Journal of Cancer Education最新文献

To evaluate the effectiveness of an interprofessional sequential simulation (ISS) teaching mode in improving theoretical knowledge, practical skills, interdisciplinary collaboration, and anxiety management among radiation oncology residents (RORs) and radiation therapists during standardized training in China. A prospective randomized controlled study enrolled 70 RORs and radiation therapists (35 control vs. 35 simulation group). The control group received traditional clinical training, while the simulation group underwent ISS training, integrating role-play, standardized patient interactions, and collaborative radiotherapy planning. Outcomes were assessed via theoretical/practical examinations (0-100 points), interdisciplinary competency scales (ICA and TBP), anxiety levels (GAD-7), and satisfaction surveys. The simulation group demonstrated superior post-training theoretical scores (90.97 ± 4.53 vs. 86.54 ± 3.99, p < 0.0001) and practical performance (91.71 ± 4.61 vs. 87.83 ± 3.50, p = 0.0007) compared to the control group. Interdisciplinary collaboration scores (ICA: 43.83 ± 2.96 vs. 40.31 ± 3.38; TBP: 10.49 ± 2.03 vs. 7.94 ± 1.81, p < 0.001) and patient satisfaction (90% vs. 75%, p = 0.026) were significantly higher in the simulation group. Anxiety levels decreased markedly post-intervention for residents (GAD-7: 4.83 ± 1.32 to 4.23 ± 1.37, p = 0.056) and patients (moderate to mild, p < 0.05). The ISS model enhances RORs and radiation therapists' clinical competency, fosters interdisciplinary teamwork, and reduces anxiety, offering a robust framework for improving radiation oncology training in resource-limited settings. Future studies should explore long-term behavioral impacts and scalability.

Cancer is recognised as a major health problem that requires a multidisciplinary approach to achieve the best possible outcomes. The rapid and important changes in the understanding of cancer need to be incorporated into clinical practice. Because of both the magnitude and pace of these changes, medical schools must also assess and update the level of knowledge and skills that need to be taught in oncology training. Multidisciplinary tumour boards (MTB) integrate the knowledge of various healthcare disciplines, assuring treatment according to the best available evidence or multidisciplinary consensus. However, these attributes are not sufficiently integrated into the curricula of Spanish medical schools. To fill this gap, specific seminars were designed and implemented during the medical degree programme at the University of Granada (Spain), over two academic years for 510 students. The first group focused on integrating knowledge in the field of oncology, while the second group focused on the purpose of the MTB in clinical practice and its role in decision-making in specific tumour cases. All the seminars included real cases of patients with medium-complexity tumours, along with the clinical practice guidelines from a university hospital as a reference. After two years of development, the initiative has been evaluated (15-items survey), with a high level of satisfaction among students and teachers, but awaiting the collection of objective learning outcomes. This article describes the seminars, along with how they were organized. and discusses the value of introducing validated pedagogical techniques. The incorporation of well-received pedagogical innovations, such as team-based and small-group teaching, together with 'flipped classroom' techniques, focuses both on students' individual knowledge and ability to interact with others.

The current oncology workforce is struggling to keep up with demands for care. To address this shortage at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, we are educating the next generation about the breadth of careers at cancer centers. We describe the impetus for and process of developing an engaging infographic, "Charting the Course: Careers Along the Cancer Journey," designed to resonate with high school students but which has also shown strong engagement and relevance among middle school students. The goal was to create a visual tool that not only illustrates the path of a cancer patient's journey, but also highlights the various careers a cancer patient might encounter along the way. Ultimately, our aim is to build a comprehensive oncology workforce that is representative of the population we serve, thus educating the next generation of the oncology workforce and improving the health of our community at large.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s accelerated approval pathway is intended to facilitate and expedite development and review for prescription drugs that treat serious or life-threatening illnesses such as cancer. Three elements of this pathway are often disclosed on prescription drug websites for oncology prescription drugs: the basis for the drug's approval, that some clinical benefits are unknown, and that confirmatory trials are ongoing. To assess their retention and understanding of these elements, we randomly assigned 202 cancer survivors and 199 caregivers to view a website for a fictitious acute lymphoblastic leukemia prescription drug with one of four accelerated approval disclosures. All disclosures stated, "In a clinical trial, Altisol returned blood counts to normal." We randomly assigned participants to the presence or absence of an "unknown outcomes" disclosure: "However, we currently do not know if Altisol helps people live longer or feel better." We also randomly assigned participants to the presence or absence of a "confirmatory-trials" disclosure: "We continue to study Altisol in clinical trials to learn more about Altisol's benefits." Participants noticed the disclosures, recognizing the three elements when asked. Regardless of whether participants saw the confirmatory-trials disclosure, participants agreed that more data is needed to learn about the drug's efficacy. The unknown-outcomes disclosure increased comprehension across a wide range of measures. These results suggest that an accelerated approval disclosure (in particular, a statement about unknown outcomes) can help patients and caregivers understand a prescription drug's benefits, which can be critical for their participation in treatment decisions.

