Experiences Of Cancer Patients Research Articles

Evaluation of the Impact of Adaptive Progressive Supervised Resistance Training on Strength and Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer During Chemotherapy: The VALESCO Study.

Breast Cancer Patients (BCP) experience considerable side effects during and after treatment. Several studies have shown positive effects of exercise on therapy-related side-effects such as loss of muscle strength, loss of bone mineral density, lymphedema and several elements of quality of life (QoL). Resistance exercise has proven effective and beneficial for BCP; however optimal individual training parameters remain to be determined. The aim of our study was to implement an adaptive, progressive, supervised resistance protocol for breast cancer patients during chemotherapy, improving muscle strength, physical condition, and overall QoL while reducing therapy-induced side-effects. 40 patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were included six to twelve weeks post-OP. 20 patients underwent high intensity resistance-training twice a week for twelve weeks, and the control group received usual care. Strength parameters improved significantly in the intervention group and in different scales of QoL. We documented a cyclic performance level underlining the importance of adaptive training and training control in further trials.

Understanding Elderly Chinese Cancer Patients in a Multicultural Clinical Setting: Embracing Mortality and Addressing Misperceptions of Vulnerability

Understanding Elderly Chinese Cancer Patients in a Multicultural Clinical Setting: Embracing Mortality and Addressing Misperceptions of Vulnerability

Abstract PO5-10-09: Capturing Experiences: Navigating Breast Cancer Treatment of Nigerian Patients and Healthcare Providers Using Qualitative Interviews

Abstract Introduction A notable shift has occurred in medical relationships, placing greater emphasis on the role of patients within the healthcare system. A nascent body of literature in the US captures the experiences of patients following a diagnosis, but this is lacking in Nigeria. We used Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS 2.0) as a theoretical framework from the discipline of human factors that serves as a guide for characterizing complex sociotechnical systems comprised of factors, work processes, and outcomes - with the patient and clinicians at the center. We specifically focused on the patient work network, which refers to individuals and communities that play role in supporting patient work. The objective of this study was to elicit the experiences of Nigerian breast cancer patients and healthcare providers by qualitative interviews and characterize productive and counterproductive activities of the patient work network. Methods The study was approved by the IRB. We used snowball sampling and social media to recruit Nigerian breast cancer patients and health care providers with experience treating breast cancer. One researcher conducted interviews that lasted 30–60 min using teleconferencing technology and an interview guide developed for this study. Questions for both patients and healthcare providers covered topics such as patient response to diagnosis, barriers and facilitators to care including people and communities within the patient’s network. We calculated descriptive statistics for demographics. Using thematic analysis, we carried out the analysis in the following stages: data review, category coding and data extraction, and synthesis and integration of findings. Results We interviewed 18 female patients (29-67 yrs old) and 6 healthcare providers (31-42 yrs old; 3 males). Twelve patients received treatment in urban areas and 6 in rural. Four patients had a bachelor's degree. Healthcare providers included primary, specialty, palliative, treatment, diagnostic care. We highlight a subset of the dataset with focus on productive versus unproductive work conducted by family and by religious community, with unproductive defined as potentially having negative impact on the patient and their experience (Table 1). Providers stated that patients who receive family support exhibit better health outcomes compared to those who do not. Providers shared that religious community can perpetuate patient denial in their diagnosis. Both patients and providers discussed an inclination towards seeking traditional care. Despite recognizing the challenges and pressures faced by patients, providers lacked in-depth understanding of the specific experiences patients encountered. Conclusion Our findings highlight the role of family and religious community in conducting activities that are both productive and unproductive facilitating productive activities and its influence on the decision-making process of patients. Alternatively, both family and religious community engage in activities counterproductive to the patient and their illness. Findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive support systems, education, and targeted interventions to improve the experiences and outcomes of Nigerian breast cancer patients. Effective strategies should address cultural beliefs, empower patients to make informed decisions, and enhance provider knowledge regarding the unique challenges faced by patients within the identified barriers. Table. Productive versus unproductive work conducted by family and by religious community Citation Format: Blessing Nwachukwu, Elizabeth Papautsky. Capturing Experiences: Navigating Breast Cancer Treatment of Nigerian Patients and Healthcare Providers Using Qualitative Interviews [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-10-09.

