Haematological Cancer Survivors Research Articles

The Role of e-Health in the Delivery of Care for Patients with Hematological Cancers: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Hematological cancer survivors have significant unmet needs. The use of e-health interventions has been shown to be effective in improving patient experiences and outcomes in other diseases. The aim of this review is to explore the role of e-health interventions in the delivery of care for patients with hematological cancers across the illness trajectory. Methods: A systematic narrative review approach using thematic analysis was used to identify the key issues and themes in the literature. Medical subject headings and keywords were used in several databases: Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Collaboration Cochrane Review Database. This review focuses on the use of e-health interventions for patients with hematological cancers within any study design. Results: Twenty-three (n = 23) studies were identified in this review. The studies were of varying designs: randomized controlled trials (n = 6); pre- and postdesign (n = 1); feasibility and acceptability (n = 11) and varying methodological quality. Seven studies included patients with any cancer diagnosis rather than focusing specifically on hematology patients. Our thematic analysis identified four main categories of intervention: information provision (n = 4); self-help (n = 6); communication facilitation (n = 5); and patient-reported outcome recording or monitoring (n = 8). Conclusion: The clinical management of patients with hematological cancers, particularly those in survivorship, presents opportunities to explore e-health approaches to improve patient care. This review highlights that e-health tools may be acceptable and feasible to use with a hematology patient population, but more robust and well-designed trials that engage patients and health professionals are required to determine which and how interventions can be used most effectively.

Nursing measures to support the needs of haematological cancer survivors post-treatment: a literature review.

Patients with haematological cancers are surviving longer due to increasingly effective treatments. Many patients continue to need support and advice after treatment ends. To review the support needs of patients after treatment for haematological cancer, in order to establish nursing measures for supporting them. Methods: A literature review and thematic analysis of six primary research articles. Three themes were identified: a sense of abandonment, education about late effects, and becoming a survivor. Understanding an individual's support needs after treatment for haematological cancer enables nurses to offer sensitive, individualised care to patients. A tailored survivorship plan, led by a specialist nurse, helps to meet the ongoing holistic needs of haematological cancer patients.

Rehabilitation Needs of the Malaysian Haematological Cancer Survivors

Rehabilitation Needs of the Malaysian Haematological Cancer Survivors

Initial validation of the German version of the Attentional Function Index in a sample of haematological cancer survivors.

To date, no German instrument exists to assess subjective levels of cancer-related cognitive impairments (CRCI) in cancer survivors. We translated the validated Attentional Function Index (AFI) into German and explored its psychometric properties. The validation sample consisted of 1,111 haematological cancer survivors mainly recruited from two cancer registries. Factorial structure was explored using principal component analysis, internal consistency via Cronbach's α, construct validity through correlational analyses (Pearson's r) and associations of patient characteristics with the AFI score via regression analyses. In line with the original version, we revealed three factors, that is "effective action" (seven items), "attentional lapses" (three items) and "interpersonal effectiveness" (three items). The overall reliability α was .91. Verifying construct validity, the AFI score correlated positively with cognitive functioning (r=.64, p≤.01) and global QoL (r=.44, p≤.01), but negatively with fatigue (r=-.60, p≤.01) and depressive symptomatology (r=-.6, p≤.01). Older age (β=.12, p<.001), higher comorbidity (β=-.07, p=.02) and being male patient (β=.07, p=.01) were significantly associated with the AFI scores, but effect sizes were small. The German translation of the AFI shows good psychometric properties and thus may be reasonably applied to measure the subjective level of CRCI in German-speaking oncological populations.

Important issues in long-term hematological cancer survivors

A literature review of the data of hematological cancer survivors revealed that both the cumulative proportion and burden of late effects change according to the attained age, primary cancer, and type of treatment. I selected neurocognitive dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, endocrinological dysfunction, musculoskeletal dysfunction, subsequent immunodeficiency, and reproductive dysfunction as representative late effects. I accordingly explained the characteristics of secondary cancers as the most life-threatening late effects and compared the late effects between survivors who did and did not undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, respectively. The main goals of my educational lecture are as follows: (1) to highlight important late effects in hematological cancer survivors and their risk factors; (2) to discuss primary secondary cancers and explain their characteristics (e.g., frequency, incubation periods, and risk factors); (3) to characterize late effects after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; and (4) to use representative long-term follow-up guidelines if necessary.