Pediatric cancer is a significant global health challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries where there is a critical shortage of trained pediatric radiation oncologists. To address this gap, we piloted a digital learning program to improve radiation therapy planning skills for pediatric sarcomas within Pakistan and the surrounding region. The activity included a two-day virtual workshop, held in July 2024, which featured didactic lectures and a week-long practical component where participants used the Eclipse Treatment Planning System for hands-on contouring exercises. We also administered pre- and post-workshop surveys to evaluate engagement and skill acquisition. Sixty-two participants, mainly radiation oncology trainees and consultants from South Asia and the Middle East, registered. Twenty-six were shortlisted for the hands-on activity, but only 19% completed the assignment. Technical issues like poor internet connectivity and platform glitches were identified as the main barriers. Despite these challenges, feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The hands-on contouring activity was considered the most valuable component by 63.6% of respondents, and 91% reported greater confidence in applying pediatric radiation oncology principles in their practice. This pilot demonstrates that a digital learning approach is a feasible and effective way to build capacity and address training disparities in resource-constrained settings.

Young adults who encompass a great proportion of patients with thyroid cancer are widespread users of the internet and social media. This study aims to determine how thyroid cancer patients utilize online resources and their impact, with a focus on social media platforms. Between June and December 2023, patients with thyroid cancer receiving care at a tertiary cancer centre were offered the opportunity to complete a survey on their internet and social media use. The survey included 37 open- and closed-ended questions exploring demographics, internet and social media habits, and the utility of these platforms. A mixed-method analysis was used to assess the results. Of the 102 patients who agreed to participate, 55 patients returned the survey (54%). Almost all participants (98%) reported using the internet, with 91% utilizing it to obtain information on thyroid cancer. Less than half (42%) of the participants who used the internet accessed social media platforms for acquiring thyroid cancer information, with a trend of younger patients being more frequent users. YouTube was the most popular site (95%), followed by Facebook (38%). The most common topics searched were personal experiences with thyroid cancer (62%) and radioactive iodine therapy (58%). Social media users expressed it was useful (88%), increased their understanding of thyroid cancer (76%), and informed treatment decision-making (39%). Social media platforms, particularly YouTube, are becoming increasingly popular for accessing health information. Overall, patients perceive social media to be a beneficial tool that supports thyroid cancer education, facilitates personal connections, and increases accessibility to information.

Cancer survivors living in rural areas have poorer health outcomes due in part to poorer access to survivorship programs. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a scalable, remotely-delivered health coaching lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors. In this phase II pilot study, we recruited young and middle-aged adult cancer survivors (18-64 years) to participate in a remotely-delivered eight-week lifestyle behavior change intervention that included remote health coaching sessions (administered by trained student health coaches), remote health education videos, and a wearable activity/sleep monitor. Feasibility was measured by enrollment, retention, and attrition rates, while acceptability was assessed via a post-intervention survey. Preliminary efficacy was evaluated by changes in psychosocial mechanisms, health behaviors, and cancer-related health outcomes. Our enrollment rate (49%) fell just short of our target (50%). Our retention rate (83%) exceeded our target rate of 75%. Adherence rates also exceeded targets (75%) with 99% of remote health coaching sessions attended, 84% of educational videos viewed, and activity monitors worn on 87% of all intervention days. Acceptability rates were also high with most participants reporting the program was beneficial (90%) and that they would recommend it to others (87%). We observed medium-large effects for several secondary/exploratory outcomes including behavioral regulation skills (Cohen's d = 2.04), fatigue (d = 0.86), and global health scores (d = 0.99). No pre-post changes were observed for physical activity, diet, or sleep behaviors. Findings suggest it is feasible to deliver an acceptable remote lifestyle intervention to young and middle-aged cancer survivors. Improvements in targeted psychosocial and cancer-related health markers are promising and support the need for a larger, controlled follow-up study. These findings support the feasibility of delivering a remote, lifestyle behavior change program to young and middle-aged cancer survivors.