Abstract PO5-12-07: Analyzing Patient Experiences with Adjuvant Hormone Therapy for Early Breast Cancer Treatment via NLP/ML on Social Media: Symptoms and Their Mitigation

Abstract Understanding the early breast cancer (eBC) patient experience of disease and treatment is critical to addressing unmet patient needs, improving outcomes, and informing the next wave of drug development. Traditional approaches, such as interviews or focus group studies, are resource intensive and have limitations in reflecting the diverse experiences of patients with different disease characteristics, treatments, and sociodemographic backgrounds, and in detecting rare severe events that could potentially lead to therapy discontinuation. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a semi-automated approach utilizing Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) methods in application to public patient forums to extract patient insights. Specifically, we analyzed 500,000 anonymized posts from the BreastCancer.org forum, utilizing Transformer-based methods to identify posts related to eBC patient experiences treated with standard hormonal therapies (HT). First, a novel ML-based model identified posts related to eBC adjuvant HT. For those, patient demographics, symptoms and their severity, and symptom management strategies such as exercise and yoga were subject to further analysis. Out of 362,074 relevant eBC posts, 32 symptoms and 9 impacts were significantly associated with at least one of the six hormonal therapies we considered. Hot flushes (relative risk [RR]: 6.70; 95% CI: 3.36–13.36), arthralgia (RR: 6.67; 95% CI: 3.53–12.59), weight increase (RR: 4.83; 95% CI: 3.20–7.28), mood swings (RR: 7.36; 95% CI: 5.75–9.42), insomnia (RR: 4.76; 95% CI: 3.14–7.22), and depression (RR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.71–5.44) demonstrated the strongest associations. Severe headache, dizziness, back pain, and muscle spasms showed significant associations with ≥1 HT despite their low overall prevalence in eBC posts. Notably, posts contained a wide range of symptoms severity, including rarely seen symptoms in smaller patient pools, such as severe night hot flashes leading to treatment discontinuation. Symptoms/impacts mentioned in association with exercise and yoga as a way for symptom mitigation included hot flashes, arthralgia, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain. Of those posts, 53.3% to 82.5% reported positive or neutral sentiments for exercise, and 22.2% to 100.0% for yoga. For posts specifically mentioning the management of side effects of HT, between 50.0% and 63.5% had a positive sentiment associated with exercise concerning each of the symptoms/impacts with a lower positive impact related to yoga (between 11.1% and 43.0% of posts). Posts discussing pain management and exercise included a higher proportion of negative feedback, versus positive sentiment for depression. Posts related to yoga as an HT symptom mitigation strategy had a higher prevalence of negative sentiments for anxiety and depression. Our proposed ML/NLP-based approach to collecting patient feedback from publicly available forums complements standard qualitative methods by enabling the scalable extraction of insights from hundreds of thousands of online conversations that could span a broad diversity of symptoms and well-being reflections. Furthermore, our findings suggest the potential value of informing clinical outcome assessment (COA) measurement for clinical trials, alone and in combination with standard qualitative research approaches to guide the next clinical development. Overall, our study highlights the significant potential of NLP and ML to address the critical need to better understand the eBC patient experience of disease and treatment to improve outcomes for patients. Citation Format: Sameet Sreenivasan, Chao Fang, Emuella Flood, Natasha Markuzon, Jasmine Sze. Analyzing Patient Experiences with Adjuvant Hormone Therapy for Early Breast Cancer Treatment via NLP/ML on Social Media: Symptoms and Their Mitigation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-12-07.