The Impact of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on Work and Productivity Loss in Patients with Acute Leukemia: Results from a Rapid Review

Introduction: Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are both hematological malignancies characterized by rapid onset. While AML is more common than ALL, both typically receive cytotoxic chemotherapy in first line. Upon complete remission, patients will be considered for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The economic burden of malignant blood disorders was recently studied in Europe, with an estimated €3.6 billion in productivity losses. The objective of this review is to evaluate the impact on productivity and understand the societal burden of HSCT in ALL and AML patients. Methods: A rapid review was conducted to identify real-world evidence reporting work and productivity loss associated with ALL and AML, including the impact of HSCT. A search of PubMed was executed for citations published between April 1, 2014 to April 1, 2019 and limited to English language. Eligible studies examined outcomes on work productivity in patients diagnosed with ALL, AML, or combined hematological malignancies, with no geographical restriction. A single reviewer screened all identified citations and extracted key data from included papers. Results: A total of 13 unique real-world data studies were identified. Seven studies examined the impact of hematological cancers (including ALL and AML) with varied return-to-work outcomes reported. Of these, 3 studies observed positive return-to-work outcomes over time, while 4 reported decreased employment among patients when compared to the general population, although 2 of the 4 studies were focused on childhood hematological cancer survivors. A total of 6 studies examined the impact of HSCT on work productivity. Two studies reported opposing results in unemployment in adult survivors of childhood hematological cancers who received HSCT. The remaining 4 studies found a general decrease in employment or increase in low-income status among adult patients when comparing pre-HSCT to post-HSCT; however, 2 of these studies reported most patients were still employed post-HSCT, with 62% returning to work over 1 year post-HSCT and 77% of patients returning to work 5 years post-HSCT. Overall, there was a trend towards work reintroduction as an important outcome post-HSCT. Further, recurring themes included structural changes in the current delivery of health services or potential interventions to help rehabilitation post-transplantation and optimize employment. Conclusions: Work productivity outcomes are important facets of long-term survivorship care in patients with hematological cancers. Although there was a limited number of studies identified, results from the current rapid review indicate that while productivity is lower in patients with AML or ALL, including those treated with HSCT, a substantial proportion of patients are still actively employed. Future research should be directed toward understanding the causes of unemployment post-HSCT to help prevent adverse financial outcomes following this life-saving procedure. In terms of limitations, none of the identified studies compared work productivity outcomes of those who received HSCT to those who did not receive HSCT, among patients with hematological cancer. Four of the studies only examined patients pre- and post-HSCT and the remaining 2 studies compared patients to the general population; thus, the effect of HSCT could not be discerned from the effect of the disease. While HSCT is a costly and resource-intensive procedure, it remains the only potentially curative intervention for most hematological cancers. Advances in HSCT have dramatically improved clinical outcomes in cancer patients; resulting in lowered HSCT-related morbidity and mortality. Future studies with direct comparisons of patients with hematological cancer who received HSCT to those who did not receive HSCT would be desirable to estimate the indirect costs of impact of work productivity in these patients; however, ability to receive HSCT may remain confounded by variables that are challenging to measure, such as disease state, donor availability, HSCT reimbursement policies, and patient preference. Disclosures Scory: Medlior Health Outcomes Research: Employment. Shaw:Medlior Health Outcomes Research: Employment. Cowling:Medlior Health Outcomes Research: Employment. Peloquin:Pfizer Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Welch:Pfizer Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Charaan:Pfizer Inc: Employment, Equity Ownership. Brown:Pfizer: Employment, Equity Ownership.

Fear of progression and its role in the relationship of cancer-related fatigue with physical functioning and global quality of life – A register-based study among hematological cancer survivors

ObjectiveFear of progression (FoP) is a frequent symptom among cancer patients, but data among hematological cancer survivors are scarce. Furthermore, theory assumes that FoP serves as link between bodily symptoms and different aspects of quality of life. However, this model has not been tested with the bodily symptom cancer-related fatigue (CRF) so far. Therefore, we investigated (i) levels of FoP stratified by type of and time since diagnosis and (ii) whether FoP mediates relationships of CRF with physical functioning (PF) and global quality of life (QoL). MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited long-term survivors of hematological malignancies (mean time since diagnosis: 9 years) via two regional cancer registries. We applied analyses of (co-)variance and mediation analyses to identify indirect effects. Results922 survivors participated. There was no overall effect of type of diagnosis on FoP (Fconditional = 1.6, p = .15). However, we found an overall effect of time since diagnosis on FoP (Fconditional = 8.5, p < .001), with FoP being significantly elevated in the group closest to diagnosis. As hypothesized, we found an indirect (mediating) effect of FoP in the associations of CRF with QoL (β = −0.13, 97.5 %-CI = [−0.17; −0.09]) and PF (β = −0.12, 97.5 %-CI = [−0.17; −0.08]). ConclusionAmong long-term survivors of hematological malignancies, a shorter time since diagnosis seems to be associated with elevated levels of FoP. Addressing FoP in psycho-oncological interventions may help to buffer the detrimental effects of CRF. However, longitudinal data is needed to validate our findings.

