Journal of Cancer Education最新文献

In Morocco, family caregivers of cancer patients face significant challenges due to the absence of legal recognition and structured support systems. This article highlights the urgent need to develop alternative solutions to meet their specific needs. It explores the potential of online platforms to enhance caregivers' skills and provide essential psychological support. Throughout this reflection, we also discuss our Sanadoc project, currently in development, which we believe represents an innovative and promising solution to address the difficulties faced by caregivers, particularly those caring for cancer patients in Morocco.

The provision of information is critical to the care and support for cancer patients. Relevant information leads to lower anxiety, increased patient control and involvement in decision-making, greater satisfaction, and improved coping skills. To identify the unique needs of lung cancer patients and their caregivers (LPCs), a needs assessment was conducted. LPCs who attended lung cancer clinic completed a self-report survey that assessed informational needs across 6 domains: medical, physical, practical, social, emotional, and spiritual. The questionnaire investigated the importance of information as well as the preferred mode of delivery. One hundred three patients and 96 caregivers completed the survey. Most patients were female (57%), with a median age of 70 (33-91). Most patients were born outside Canada (65%); and majority (56%) identified as Caucasian followed by East Asian (23%). Most patients had non-small cell lung cancer (64%) and were receiving treatment (64%), and half had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Most caregivers were female (65%), median age 55 (23-85), were the primary caregiver (84%), and spent 20 + h/week caregiving (44%). LPCs prioritized the medical and physical domains, with a focus on treatment options, prognosis, managing symptoms, follow-up visits, and complications. One-on-one counseling with a healthcare provider was the preferred method for the medical domain. Caregivers also preferred one-on-one counseling for the physical domain, while patients preferred pamphlets. This study highlights the information that LPCs need and the format they wish to receive it in. The results will guide the development of tailored resources to address specific needs.

Cancer is a major health challenge globally and in Sri Lanka. Providing comprehensive information to patients is crucial for improving treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction, supported by evidence of its effectiveness in managing cancer pain. EORTC QLQ-INFO25, an information module developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group, is aimed at assessing cancer patients' perception of information received during different phases of care. This study aims to validate the Sinhala translation of the EORTC QLQ-INFO25, a module that assesses the quality of patient information, for use among Sri Lankans with cancer. EORTC QLQ-INFO25 underwent forward and backward Sinhala translation, expert reviews, and pilot testing with 15 cancer patients. Questionnaires were administered to patients with cancer at the National Hospital in Colombo, independently or with interviewer assistance. Reliability and validity were statistically analyzed. Of 102 participants, 100 (98.03%) completed the questionnaire. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α = 0.89). The multi-item scales demonstrated good convergent validity. Each item showed high correlation with its respective scale. Divergent validity was established as none of the scales had correlations over 0.5 with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Known-group validity revealed significant differences in information satisfaction between genders. Test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.86), confirming stability over time. The Sinhala translation of EORTC QLQ-INFO25 demonstrates satisfactory reliability, validity, reproducibility, and compliance for assessing information provision in cancer care among patients in Sri Lanka.

Multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCCs) improve patient outcomes. Our goals were to investigate the impact of a technology platform, navify® Clinical Hub for Tumor Boards (nCH) on the quality and educational value of gynecologic oncology MCCs. We conducted a prospective, mixed methods study of the gynecologic oncology MCC at a comprehensive cancer center from 2020 to 2023. Using a validated observational tool, we assessed the quality of case presentation and discussion (as measured by a mean composite score) before and after the introduction of nCH. We also evaluated compliance of care plans with national guidelines, changes in care plans, and concordance of treatment received with MCC recommendations. Surveys and interviews were used to evaluate the educational value of the MCCs. Analyses were conducted using SAS v9.4 (Cary, NC) and Dedoose v9.0.17, (Los Angeles, CA). Pre- and post-nCH cohorts consisted of 49 and 60 patients, respectively. When comparing both cohorts, there was a difference in the mean composite score (50.57 vs 54.11; p = 0.016). Care plans were changed by the MCC in approximately 12% of cases, and MCC recommendations were 93-96% concordant with treatment received, but no statistically significant differences were observed. Additionally, MCC recommendations were 100% compliant with guidelines. Interviews of MCC participants revealed that the post-nCH presentation was more concise and structured. Despite limited use of some nCH features, GYN fellows reported a high educational value of the MCC. nCH improved the quality of the gynecologic oncology MCC and the educational experience of trainees.

Africa is currently facing unprecedented growth in its cancer burden. Training an adequate number of skilled physicians is critical to addressing this challenge. We examine African oncology faculty's professional development (PD) activities, associated barriers, enablers, satisfaction levels, and highlight the implications for improving the quality of the oncology faculty workforce in SSA. We surveyed oncology faculty (n = 69) through the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer listserv and conducted semi-structured interviews with nine (n = 9) faculty involved in African oncology training programs to ascertain their views on PD activities including, method of delivery, curriculum development, teaching, learning, and mentorship. Descriptive, inferential, and thematic analytical techniques were used to analyze the data. Ninety-two percent of African oncology faculty have participated in a PD activity and about 34% were dissatisfied with their overall PD. Access to curriculum development opportunities (OR = 2.10, p < 0.05), mentorship opportunities (OR = 3.12, p < 0.001), and a longer duration of practice (OR = 8.66, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with better overall satisfaction with PD. Barriers cited for PD included the competitive nature of PD courses and programs, limited online learning opportunities, poor internet access, time constraints, language barriers, and high costs associated with PD activities. Enablers for improving PD include improving institutional culture of learning and ensuring greater access to local institutional support. African oncologists are faced with many professional development challenges. Addressing these challenges may improve faculty satisfaction levels, remove barriers, and improve expected outcomes.