The experience of surgical cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large cancer centre in London.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the experiences of patients across all health disciplines, especially those of cancer patients. The study aimed to understand the experiences of cancer patients who underwent surgery during the first two waves of the pandemic at Guy's Cancer Centre, which is a large tertiary cancer centre in London. A mixed-methods approach was adopted for this study. Firstly, a survey was co-designed by the research team and a patient study group. Patients who underwent surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic were invited to take part in this survey. Results were analysed descriptively. Three discussion groups were then conducted to focus on the main themes from the survey findings: communication, COVID-19 risk management and overall experience. These discussion groups were transcribed verbatim and underwent a thematic analysis using the NVivo software package. Out of 1657 patients invited, a total of 250 (15%) participants took part in the survey with a mean age of 66 (SD 12.8) and 52% females. The sample was representative of a wide range of tumour sites and was reflective of those invited to take part. Overall, the experience of the cancer patients was positive. They felt that the safety protocols implemented at the hospital were effective. Communication was considered key, and patients were receptive to a change in the mode of communication from in-person to virtual. Despite the immense challenges faced by our Cancer Centre, patients undergoing surgery during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic had a generally positive experience with minimal disruptions to their planned surgery and ongoing care. Together with the COVID-19 safety precautions, effective communication between the clinical teams and the patients helped the overall patient experience during their surgical treatment.

Lived Experiences of Cancer Patients Who Chose to Stop Receiving Treatment

Lived Experiences of Cancer Patients Who Chose to Stop Receiving Treatment

The Experience of Cervical Cancer Patients Undergoing Hysterectomy: A Qualitative Study.

Due to different social and cultural backgrounds, cervical cancer patients' experience of the treatment process and quality of life after treatment will be different. This study sought to gain in-depth understanding of the experiences of Chinese cervical cancer patients as regards their quality of life and physical symptoms. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. We recruited 15 women with cervical cancer in eastern China for in-depth interviews. All data were entered into the NVivo 12 software program for analysis. Four themes emerged from the data: (a) uncertainty; (b) physical suffering; (c) psychological pressure; and (d) challenges of marriage and family. Cervical cancer patients showed concerns about the disease itself and the physical discomfort it causes, as well as changes in social relations. Health professionals need to talk about these issues and develop strategies to address them accordingly.

A qualitative study on experiences of stigma among postoperative oral cancer patients.

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of stigma in postoperative oral cancer patients to provide a reference for the formulation of targeted intervention measures. A qualitative study was conducted on 25 postoperative oral cancer patients in a tertiary A hospital in Hunan, China, from March to July 2021. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews focused on experiences of stigma were performed. The interview data was analyzed using the NVivo V.12 software based on the reflexive intuitive thematic analysis method. The paper complies with the COREQ. The stigma experience of postoperative oral cancer patients can be divided into 3 themes: (1) triggers (impaired appearance and oral function and psycho-social pressure); (2) forms (overall isolation, unpleasant feeling of inferiority, and unpleasant social discrimination); (3) coping strategies (positive psychological adjustment, seeking social support and coming out of the unpleasant shadows). Postoperative oral cancer patients clearly articulated that stigma was present in their lives and they experienced multiple forms of stigma. Further work is needed to increase education and awareness about oral cancer to guide them to take positive coping and reduce stigma.

Design and methods of the mobile assessment of cognition, environment, and sleep (MACES) feasibility study in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients

Endocrine therapy (ET) for breast cancer treatment is associated with cognitive complaints, but their etiology is poorly understood. To address this, we developed and implemented an ambulatory assessment protocol consisting of wearable activity monitors, brief surveys of affect, context, and perceived impairments, and ultra-brief performance-based measures of cognition. Newly diagnosed, ER/PR+, stage 0-III, female breast cancer patients, were recruited. Ambulatory assessments were conducted on smart phones and wearable activity monitors were used to monitor sleep and physical activity. Participants were asked to complete five 7-day measurement bursts (one before starting ET and one each month for 4 consecutive months while on ET). We observed a consent rate of 36%, 27 women completed the study. Of the women that withdrew, 91% dropped prior to the midpoint of follow up. There were no significant differences in demographics, clinical breast cancer characteristics, sleep or physical activity patterns, or measures of cognition between women who completed versus withdrew. Women who did not complete the study provided fewer valid days of baseline data. In conclusion, while some women may be overwhelmed with their cancer diagnosis, we did not identify any predictive characteristics of women whom did not complete the study. This novel method enables the prospective study of psychological changes associated with cancer treatment, capturing a wide array of information about behavior, experience, and cognition, thus providing a picture of the lived experiences of cancer patients before and during exposure to ET.