Distress in post-treatment hematological cancer survivors: Prevalence and predictors

Objectives: To calculate the prevalence of psychosocial distress, and identify factors that predict distress, in early post-treatment hematological cancer survivors.Design: Cross-sectional survey containing self-report measures.Sample/Methods: Post-treatment hematological cancer survivors in remission (>18 years) (n = 409) completed questionnaires. Distress was measured with the distress thermometer (DT). Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of distress.Findings: Overall 21.9% (n = 93) of respondents reported significant distress (DT ≥4). Significant distress was twice as high in those born overseas (OR = 2.09, p = .03), 3.5 times higher in those with lower social support (OR = 3.51, p = <.001) and five times higher in those with increased fear of recurrence (OR = 0.17, p = <.001).Implications for Psychosocial Providers: Early identification of distress may decrease psychosocial issues in the post-treatment period, especially as psychosocial services have been shown to improve wellbeing for those who are distressed.

How well do cancer survivor self-classifications of anxiety, depression and stress agree with a standardised tool? Results of a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThere is poor uptake of psychosocial interventions offered to people with cancer who record high scores on distress screening scales. Intervention uptake may be influenced by a mismatch between consumer (bottom-up) and professional (top-down) paradigms of wellbeing. The current research aims to compare cancer survivors’ ‘self-judgements’ about their levels of anxiety, depression and stress, to classifications derived via a professional-driven measure, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).MethodsA cross-sectional study was undertaken with haematological cancer survivors recruited from three population-based cancer registries in Australia. Consenting participants were mailed a questionnaire package; and non-responders received a second questionnaire package after 3-weeks and a reminder call after 6-weeks. The consumer-driven perspective was assessed via three separate single items asking survivors to self-classify their levels of anxiety, depression and stress over the past week on a scale from ‘normal’ to ‘extremely severe’. The professional-driven classification was assessed via the DASS-21. Kappa statistics were used to assess agreement between consumer- and professional-driven measures.ResultsOf 2,971 eligible haematological cancer survivors, 1,239 (42%) provided written consent and were mailed a questionnaire package. Of these, 984 (79%) returned a completed questionnaire. The simple kappa for agreement between the DASS-21 and self-classified measures for anxiety was 0.47 (95% CI: 0.39 to 0.54, p<0.0001). The weighted kappa for agreement between the DASS-21 and self-classified measures of depression was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.67, p<0.0001) and for measures of stress was 0.51 (95% CI: 0.44 to 0.59, p<0.0001).ConclusionsModerate agreement between self-classification and professional-driven assessments was found. The value of screening is predicated on the assumption that those with identified needs will be offered and take up services that will benefit them. Our results suggest that to improve the utility of distress screening it may be important to include assessment of survivor views about their symptoms.

Which cancer survivors are at risk for a physically inactive and sedentary lifestyle? Results from pooled accelerometer data of 1447 cancer survivors

BackgroundPhysical activity has beneficial effects on the health of cancer survivors. We aimed to investigate accelerometer-assessed physical activity and sedentary time in cancer survivors, and describe activity profiles. Additionally, we identify demographic and clinical correlates of physical activity, sedentary time and activity profiles.MethodsAccelerometer, questionnaire and clinical data from eight studies conducted in four countries (n = 1447) were pooled. We calculated sedentary time and time spent in physical activity at various intensities using Freedson cut-points. We used latent profile analysis to identify activity profiles, and multilevel linear regression analyses to identify demographic and clinical variables associated with accelerometer-assessed moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time, the highly active and highly sedentary profile, adjusting for confounders identified using a directed acyclic graph.ResultsParticipants spent on average 26 min (3%) in MVPA and 568 min (66%) sedentary per day. We identified six activity profiles. Older participants, smokers and participants with obesity had significantly lower MVPA and higher sedentary time. Furthermore, men had significantly higher MVPA and sedentary time than women and participants who reported less fatigue had higher MVPA time. The highly active profile included survivors with high education level and normal body mass index. Haematological cancer survivors were less likely to have a highly active profile compared to breast cancer survivors. The highly sedentary profile included older participants, males, participants who were not married, obese, smokers, and those < 12 months after diagnosis.ConclusionsCancer survivors engage in few minutes of MVPA and spend a large proportion of their day sedentary. Correlates of MVPA, sedentary time and activity profiles can be used to identify cancer survivors at risk for a sedentary and inactive lifestyle.