Few medical students are exposed to evidence-based, multidisciplinary oncology care, and few studies in oncology education reflect consolidated pre-clinical curricula. We developed a four-week curriculum, "Frontiers in Neoplasia," for fourth-year medical students, which included didactic lectures, interactive site visits, and team-based simulations of tumor boards and clinical trial design. A mixed methods approach was utilized to investigate the course's impact on students' understanding and interest in oncology, involving pre- and post-course responses to Likert-scale and open-ended questions. Quantitative results were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, while open-ended course feedback was analyzed using iterative thematic coding analysis. Of the 107 fourth-year medical students enrolled between 2021 and 2024, 94 (88%) completed the pre-survey and 96 (90%) completed the post-survey. Students enjoyed the course, with 96.9% of students reporting they would choose this course again. Quantitative analysis showed a significant increase in students' comfort in evidence-based medicine in oncology (p < .001) and interest in keeping up-to-date with oncology literature (p < .001). Qualitatively, students reported enjoying the multidisciplinary curriculum, diverse hybrid-format learning modalities, and applicability of coursework to their careers. Exposure to our novel oncology curriculum featuring dynamic learning experiences and hybrid format significantly increased medical students' interest and understanding of evidence-based medicine in multidisciplinary comprehensive cancer care. Our findings support the hybrid learning model, which provided flexibility and student engagement. Through this course, we successfully increased interest and understanding of cancer care among final-year medical students, and we believe this program could be applied to other medical schools.

Despite landmark breakthroughs in cancer research, African American adults (AA) bear the highest cancer burden compared to other racial groups in the United States (US). AA adults have twice the likelihood of dying from prostate and uterine cancers compared to White adults, suggesting that there are fundamental issues yet to be addressed when developing and implementing cancer-preventative programs for AA communities. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) empowers community members to identify and prioritize their health problems and preferred strategies to tackle these issues. In alignment with the CBPR approach, the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center (SC CADRE) undertook a study to inform cancer research priorities and interventions. A survey designed by the SC CADRE team to assess perceptions about health problems (cancer risk factors), prioritization of cancer education topics, and attitudes related to cancer prevention was completed by predominantly AA community members in South Carolina (N = 179). Participants had a mean age of 51.59 ± 16.53 years; the majority were AA (72.49%), females (76.44%), had bachelor's/graduate degrees (66.29%), and were from the Lowcountry coastal region of the state (85.26%). Obesity emerged as the greatest health concern, followed by poor diet and low physical activity. The top three priorities for cancer education were to learn about causes of cancer, strategies for healthy eating, and how to access healthcare. These findings could inform cancer education and intervention programs to address the top priority health needs identified by AA communities in South Carolina. They may also be relevant in other states, especially in rural southern parts of the USA.

Food is medicine (FIM) interventions are a strategy for preventing and managing chronic disease via diet. These interventions often combine the provision of food with access to behavior change support (e.g., from registered dietitians (RDs)), though the ideal approach for the latter is not fully elucidated. The objective of this study is to evaluate integrated motivational interviewing (MI) from an RD (RDMI) on outcomes among adults living with and beyond cancer (LWBC) with overweight and obesity enrolled in a FIM intervention (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03489213 (02/09/2018)). Specifically, RDMI with autonomy in the mode of delivery (i.e., phone, email, text, video) and dose (frequency) was offered within a 6-month intensive FIM intervention followed by a 6-month step-down maintenance phase. Dose and engagement with RDMI were measured. There were 52 and 33 participants who requested RDMI during the intensive and maintenance phases, respectively. Completion of ≥ 1 RDMI telephonic encounter significantly predicted weight loss post-intervention (R² = 0.07, p = 0.03); there were no differences in dose, engagement, or weight loss based on the mode of delivery. The dose during the intensive intervention was moderately and significantly correlated with weight loss post-intervention and maintenance (r = 0.43, p < 0.01; r = 0.33, p = 0.02, respectively); there was a weak correlation for engagement at the same follow-up points (r = 0.28 and r = 0.15). In conclusion, higher doses of RDMI improved weight loss for adults LWBC with overweight or obesity. Careful consideration of the implementation of MI from providers, including RDs, in the context of cancer-focused FIM interventions should be further examined.

Information is crucial for person-centered cancer care. This study investigated sociodemographic, psychological, and communicative factors associated with perceived information needs and the intention to continue seeking information among individuals with cancer experience in Hong Kong. Data were drawn from the INSIGHTS-Hong Kong (International Studies to Investigate Global Health Information Trends) survey, which included 510 respondents with personal cancer experience or as family members and close friends of those diagnosed with cancer. The findings revealed that 62% of participants perceived knowledge deficits and needed more cancer information, yet only 43% intended to seek additional information. Greater cancer worry, extensive effort in previous information searches, and concerns about information quality were significantly associated with heightened information needs. These results highlight key areas for prioritization in educational and supportive care initiatives to address unmet support needs. Additionally, the intention to seek further information was associated with perceived information needs, cancer severity, subjective norms, and concerns about information usefulness. These findings suggest strategies to enhance supportive care services by addressing unmet information needs through expanding access to credible and clear information, enhancing credibility assessment skills, emphasizing cancer risks, and leveraging support networks for individuals affected by cancer. This study lays the groundwork for future research on cancer information engagement in Hong Kong and other settings.