“Accepting Unexpected Health Realities”: Exploring the Life Experiences of Ovarian Cancer Patients – A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Among women, ovarian cancer is the eighth most frequent cancer globally and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Ovarian cancer is termed the "silent killer" because of its slow onset and unclear symptoms. Most of the advanced cases of ovarian cancer were found due to poor screening. The main objective of this study was to understand the emotional experiences, coping and resilience of patients undergoing ovarian cancer treatment. Methods: This qualitative study employs a phenomenological approach to explore the life experiences of ovarian cancer patients. An in-depth interview was conducted among patients undergoing cancer treatment. A total of 11 participants were included in this study. Thematic analysis was done. Results: The analysis of the data revealed eight main themes and 32 sub-themes that were characterized based on the experiences of cancer patients: 1) Misconceptions about symptoms, 2) Barriers in accessing healthcare, 3) Physical struggles, 4) Emotional turmoil, 5) Social issues, 6) Hope giving factors, 7) Sacrifice for family well-being, and 8) Emotional resilience. Conclusion: One of the key findings of this study is the importance of accepting unexpected health realities. This study shows the emotional journey of accepting difficult realities and mainly trusting medical professionals to guide one through treatment. Develop targeted educational campaigns to raise awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer and dispel common misconceptions.

Identification of distinct symptom profiles in prostate cancer patients with cancer-related cognitive impairment undergoing androgen deprivation therapy: A latent class analysis

ObjectiveTo identify latent classes of cognitive impairment and co-occurring symptoms (fatigue, pain, sleep disturbance, depression) as clusters in patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy and to explore the predictors among distinct latent classes. MethodsA total of 228 patients with prostate cancer were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The assessment instrument included the Perceived Cognitive Impairment Scale, the Fatigue Severity Scale, the Athens Insomnia Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form, the Charlson comorbidity index, and General Information questionnaire. The identification of different patient subgroups was done by the latent class analysis. ResultsThe study identified three distinct latent classes: all low symptoms (class 1, 32%), high depression symptoms (class 2, 37.7%), and high physical symptoms (fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain) with high cognitive impairment (class 3, 30.3%). Patients who had higher Charlson comorbidity index (P ​= ​0.003) scores were more likely to be classified in class 3. Patients with higher loneliness scores (P ​< ​0.001; P ​< ​0.001) were significantly more likely to fall into class two or three than in class 1. However, having a higher level of physical activity (P ​= ​0.014; P ​< ​0.001) increased the likelihood of being in class 1. ConclusionsThis study exhibited the inter-individual variability of symptom experience in prostate cancer patients with cognitive impairment undergoing androgen deprivation therapy. The result suggests that more emphasis should be placed on screening for fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain, and future interventions should focus on loneliness and physical activity.

Bridging the knowledge – practice gap: insights from a survey of Belgian dental professionals on diagnosis and supportive oral cancer treatment in comparison with international guidelines

