Quality Of Life In Cancer Patients Research Articles

How Do Quality of Life (QoL) and Symptom Burden Evolve in Inpatient Palliative Care (PC) Patients following One Week of Care in a Specialized Palliative Care Unit (PCU)? A Comparison of Two Groups, with One Receiving Specialized Outpatient Palliative Care Prior to Admission.

This study sought to investigate changes in quality of life (QoL) and symptom burden among palliative care patients undergoing one week of inpatient care in a specialized palliative care unit (PCU). The patient population was stratified into two groups, with one group pretreated from pre-admission palliative care (PC) provided by an outpatient multidisciplinary PC team, while the other group did not receive such support prior to admission. Although the average duration of treatment at a PCU in Germany is 1-2 weeks, the question also arises as to whether a significant improvement in symptom burden and QoL can be expected after just one week of PC in a PCU. PC patients with various cancer entities were prospectively included in a non-randomized study. Patients in group 1 received outpatient specialized PC prior to admission, while patients in group 2 did not. Over an 8-month period, we gathered data from one academic cancer center, utilizing the EORTC QLQ-C30, one of the most widely used patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments to assess health-related QoL in cancer patients. Patients completed the QLQ-C30 at T0 (admission or one day later) and T1 (one week later), enabling the assessment of potential changes in their QoL and symptom burden over time. A total of 103 patients (51.5% male) were enrolled (group 1: 42%, group 2: 58%). At T0, there were no significant differences regarding QLQ-C30 scores between groups 1 and 2, except from global health/QoL (group 1 mean 20.7, group 2 mean 25.6, p = 0.026). Over the course of one week several significant and clinically relevant changes were found: Emotional functioning demonstrated an uplift in both groups (group 1: mean 41.5 IQR 33 vs. 53.1 IQR 50, p = 0.014, group 2: mean 48.2 IQR 46 vs. 56.8 IQR 58, p = 0.029), as did the global health status (group 1: M 20.7 IQR 17 vs. 36.2 IQR 33, p < 0.001, group 2: M 25.6 IQR 25 vs. 35.3 IQR 33, p < 0.001). Nausea and vomiting showed a reduction (group 1: M 29.9 IQR 17 vs. 6.8 IQR 0, p < 0.001, group 2: M 22.6 IQR 17 vs. 8.2 IQR 0, p < 0.001), along with a notable decline in pain (group 1: M 67.4 IQR 67 vs. 25.3 IQR 17, p < 0.001, group 2: M 73.1 IQR 83 vs. 29.7 IQR 17, p < 0.001). A decrease was observed in insomnia (group 1: M 63.6 IQR 67 vs. 27.6 IQR 33, p < 0.001, group 2: M 60.1 IQR 67 vs. 27.6 IQR 33, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between groups 1 and 2 in the extent of improvement in the various symptom scales from T0 to T1. The findings of our study demonstrate that QoL and several symptoms prevalent in cancer patients cared for in the PCU experienced significant enhancement over the span of just one week. Both groups, patients receiving specialized outpatient PC prior to admission and those without, equally benefited from inpatient PC. All mentioned changes from T0 to T1 are considered not only significant but clinically relevant.

Exploring patient reported quality of life in lung cancer patients: A qualitative study of patient-reported outcome measures.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death globally and provides a major disease burden likely to substantially impact quality of life (QoL). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been identified as effective methods of evaluating patient QoL. Existing lung cancer-specific PROMs however have uncertain utility and minimal patient involvement in their design and development. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate the patient perspective of existing PROMs and to explore their appropriateness for population-based descriptions of lung cancer-related QoL. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted consisting of semi-structured interviews with 14 patients recruited from the Victorian Lung Cancer Registry and Alfred Hospital using purposive sampling. Interviews first explored the factors most important to lung cancer patients QoL, and second, patient's perspectives on the appropriateness of existing PROMs. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes, and content analysis was conducted to determine PROM acceptability. Five novel themes were identified by patients as being important impacts on QoL: Personal attitude toward the disease is important for coping; independence is valued; relationships with family and friends are important; relationships with treating team are meaningful; personal and public awareness of lung cancer is limited. These patient-identified impacts are poorly covered in existing lung cancer-specific PROMs. Patients welcomed and appreciated the opportunity to complete PROMs; however, they identified problems with existing PROMs relevance, tone, and formatting. Existing lung cancer PROMs poorly reflect the five themes identified in this study as most important to lung cancer patients QoL. This study reaffirms the need to review existing PROMs to ensure utility and construct validity. Future PROM development must engage key patient-generated themes and evolve to reflect the changing management and therapeutic landscape.

