European Journal of Cancer Care最新文献

Objective: To study the effects of optimized stratified nursing on mood state, sleep quality, and life ability in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: From December 2022 to December 2023, 57 patients diagnosed with HCC were in the study and control groups. The control group received routine nursing care, while the study group received optimized stratified care based on ordinary nursing care. The mood states, sleep quality, treatment compliance, nursing satisfaction, and quality of life of the patients in both groups before and after the proposed intervention were observed and compared.

Results: After the intervention, both POMS and PSQI scores for the two groups were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), with the study group showing significantly lower scores than the control group (p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in the ADL score for both the study group and the control group (p < 0.05); the study group, however, was significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001). The patients in the study group had a higher compliance rate (89.47%) compared with the control group’s compliance rate of 73.68% (p < 0.05). Nursing satisfaction in the study group was rated at 87.72%, significantly higher than that in the control group, at 71.93% (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Optimized stratified nursing can ameliorate the mood state of patients with HCC, increase their treatment compliance and nursing satisfaction, and improve sleep and quality of life.

Introduction: Breast cancer treatments significantly influence the quality of life of cancer survivors. While most studies have focused on female breast cancer survivors, data on the quality of life of men who have undergone medical, surgical or radiological treatments for breast cancer are limited.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life of male breast cancer survivors.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement with a search in four databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science. We screened and extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies via the Cochrane RoB-2 and ROBINS-I tools for randomised clinical trials and follow-up studies, respectively. The data were presented in a narrative synthesis format.

Results: In total, 993 records were identified, of which three studies were included for analysis: two randomised clinical trials and one cohort study. The interventions in the randomised clinical trials involved evaluating the impact of endocrine therapy and the implementation of online physical training. Although there was a reduction in the overall quality of life during cancer treatment, patients who received tamoxifen monotherapy did not report a clinically significant change in their sexual function. Additionally, moderate exercise was shown to improve physical health and enhance social well-being. In the cohort study, quality of life and symptom burden were evaluated in men with breast cancer treated with endocrine therapies at the time of diagnosis via symptom assessment scales.

Conclusions: Male breast cancer survivors experience a decrease in quality of life during and after treatment. While tamoxifen monotherapy preserves sexual function, moderate-intensity physical rehabilitation significantly improves both quality of life and social functioning. The limited number of studies included in this review highlights the need for further research to address the physical, psychological and social needs of male breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: To explore the experiences of patients with cancer with preoperative physical activity.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus and PsycINFO in February 2025. 31 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. The data were subjected to inductive content analysis.

Results: There is great variation in preoperative physical activity guidance, the content of physical activity, the physical exercises performed and the amount and duration of physical training. Preoperative physical activity is facilitated by the experience of increased well-being, the experience of improved coping with cancer, the experience of the importance of physical activity, social support and physical activity resources. Preoperative physical activity is limited by health limitations, inadequate knowledge about physical activity, a negative attitude towards physical activity and inadequate physical activity resources.

Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should discuss physical activity with patients diagnosed with cancer as part of cancer treatment. Furthermore, patients should be provided with information on the health and well-being benefits of preoperative physical activity and offered an opportunity to participate in physical activity programs that reflect their personal characteristics, preferences and available physical activity resources.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the phase angle (PhA) and other anthropometric values in patients with and without a cancer diagnosis.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study in Istanbul, Turkey, included 82 patients in a hospital’s Nutrition and Dietetics Outpatient Clinic in 2023. The participants were divided into cancer and control groups. Anthropometric measurements included weight (kg), height (cm), and various body composition parameters such as body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI), fat mass (FM) (kg), fat-free mass (FFM) (kg), muscle mass (MM) (kg), and total body water (TBW) (kg).

Results: Statistically significant difference was found in BMI (t = −3.293; p < 0.01), FFM (U = 502.5; p < 0.01), MM (U = 480; p < 0.001), FM (U = 573; p < 0.05), and TBW (U = 550; p < 0.01) between the groups. Also, a significant difference was found in PhA (t = −3.689; p < 0.001), SMM (U = 502.5; p < 0.01), and SMMI (t = −3.189; p < 0.01). The study revealed significant differences in FFM, MM, and TBW values based on PhA groups among patients with and without a cancer diagnosis. For cancer patients, high PhA values correlated with significantly higher mean FFM, MM, and TBW values than those with low PhA values (p < 0.05). Additionally, age was associated with decreased PhA, and SMMI was linked to increased PhA among patients with cancer (p < 0.01; p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: Our study found that certain measurements were significantly lower in cancer patients than those without cancer. These findings suggest that BIA can benefit all cancer patients, and conducting future studies on this topic will help enhance patient treatment and follow-up.