Early detection significantly improves the prognosis of oral cancer patients, contingent upon the knowledge of dental professionals. This study aimed to assess and compare the knowledge, practices and perceptions regarding oral cancer among dental professionals in Belgium. A cross-sectional survey was distributed via Qualtrics to general dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The self-administered questionnaire comprised three sections: demographics (4 questions), knowledge (9 questions) and clinical practices (19 questions) related to oral cancer detection and treatment. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis, with Chi-square tests assessing responses by specialization, gender, years of experience and number of oral cancer patients treated. A total of 262 questionnaires were completed, with the majority of respondents being general dentists (61%) followed by dental specialists (25%), oral hygienists (8%) and oral and maxillofacial surgeons (6%). 70% of the respondents reported treating fewer than four oral cancer patients throughout their careers. 5 out of the 9 knowledge questions achieved over 50% correct responses, with an average correct answer rate of 54%. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and dental professionals who have treated more than four oral cancer patients, demonstrated significantly higher scores on multiple knowledge questions. Responses to clinically oriented questions showed less diversity across professions, and generally aligning with guidelines from professional oncological societies. This survey highlights the need for enhanced education on oral cancer among Belgian dental professionals. Knowledge levels were notably higher among more experienced respondents. The development and implementation of comprehensive guidelines tailored to dentists and oral hygienists for oral cancer prevention and patient care are warranted to optimize clinical practice standards.

Onco'sport à l’épreuve des patients : expérience vecue des patients atteints d’un cancer pratiquant de l’activité physique adaptée dans le cadre du programme Onco'sport, une étude qualitative

Physical activity is a major determinant in the prevention of chronic diseases, equally on the side effects of treatments and the consequences of the disease. It improves quality of life, but also reduces morbidity and mortality, and therefore health expenses. A sedentary lifestyle is the fourth cause of premature death in the world, in the context of chronic non-communicable diseases. In France, the prescription for adapted physical activity (APA) has been included in the law since 2016. With the development of "Maisons Sport santé", the Onco'sport program was developed to enable people affected by cancer to participate in adapted physical activity. The objective of our work is to explore the lived experience of cancer patients practicing adapted physical activity as part of the Onco'sport program. This is a qualitative study of 10semi-directed individual interviews with patients participating in the Onco'sport program, recruited from the "Maison Sport Santé" from Nîmes and the association "Les Roses du Gard". A phenomenological analysis was carried out with a semiopragmatic approach. For all participants, the APA through a program provides professional supervision of Physical Activity, influences adherence and builds confidence. This program is at the origin of changes in lifestyle habits and improves the relationship with illness and their cancer thanks to the physical and psychological benefits felt. Thus, APA appears as a full-fledged supportive care which requires informing patients and promoting it so that access is facilitated and becomes a standard. Health professionals including general practitioners do not currently have an important place in the promotion of APA, and patients most often obtain documentation on their own or through associations of patient. An APA program like Onco'sport is often the cause of a return to physical activity in patients, brings overall well-being and changes lifestyle habits. It seems important to promote physical activity to patients but also to the general population, given the benefits. This promotion involves easier access to this type of supervised program, financial support and better training of health professionals.

Network evolution of core symptoms after lung cancer thoracoscopic surgery:A dynamic network analysis

ObjectivesTo investigate relationships between various symptoms occurring 1–2 and 5–6 days following days after thoracoscopic surgery, to identify core symptoms, and to monitor changes in core symptoms over time following lung cancer thoracoscopic surgery. MethodsWe evaluated symptoms using the Anderson Symptom Scale (Chinese version) and the Lung Cancer-Specific Symptoms Template in 214 lung cancer patients hospitalized in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of a provincial hospital in Jiangsu Province from March 2023 to September 2023. Data was collected at 1–2 days and 5–6 days postoperatively. Symptom networks were constructed for each time point, and centrality indicators were analyzed to identify core symptoms while controlling for influencing factors. ResultsAccording to the network analysis, fatigue (rs = 26.00、rc = 0.05、rb = 1.02) had the highest strength, closeness, and betweenness in the symptom network 1–2 days after lung cancer surgery. At 5–6 days after surgery, shortness of breath (rs = 27.00) emerged as the symptom with the highest strength, fatigue (rc = 0.04) had the highest closeness, and cough (rb = 1.08) ranked highest in betweenness within the symptom network. ConclusionFatigue stands out as the most core symptom in the network 1–2 days after lung cancer surgery. Shortness of breath, fatigue and cough are the most core symptoms in the symptom network 5–6 days after surgery. Therefore, clinical staff can improve the postoperative symptom experience of lung cancer patients by developing symptom management programmes tailored to these core symptoms.

