affect, self-rated physical health, pain, and fatigue.