Journal of Cancer Education最新文献

Artificial intelligence and natural language processing tools have shown promise in oncology by assisting with medical literature retrieval and providing patient support. The potential for these technologies to generate inaccurate yet seemingly correct information poses significant challenges. This study evaluates the effectiveness, benefits, and limitations of ChatGPT for clinical use in conducting literature reviews of radiation oncology treatments. This cross-sectional study used ChatGPT version 3.5 to generate literature searches on radiotherapy options for seven tumor sites, with prompts issued five times per site to generate up to 50 publications per tumor type. The publications were verified using the Scopus database and categorized as correct, irrelevant, or non-existent. Statistical analysis with one-way ANOVA compared the impact factors and citation counts across different tumor sites. Among the 350 publications generated, there were 44 correct, 298 non-existent, and 8 irrelevant papers. The average publication year of all generated papers was 2011, compared to 2009 for the correct papers. The average impact factor of all generated papers was 38.8, compared to 113.8 for the correct papers. There were significant differences in the publication year, impact factor, and citation counts between tumor sites for both correct and non-existent papers. Our study highlights both the potential utility and significant limitations of using AI, specifically ChatGPT 3.5, in radiation oncology literature reviews. The findings emphasize the need for verification of AI outputs, development of standardized quality assurance protocols, and continued research into AI biases to ensure reliable integration into clinical practice.

This article described an exchange program in Kenya, organized by the International Federation of Medical Students Associations at the University of Nairobi. The author, motivated by parallels between Kenya and Brazil, engaged with hematologic, pain management, and palliative care departments at Kenyatta National Hospital. Despite the global advancements in bone marrow transplant (BMT) procedures, Kenya has only recently begun to offer this treatment, with the first transplant occurring in 2022 at a private facility. The high cost of BMT, ranging from $20,000 to $30,000, limits access for most Kenyans, prompting wealthier patients to seek treatment abroad. The article highlights alarming cancer mortality rates in Kenya, exacerbated by disparities in healthcare access compared to Brazil's universal healthcare system. With a significant proportion of pediatric cancers being hematologic, the need for accessible BMT is urgent. The exchange program provided the author with insights into global oncologic health disparities and emphasized the necessity of improving medical training, increasing hospital resources, and securing support to enhance BMT access in Kenya and West Africa.

Cancer survivorship is a transformative journey, evolving from personal healing to advocacy. Survivors often shift from patients in need to empowered advocates, navigating emotional challenges while contributing to systemic changes in cancer care and public awareness. This dynamic role bridges clinical gaps and enhances support for patients worldwide.

Cancer patients residing in rural areas experience substantial barriers to care and suboptimal care coordination. To date, there is a paucity of interventions to improve care coordination for rural cancer patients. In this study, we conducted a pilot trial to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a remote, tablet-based patient video education intervention focused on cancer care coordination among rural patients in Hawaii. The pilot trial utilized a single-arm, pre-post intervention design. Our TED-talk style video education intervention included talks on cancer basics, care coordination, and self-advocacy. Eligible participants were rural patients newly diagnosed with early-stage cancer receiving adjuvant therapy. Validated instruments were administered at baseline and post-intervention to assess patients' perceptions of care coordination and self-advocacy. Acceptability and satisfaction were assessed using semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to describe study outcomes. From January 2022 to December 2022, 19 patients enrolled on the study; the mean age was 52.2. Participants were racially diverse. A total of 71.4% of eligible patients completed all assessments. No changes were observed in the overall perceptions of care coordination. However, improved scores were observed for the care coordination instrument communication domain (Cohen's d =  - 0.76, 95% CI: - 1.45, - 0.03). There was a trend for improved scores on navigation and self-advocacy. All participants reported high satisfaction with the intervention. Results support the feasibility, satisfaction, and acceptability of this intervention among rural cancer patients in Hawaii. Further study is needed to evaluate the intervention in other rural areas. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05162404.Registration Date: 12/17/2021.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality. Meanwhile, the Internet remains a remarkably popular source of health information. This study characterizes how patients with lung cancer utilize online resources including social media and examines how this online health information-seeking behaviour (HISB) influences their healthcare journeys. From September 2022 to August 2023, a survey of 38 open- and close-ended questions was distributed to patients with lung cancer at a tertiary cancer centre. Quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, and qualitative data was evaluated using a grounded-theory approach. A total of 74 surveys were distributed, with 54 responses. Eighty-nine percent of respondents reported online HISB. Of this subgroup, only 29% searched social media for health information, and 77% used a search engine. Eighty-nine percent of the search engine users utilized Google, selecting top hits (57%) and/or websites from sources they considered reputable (57%). Participants who did not use search engines directly accessed websites recommended by trusted sources such as physicians, friends, and family. Treatment was the most frequently sought topic (70%). While most respondents engaging in online HISB considered the Internet to be useful (79%), less than half found it influential for their treatment decisions (45%). Most respondents in this study searched the Internet for lung cancer information. Our data highlights the Internet as complementary to clinical discussions with trusted medical professionals. Physicians should recognize the widespread adoption of online HISB, guide patients to evaluate the credibility of online health information, and contextualize it within the patients' unique healthcare journey.