Women’s experiences with breast cancer during diagnosis and therapy, Wolaita, Ethiopia: a qualitative study

BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the most frequent cancer worldwide. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, women experience unexpected and stressful events. In Ethiopia, specifically in the study area, the experiences of women with breast cancer, the challenges they face during treatment and follow-up have not been thoroughly investigated.ObjectiveThis qualitative study explores the experiences of women diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing therapy at a University-based hospital in Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative research design was used, to explore the experiences of women diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing therapy. A purposively selected sample of ten women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and were receiving therapy was recruited. Recruitment was conducted from August 1 to September 30, 2022. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data on their experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis approach was employed utilizing open coding. The coded data were then analysed to reveal important insights and understandings about the participants’ experiences with breast cancer during the diagnosis and therapy journey.ResultThe thematic analysis of the data revealed four prominent themes: women’s mixed emotions, characterized by a sense of high threat and hope upon receiving breast cancer diagnosis results; dealing with the changes, both physical and psychological, that the cancer and its treatment bring about in women’s bodies and emotional well-being; dealing with the challenges associated with accessing therapy, including unfavourable hospital conditions and financial hardship; and experiencing care and supports from health care providers, family and friends, and faith-based communities.ConclusionThese findings underscore the importance of providing comprehensive support and care for women with breast cancer. Enhancing the hospital environment, addressing resource shortages, and prioritising patient well-being are crucial steps towards improving the experiences of breast cancer patients in the study area.

Experiences of pediatric cancer patients (age 12–18 years) with extensive germline sequencing for cancer predisposition: a qualitative study

This study explored the experiences and needs of adolescents, ranging from 12 to 18 years old, who have recently been diagnosed with cancer and participated in a nationwide germline genetic sequencing study within the context of pediatric oncology. The 21 adolescents in this qualitative interview study viewed genetic sequencing as an integral part of their cancer journey. They often characterized germline sequencing as “good-to-know” without specifying immediate utility. While the adolescents comprehended the significance of germline genetic sequencing, they were less focused on its potential long-term implications. Adolescents expressed a strong desire to be actively engaged in decisions related to genetics. They advocated for a participatory role in genetic decision-making from a young age onwards. They recommended that re-consent should be sought before re-analysis of their genetic data is performed and believe that patients should have the opportunity to provide (re-)consent once they reach adulthood. Moreover, the adolescents emphasized the importance of developing counseling materials that are not only concise but also visually attractive. In conclusion, this study underscores the positive perception that adolescents diagnosed with cancer hold regarding germline genetic sequencing. They articulate a strong interest in being actively involved in genetic decision-making. To address these articulated needs and preferences, we recommend the development of visually engaging counseling materials. These materials should effectively convey both the immediate and long-term implications of genetic sequencing, enabling adolescents with cancer to make informed decisions about genetic sequencing.

What do cancer patients experience of the simultaneous care clinic? Results of a cross-sectional study on patient care satisfaction.

Veneto Institute of Oncology has activated a simultaneous care outpatient clinic (SCOC) in which cancer patients with advanced-stage cancer are evaluated by oncologist and palliative care specialists. This cross-sectional study investigated patients' perceptions of the quality of this service. An ad-hoc self-administered questionnaire, developed by SCOC team, was used to assess the satisfaction of patients admitted at SCOC consultation. The questionnaire, in addition to the socio-demographic questions, contains eight questions with the Likert scale: time dedicated, feel listened to, feel understood, feel free to speak openly and to express doubts and concerns, feeling about information and indication received, level of empathy of health care and quality of the relationship, level of professional/quality of performance and utility of consultation, and one open-ended question. The questionnaire has been proposed to all 174 consecutively admitted patients at SCOC. One hundred and sixty-two patients filled in the questionnaire: 66.7% were male, median age was 71 years, 88.3% had metastatic disease. The time dedicated to SCOC consultation was judged more than adequate (55%) or adequate (35%) by 90% of subjects. Patients completely satisfied about being listened to were 92.5%, with 80.9% being completely satisfied with understanding of their issues and 92% with the freedom to speak and express doubts. Usefulness of the SCOC was rated as excellent by 40% and good by 54.4% of patients. No statistically significant differences were observed in the responses to the questions by gender, age (< or ≥70 years old) and type of tumor. Our study shows high levels of satisfactions after SCOC consultation in advanced cancer subjects. Patients' feedback confirmed that SCOC model was effective in helping them during their treatment journey and decision at the end of life. This study encouraged us to enhance our practice of SCOC consultation. A joint evaluation of patients living with cancer by oncologist and palliative care team (SCOC-embedded model), has shown to enhance patients' experience/satisfaction with care-such as listening, understanding, receiving information, symptom control, and decision about future, independently of age, gender, and kind of tumor.