Survivorship care: Improving delivery of care plans for hematology patients at the Washington Cancer Institute (WCI).

6605 Background: Cancer and long-term sequalae of its treatment impact the future health and psychosocial wellness of these survivors. ASCO guidelines recommend providing survivorship care to cancer patients who have completed treatment with curative intent. The Commission on Cancer (COC) recommends that survivorship care including treatment summaries be delivered to 50% of eligible patients. In our ASCO Quality Training Program project, we aimed to achieve this COC goal of 50% for the year 2018. Methods: Baseline data collected from Jan 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018 indicated that 33% of hematologic malignancy survivors at WCI received treatment summaries and survivorship care. For the year 2018, there were 11 survivors of hematologic malignancy, and 4 of them (36%) had received survivorship care prior to initiation of the project. We surveyed 12 providers to obtain data for perceived challenges to deliver survivorship care. Large volume of patients, lack of resources, no standardized process and high no-show rates were identified as the most important barriers. A bi-monthly survivorship clinic run by hematology/oncology fellows was initiated in September 2018 to address some of these barriers. Patient referral forms were mounted in the clinic work rooms to assist providers with identifying patients that qualify for survivorship; a pathway for referrals to the survivorship clinic was created and providers were informed about the clinic. Information flyers regarding survivorship care and the clinic were placed in the waiting room to increase awareness amongst patients. Results: By November 30, 2018, 63% of hematological cancer survivors received survivorship care and treatment summaries. Compared to the average from the preceding two years, survivorship care delivery increased by 30%. Conclusions: Our institution was able to meet the COC requirement by delivering survivorship care to 63% of survivors of hematological malignancies through the intervention from this quality improvement study. We intend to extend this process to other tumor types to increase the delivery of consolidated survivorship care at the WCI.

Assessment of Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Haematological Cancer Survivors

Background:Health needs assessment is crucial for the provision of individualized nursing care. However, many patients report a significant number of unmet needs. The aim of the present study was the assessment of self-reported unmet supportive care needs among haematological cancer survivors in Greece.Methods:102 patients (mean age 66.2 years old) diagnosed with haematological cancer were included in a cross-sectional study, conducted in two major Greek public hospitals, between October and December 2016. Patients’ needs were assessed using the ‘Needs Evaluation Questionnaire’ (NEQ). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software for Windows. Alfa-level (p-value) selected was 5%, bootstrap techniques were used for 95% CI estimation, χ2 was used for differentiation control and Kuder-Richardson coefficient for reliability score assessment (ρ = 0.922).Results:Patients reported higher needs levels “to receive less commiseration from other people” (48%), “more information about my future condition” (44.1%) and “to feel more useful within my family” (42.2%). In contrast, patients reported lower levels to the needs “to speak with a spiritual advisor” (11.8%), “to have more help with eating, dressing and going to the bathroom” (13.7%) and “better attention from nurses” (18.6%). The mean score of satisfied patients (≥8/10) was 8.9 (SD 1.7). Associations between socio-demographic, hospitalization data and unmet needs groups were identified. The less satisfied patients (<8/10) reported more informational needs about their diagnosis and their future condition (p-value=0.002), about their exams and treatments (p-value=0.001), communicative (p-value <0.001), assistance and treatment (p-value<0.001) and hospital infrastructure (p-value <0.001).Conclusion:Various factors seem to be associated to the prevalent unmet care needs among haematological cancer patients. Establishing NEQ as a routine needs assessment tool could aid health professionals to early identify patients’ needs in a busy clinical setting and implement more individualized and patient-centered quality care.

Quality of life in survivors of adult haematological malignancy.

Survivors of haematological malignancies endure long-term effects of both treatment and disease. This paper examines factors that influence their quality of life through reporting on the results of a survey. Survey using previously validated quality of life questionnaires for use in cancer management. Participants were adults aged 18 and over who had completed treatment for a haematological malignancy and were between 1 and 5years post-treatment. A total of 131 participants, median age of 66, completed questionnaires (66% response rate). Significant associations were found between age, global quality of life, physical and role functioning. Men reported better physical functioning and lower symptom scores than women. Employed participants reported better quality of life. Increasing age was associated with lowest quality of life. Best role functioning was also noted in participants who lived beyond 2.5years following treatment completion. The survey suggested a gender difference with men reporting better physical functioning, fewer symptoms of pain and less loss of sleep compared with women. This study contributes to the underdeveloped area of care for and research into adult haematological cancer survivors. Knowledge and understanding of the factors that affect the quality of life of such adults may provide an insight into implementation measures.