Purpose: To describe health care professionals’ (HCPs’) perceptions of the implementation of an online mindfulness-based cancer recovery (eMBCR) program in the gyneco-oncology departments of two university hospitals in Switzerland.

Methods: The study analyzed determinants drawn from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) using a deductive, semantic, thematic approach. Five focus groups were conducted with HCPs and managers (12 nurses, 6 physicians, and 1 psycho-oncologist).

Results: Most HCPs supported integrating mindfulness meditation into cancer care, although some physicians viewed it as an alternative approach with insufficient evidence. Key facilitators included the presence of a center for integrative medicine within hospitals and the engagement of leaders and champions. Barriers related to time constraints, human resources, materials, and training were mentioned. Suggested strategies for successful implementation included hybrid program delivery (online and in person), context-specific adaptations (e.g., dosage), and securing stable funding for sustainability.

Conclusion: This study highlights multilevel factors influencing the implementation of a mindfulness meditation intervention in the context of cancer care and offers strategies to enhance its long-term integration within hospital settings.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04564768

Significance: Evening fatigue and depressive symptoms are associated with several negative outcomes for patients with cancer. However, the contribution of BOTH fatigue and depressive symptoms to patient outcomes remains unknown. This study identified subgroups of patients with distinct joint evening fatigue AND depressive symptom profiles and evaluated for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, levels of stress (i.e., global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life) and resilience, and the severity of common symptoms.

Methods: Outpatients (n = 1334) completed the Lee Fatigue Scale and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. Demographic and clinical characteristics, stress and resilience, and other common symptoms were assessed at enrollment. Joint evening fatigue and depressive symptom profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Profile differences were assessed using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Results: Five profiles were identified (i.e., Low Evening Fatigue and Low Depression [Both Low: 20.0%], Moderate Evening Fatigue and Low Depression [Moderate Fatigue and Low Depression: 39.3%], Increasing and Decreasing Evening Fatigue and Depression [Both Increasing–Decreasing: 5.3%], Moderate Evening Fatigue and Moderate Depression [Both Moderate: 27.6%], High Evening Fatigue and High Depression [Both High: 7.8%]). Compared to the Both Low and Moderate Fatigue and Low Depression classes, the Both Moderate and Both High classes were less likely to be married, more likely to report depression, had a lower functional status, and had worse comorbidity profile. Both Moderate and Both High classes had higher levels of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress and lower resilience.

Conclusions: Multiple risk factors for higher levels of evening fatigue AND depressive symptoms during chemotherapy were identified, including lower functional status, higher comorbidity burden, lower levels of resilience, and higher global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress. These risk factors may be used to identify patients at greatest risk for poorer outcomes and to prescribe interventions to decrease these symptoms.

Background: Chemotherapy, a fundamental treatment modality for acute leukemia, is linked to significant adverse effects such as oral mucositis, nutritional decline, and depression, all of which markedly impact patient outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the progression of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis and its impact on nutritional status and depression in patients with acute leukemia.

Methods: In this prospective descriptive study, 123 patients aged 19–70 years diagnosed with acute leukemia were recruited from a tertiary hospital through convenience sampling. These patients were scheduled for remission-induction, consolidation, or reinduction chemotherapy. Initially, 140 patients were enrolled, with 123 participants included in the final analysis after accounting for incomplete responses and dropouts. Oral mucositis, nutritional status, and depression were assessed using validated scales, with follow-up evaluations conducted 10 days post-chemotherapy. Oral mucositis was assessed using the WHO Mucositis Grading Scale, symptom experiences were measured with the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, nutritional status was evaluated with the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), and depression was assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Statistical analyses included paired t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression.

Results: Compared to baseline, all the variables evaluated—oral mucositis, symptoms experiences, nutritional status, and depression—were significantly worsened on day 10 after chemotherapy. Regression analysis identified muscle weakness and skin problems as significant factors of depression. Additionally, patients receiving remission-induction therapy presented significantly worse depression than those receiving consolidation therapy.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the rapid deterioration of symptoms after chemotherapy in patients with acute leukemia. This underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes nutritional support, emotional support, and evidence-based nursing interventions tailored to specific groups of symptoms. Future research should explore the educational interventions delivered during initial hospitalization and their effectiveness, particularly in patients receiving remission-induction therapy.