Patient experience of bladder cancer: A data linkage study.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and can be managed with a range of approaches, including conservative, medical and surgical therapies. Treatment may be associated with considerable morbidity, but despite this, little data exist to reflect patients' subsequent experience. This study aims to evaluate patients' experiences of bladder cancer care by linking data from a national cancer experience survey with data routinely collected from National Health Service (NHS) sources. This study considers patient perspectives and makes recommendations to improve the patient experience of bladder cancer care. Anonymised data from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) for patients who had received care for bladder cancer were collated and linked with demographic and treatment data. Questions from the NCPES were then categorised into different themes based on their content. This study focused on themes relating to lifestyle, activities of daily living (ADL), symptoms, psychological impact and body perception. Statistical analyses were used to investigate the relationship between patient reported experience, demographics and type of care received. NCPES data from 673 patients (487 male, 29 undisclosed) with at least T1 bladder cancer were analysed. Statistically significant differences were identified across the five investigated patient experience themes. No significant difference was seen in patient reported experience between bladder cancer drug treatments (such as intravesical BCG vs. intravesical chemotherapy vs. systemic chemotherapy) and radiotherapy types (curative vs. palliative). Patients treated with cystectomy had significantly worse experiences relating to body image and ADL but not when compared with patients treated with radical radiotherapy. Patients with long-term health conditions reported worse experiences for all five themes compared with those without. The literature surrounding the experience of patients with bladder cancer is limited. This data linkage study demonstrates the impact of bladder cancer care on five patient experience themes, including the effect of different treatment types and the presence of long-term health conditions. While limited by sample size and data comprehensiveness, this study aims to inform clinicians and service providers of factors affecting patient experience of bladder cancer care, to stimulate service review and development.

Enhancing Clinical Safety and Cancer Patient Experience Through Comprehensive eLearning on Central Venous Access Devices.

Health practitioners often insert and maintain central venous access devices (CVADs) as part of cancer care. One in four CVADs prematurely fail, which is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and a negative impact on quality of life. To support implementation of updated guidelines, eviQ Education developed a comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based CVADs eLearning package. An evaluation indicated that the eLearning supported clinicians' practice and increased knowledge and clinical competency in CVAD insertion and management.

Instagram and end of life. Exploring the mediational role of social networks in young cancer patients through a case study

The growing prominence of social networks has changed the field of death by allowing people to share their personal experience of dying or surviving the death of loved ones. This paper features a case study through which we examine the mediational role of new technologies in end-of-life experiences in young cancer patients. The case study revolves around an Instagram account created by a young Spanish woman after being diagnosed with a cancer that would ultimately end her life. The thematic analysis carried out on the 196 posts focuses on three of the main topics addressed in the account: (1) the visibilisation of cancer and its impact on the daily lives of young patients; (2) the life lessons learnt from the experience of cancer; (3) a critique of the traditional imaginary of cancer, understood in terms of an individual struggle, together with the denunciation of the lack of social protection for young cancer patients. Ultimately, the analysis shows how Instagram acts in this case as a mediational tool through which the account’s creator not only relates to her community of followers, but also to herself and to her own illness, giving rise to different meaning-making and self-regulating functions.