The relationship between acceptance, fatigue, and subjective cognitive impairment in hematologic cancer survivors

Background/Objective: Cancer and its treatment can have a detrimental impact on psychological well-being. Acceptance as the basis of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown beneficial effects on depression and anxiety. However, its relationship to fatigue and cognitive impairment has not been investigated. A protective effect of acceptance may open up a new target for psychological intervention.Method: A cross-sectional postal survey was undertaken. 922 hematological cancer survivors (≥ 2.5 years post diagnosis) were recruited through two regional cancer registries in Germany. Acceptance (AAQ-II), fatigue (BFI) and subjective cognitive impairment (AFI) were assessed.Results: Higher levels of acceptance were negatively associated with fatigue and subjective cognitive impairment (R2= .34 and R2= .26, respectively). The relationship between fatigue and fatigue-related impairment of daily life was weaker for survivors with high acceptance.Conclusions: Acceptance is strongly associated with fatigue and subjective cognitive impairment. ACT may be useful to reduce symptoms of fatigue and subjective cognitive impairment in cancer survivors.

Maintaining psychosocial wellbeing for post-treatment haematological cancer survivors: Strategies and potential barriers.

Haematological cancers often require aggressive treatment which can cause both late and long term physical and psychosocial effects that can appear years after treatment ends. However there is a paucity of studies that focus on psychosocial issues among post-treatment haematological cancer survivors. This research aimed to explore the strategies used by haematological cancer survivors to maintain psychosocial wellbeing in the post-treatment period, and examine the barriers they identify to maintaining wellbeing. This research utilised a qualitative research design. Participants were recruited through the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 post-treatment haematological cancer survivors. A thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the data. The analysis identified three themes describing the strategies that enabled participants to maintain psychosocial wellbeing: inner strength; support from personal connections; support from health professionals/support organisations. Two themes were also identified describing the barriers to psychosocial wellbeing: barriers to utilising personal connections; barriers to utilising support from health professionals/support organisations. Psychosocial support from others was essential in maintaining wellbeing for survivors. The participants who had ready support from family and friends reported needing less psychosocial support from other sources. However, those who needed more psychosocial support did not always receive it, or know where to find it. The key barriers to this type of support were informational gaps and not having a specific contact person to ask for help. Further research is needed to support the development of interventions to reduce psychosocial distress among this underserved group of cancer survivors.

The nature and timing of distress among post-treatment haematological cancer survivors.

Many people with haematological cancers will not meet the diagnostic criteria for a psychological disorder, but will still suffer distress during treatment and beyond. The current study aimed to explore the nature and timing of psychosocial distress experienced by haematological cancer survivors. Twenty-three post-treatment haematological cancer survivors participated in a semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using thematic analysis which involved identifying, analysing and reporting themes. Four themes were identified: Apprehension about leaving the safety of the health care system comprises the struggles encountered when transitioning from patient to survivor, Uncertainty and life transitions in the post-treatment period encompasses the changes survivors face when attempting to re-enter their "normal" lives, Distress associated with ongoing physical problems or impairment describes issues associated with the ongoing physical sequelae, and Fear of recurrence encapsulates how the continuing threat of cancer recurrence impacted survivors. This study has found that distress is ongoing for many haematological cancer survivors in the post-treatment period. It is imperative that distress is identified and support offered to those in need to prevent further psychosocial issues. It is especially important to consider the psychosocial needs of survivors in the post-treatment stage who are discharged from the health system may be unsure where to seek help.

Return to Work in Patients with Hematological Cancers 1 Year after Treatment: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Background: Although hematological cancer survivors have a high risk of disability, data on work-related issues are scarce for this population. Methods: We investigated return to work (RTW) and work ability (Work Ability Index, WAI) in hematological cancer patients 6 months and 1 year after cancer treatment. We explored associations between baseline sociodemographic and medical characteristics and RTW as well as work ability at follow-up. Results: The participation rate was 42% (baseline n = 91, after 12 months n = 40 (44%)). 6 months after cancer treatment, 33% (95% confidence interval 21%-46%) of the remaining patients had returned to work. After 12 months, the RTW rate was 58% (42%-73%). Mean WAI sum score ± SD significantly increased from 18.5 ± 7.3 at baseline to 28.3 ± 8.3 after 12 months (p = 0.001). Patients with lymphoma (r = 0.31, p = 0.02) and patients who received radiation therapy (r = 0.29, p = 0.04) were significantly more likely to return to work. Work ability after 6 months was most strongly associated with higher education (r = 0.60, p < 0.01). Patients' subjective prognosis of gainful employment before cancer treatment predicted work ability after 6 (r = 0.62, p < 0.01) and 12 months (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The chance of returning to work of hematological malignancy survivors is similar to that of other cancer patients.