Cervical cancer remains the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide, with brachytherapy an important modality of treatment. Patients often rely on YouTube for cancer-related information, yet few studies have evaluated these videos. This study aims to describe and evaluate YouTube videos available to patients relating to cervical cancer brachytherapy. YouTube was searched using pre-defined cervical cancer brachytherapy search terms in January, 2023. Videos were sorted by relevance and the first 50 videos from each search were collected. Duplicates were removed and exclusion criteria applied. Videos were evaluated for general parameters, source information, and content. Descriptive analyses were carried out. 47 unique videos were included in the analysis. Around half of videos were published within 3 years of the search date. Median video length was 4 min and 42 s. Commonly, videos were published in the USA (55%). Two-thirds of videos were aimed towards a patient audience. Overall, the content of 40% of videos related to cervical cancer, 94% related to radiation therapy including brachytherapy, and 51% directly related to the use of brachytherapy in the treatment of cervical cancer. Only 15% of videos overviewed the patient-relevant information of brachytherapy side effects. Some videos (13%) were advertisements and few (4%) contained grossly inaccurate information. Videos collectively presented an overview of the treatments for cervical cancer including brachytherapy, although few included pertinent patient-relevant information and some contained inaccurate information. Overall, this highlights the need for more clear, accurate, and patient education-focused online resources.

Continuing education in hematology is a key for stimulating the development around the world and improving patient outcomes. However, access to training and education is not equally distributed worldwide, and disparities in hematology exist for under-represented groups such as trainees living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To identify and review the different educational and career development opportunities offered by hematology-focused international academic societies directed at healthcare professionals in this field. We conducted an online search to screen the official websites of international hematology societies and extracted data regarding continuing education opportunities in hematology. Twenty hematology societies were identified with 850 continuing medical education opportunities extracted and reviewed. We recorded 55 grants and funding opportunities from 13 societies. More than half required a membership to apply, 9.1% were available globally, and 12.7% were designed for persons living in LMICs. The current state of continuing education in hematology offers numerous opportunities for healthcare trainees. However, disparities persist for LMICs.

Cancer prevention challenges in Ethiopia include limited community awareness and low uptake of screening, which are in part driven by a lack of culturally and linguistically relevant cancer education appropriate for the diverse indigenous communities of this never-colonized nation. In 2022, a comprehensive multi-media breast cancer (BC) awareness campaign was implemented, featuring local cancer experts and survivors, with community-based screening events in the towns of Adama and Mojo. The RE-AIM framework was used to evaluate and describe its reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Educational pamphlets, videos, social media posts, and interviews were distributed in person and through local and national media networks, reaching tens of millions of people and resulting in 525 individuals screened, with one diagnosis of early-stage cancer. During the free screening events, an interview-administered survey of BC knowledge, attitudes, and screening practices was conducted to inform future cancer education for this population. Among 287 survey respondents, about half correctly identified swelling (46%) or changing nipples/discharge (48.4%) as signs of BC. Maintenance challenges include the lack of a national screening program. Educational resources and a mobile app, translated into the local language, encourage continued patient empowerment to perform breast self-exams. In the absence of established BC prevention programs, "pop-up" mobile screening events can be effective for mobilizing communities to get screened. The paper highlights challenges and lessons gleaned from this community-based BC awareness campaign and screening event to inform future cancer education initiatives in Ethiopia and similar resource-limited settings.

Recent treatment advances have resulted in significantly increased survival times following metastatic breast cancer (MBC) diagnosis. Novel treatment approaches-and their related side effects-have changed the landscape of MBC treatment decision-making. We developed a prototype of an online educational tool to prepare patients with MBC for shared decision-making with their oncologists. We describe the five phases of tool development: (1) in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews and (2) feedback on storyboards of initial content with patients with MBC and oncology providers. This was followed by three phases of iterative feedback with patients in which they responded to (3) initial, non-navigable website content and (4) a beta version of the full website. In the final phase (5), patients newly diagnosed with MBC (N = 6) used the website prototype for 1 week and completed surveys assessing acceptability, feasibility, treatment knowledge, preparation for decision-making, and self-efficacy for decision-making. Participants in Phase 1 characterized a cyclical process of MBC treatment decision-making and identified key information needs. Website content and structure was iteratively developed in Phases 2-4. Most participants in Phase 5 (n = 4) accessed the website 2-5 times. All participants who accessed the website at least once (n = 5) felt they learned new information from the website prototype and would recommend it to others newly-diagnosed with MBC. After using the website prototype, participants reported high preparation and self-efficacy for decision-making. This multiphase, iterative process resulted in a prototype intervention designed to support decision-making for MBC patients.