Purpose: The use of Hospital at Home (HaH) is expanding globally, including in the context of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), as an innovative care model that delivers hospital-equivalent care to patients in a home setting. The HaH model designed for HSCT relies on informal caregivers, such as next of kin or friends. Given the limited research on caregivers’ perceptions of HaH, this study aimed to explore how informal caregivers of patients undergoing HSCT experienced HaH.

Method: Using a phenomenological interpretive approach, semistructured individual interviews were conducted with 14 family caregivers. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: The analysis identified three themes: (1) On the inside as a caregiver, (2) Variation in caregiver burden and (3) Appreciating normality. Caregivers valued the opportunity to be physically present and involved in caring for the patient during HSCT. Although most had to undertake an active caregiving role, they reported varying levels of involvement and distress. Caregivers also highlighted the sensation of normality that HaH fostered, emphasising that maintaining a familiar routine in the home setting was less exhausting than traditional hospital care.

Conclusion: This study found that family caregivers appreciated being physically present in HaH, experiencing a sensation of being ‘on the inside’ and closely sharing the patient’s treatment journey, in contrast to during hospitalisation. The findings revealed diverse experiences of caregiving and associated distress, underscoring the importance of adequately preparing caregivers for their role and ensuring appropriate support.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in Iranian women. Early needs assessment of patients at the time of diagnosis and across the phases of cancer treatment is essential to provide timely and appropriate supportive care. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the care needs of breast cancer patients from the time of diagnosis to treatment completion.

Methods: This qualitative research was conducted as a conventional content analysis, based on the Graneheim and Lundman approach. Eighteen participants, consisting of breast cancer patients, family members, oncology nurses, and oncologists, were selected using a purposive sampling method with maximum diversity. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews and entered into the MAXQDA 2020 software for analysis. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria for credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were used to validate the research findings.

Results: The needs of women with breast cancer in the diagnosis and treatment phases were categorized into two and seven categories and five and 18 subcategories, respectively. The themes that emerged relating to women’s needs at the time of diagnosis included psychoemotional and informational needs. The needs of women in the treatment phase were categorized into the following themes: informational, practical, psychoemotional, physical, spiritual, communication, and sexual needs.

Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into optimal and patient-oriented supportive care, accounting for the numerous needs of patients with breast cancer. Healthcare providers should provide supportive care according to patients’ needs and preferences, which will lead to the correct use of resources and cost reduction as well as improving the quality of life of cancer patients. Supportive care needs are culture-dependent. Thus, cultural issues must be considered when developing an effective supportive care program.

Patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma undergo intensive multimodality treatment that can lead to long-term adverse effects, significantly impacting various aspects of daily living. To objectively assess the Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL) in pediatric and adult populations, several Patient-Reported Outcome Measurements (PROMs) are available. However, these questionnaires often exhibit substantial variability in the domains and items they encompass, frequently failing to address aspects that are particularly important after osteosarcoma treatment. A systematic review was conducted to identify the most frequently used questionnaires concerning QoL in pediatric and adult patients with osteosarcoma and to examine the diverse domains and subdomains of QoL assessed by these questionnaires to identify gaps in their coverage, to recommend suitable instruments for an upcoming European trial within the Fighting Osteosarcoma Through European Research (FOSTER) Consortium. English-language literature published since 1980 in PubMed was reviewed. One hundred twenty-eight articles were initially screened for eligibility. Sixty-three original articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. An overview from review articles was given. Selected studies displayed substantial heterogeneity in terms of their objectives, target populations, age ranges, follow-up time, and number of patients included. None of the questionnaires covered all age groups and addressed all important aspects following osteosarcoma treatment. To comprehensively address as many relevant aspects as possible, a combination of questionnaires is suggested. For the adult population, it is recommended to use the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire together with the Body Image Scale (BIS), while for pediatric patients, the PedsQl-generic and PedsQl-cancer-specific questionnaires and BIS (> 16 years) are suggested. The use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information Systems (PROMIS) can provide a comprehensive assessment of symptoms such as anxiety, pain, and fatigue. The development of new bone sarcoma-specific, pediatric and adult self-reported questionnaires, or the validation and translation of existing bone sarcoma-specific questionnaires, along with the utilization of new digital possibilities, holds great value for upcoming trials.