Delayed childbearing and female ageing impair assisted reproductive technology outcome in survivors of male haematological cancers.

To analyse the impact of female characteristics on assisted reproductive technology outcome among male haematological cancer survivors. A retrospective analysis of 93 haematological cancer survivors attending our tertiary referral fertility centre between June 1998 and June 2017 for achieving fatherhood with assisted reproductive technology treatments. A progressive increase in the median female age was observed during the study period (32.2years until the year 2007 and 36.9years from the year 2012). Fifty-five out of 93 patients were treated with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (113 ovarian stimulations, 108 ICSI procedures). Cryopreserved ejaculated sperm was used in 28 couples, fresh sperm in 19, and thawed testicular sperm in 8 couples. Mean female age at ovarian stimulation was 37.0±4.7years. Twenty-six pregnancies resulted in a full-term birth (23% per started ovarian stimulation; 43.6% per couple) and 33 children were born. No significant differences were observed according to source of sperm (fresh, frozen, testicular) and multivariate analysis confirmed that maternal age was the only variable inversely related to the cumulative delivery rate, being five times lower (15.7%) when the female partner was ≥ 40years (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.77) vs. 58.3% with younger women (p = 0.0037). Delayed childbearing and female ageing affect ICSI outcome in couples where the male is a survivor of haematological cancer. This topic should be discussed when counselling male cancer patients about fertility preservation.

Quality of life in survivors of hematological malignancies stratified by cancer type, time since diagnosis and stem cell transplantation.

Quality of life (QoL) has become an important tool to guide decision making in oncology. Given the heterogeneity among hematological cancer survivors, however, clinicians need comparative data across different subsets. This study recruited survivors of hematological malignancies (≥2.5years after diagnosis) from 2 German cancer registries. QoL was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30. The sample was stratified by cancer type, time since diagnosis, treatment with stem cell transplantation (SCT) and type of SCT. First, levels of QoL were compared across subsamples when controlling for several covariates. Second, we contrasted subsamples with gender- and age-matched population controls obtained from the general population. Of 2001 survivors contacted by mail, 922 (46%) participated in the study. QoL did not significantly differ between the subsamples. All subsamples scored significantly lower in functioning and significantly higher in symptom burden compared to population controls (all P<.001). Almost all of these group effects reached clinically meaningful sizes (Cohen's d≥.5). Group differences in global health/QoL were mostly non-significant. Hematological cancer survivors are associated with practically relevant impairments irrespective of differences in central medical characteristics. Nevertheless, survivors seem to evaluate their overall situation as relatively well.

Treat patient, not just the disease: holistic needs assessment for haematological cancer patients.

Haematological malignancies can have devastating effects on the patients’ physical, emotional, psycho-sexual, educational and economic health. With the improvement of therapies patients with these malignancies are living longer, however significant proportion these patient show poor quality of life (QoL) due to various physical and psychological consequences of the disease and the treatments. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) is multi-dimensional and temporal, relating to a state of functional, physical, psychological and social/family well-being. Compared with the general population, HRQoL of these patients is worse in most dimensions. However without routine holistic need assessment (HNA), clinicians are unlikely to identify patients with clinically significant distress. Surviving cancer is a chronic life-altering condition with several factors negatively affecting their QoL, such as psychological problems, including depression and excessive fear of recurrence, as well as social aspects, such as unemployment and social isolation. These need to be adequately understood and addressed in the healthcare of long-term survivors of haematological cancer. Applying a holistic approach to patient care has many benefits and yet, only around 25% of cancer survivors in the UK receive a holistic needs assessment. The efforts of the last decade have established the importance of ensuring access to psychosocial services for haematological cancer survivors. We need to determine the most effective practices and how best to deliver them across diverse settings. Distress, like haematological cancer, is not a single entity, and one treatment does not fit all. Psychosocialoncology needs to increase its research in comparative effectiveness.