Assessment of quality of life in thyroid cancer patients using the EORTC thyroid-specific questionnaire: a prospective cross-sectional study.

Many studies on the quality of life (QoL) among the thyroid cancer survivors have shown conflicting results. This may be since many of these studies have not used thyroid cancer-specific questionnaires. In our study we have translated the EORTC THY-34, validated and served it in a cross-sectional study to the assess the QoL among thyroid cancer patients free of disease during their routine follow-up. Patients were categorized based on the duration from treatment completion, ATA risk stratification, treatment received, number of RAI sessions and thyroid function status during analysis. Overall, 220 thyroid cancer survivors were included in this study. In general, in the EORTC QLQ-C30, the global QoL of thyroid cancer patients were good with a mean score of 72.99. The highest score was that for social functioning (89.55). In the EORTC-THY34 all the patients in the cohort had relatively lower scores(on symptom scales). Overall, there was no difference in the QLQ-C30 and THY-34 QoL with respect to any of the categorization mentioned above. However, our thyroid cancer patients QoL scores were better and/or comparable to those in published literature and they were also better or comparable to the QoL of the general population those were available in literature. There was no difference in the QoL scores based on various categories. To better understand the quality of life of these patients a prospective longitudinal study with baseline values and values at regular intervals might give us a better insight.

Quality of life and associated factors among patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, North-East Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Cancer is a major public health problem around the world. Cancer by itself and its treatment modalities affect the quality of life (QoL) of patients with it. However, there were a paucity of studies about the QoL of patients receiving chemotherapeutic treatment in Ethiopia. This study was aimed at addressing such a gap. Accordingly, we investigated QoL and associated factors among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (DCSH), North East Ethiopia, in 2023. We employed a cross-sectional study from April 1 to May 30, 2023. The data was collected using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core QoL Questionnaire, version 3.0 (EORTC QLQ-C30). The data was entered and cleaned using EpiData version 4.6 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 for analysis. The association between the dependent and independent variables was determined using Odds Ratios (ORs) at a p value < 0.05 with a 95% CI. Data was collected from 394 patients. Their mean summary QoL score was 36.3 ± 9.0. About 39.3% demonstrated a good QoL summary score, whereas 60.7% were impacted by symptoms. A good functional QoL score was observed in 42.6% of the participants. About 54.8% and 31.7% reported good overall health status and good overall QoL, respectively. The most impacted functional domain was social functioning, affecting 64.5% of participants. The most common symptom was diarrhea, affecting 65.5% of the participants. Secondary school education level (Adjusted Odds Ratio-AOR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.14-8.81), diploma and above education level (AOR = 4.90, 95% CI: 1.29-18.62), and urban residency (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.07-2.82) had a significant positive association with QoL, while being a civil servant (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.49), having stage III cancer (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.39), and stage IV cancer (AOR = 0.16, 95% 0.06-0.44) had a significant negative association with it. The QoL for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy was significantly low and associated with their level of education, occupational status, area of residence, and stage of cancer. Incorporating psychosocial support is thus crucial in their treatment plans.

Properties of Dietary Fatty Acids and Implications on Cancer

Known as one of the most significant noncommunicable diseases, cancer has a high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide. Dietary fatty acids’ effect can be varied upon the structure of components. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) intakes have positive relation with the risk of dıfferent types of cancers. However, this conclusion alters based on the type of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Omega-3 fatty acids illustrate protective effects against cancer, while omega-6 fatty acids have pro-inflammatory activities. Moreover, ratio of omega-3: omega-6 fatty acids plays a crucial role related to cancer. Ketogenic diet is contraindication for some types of cancer. This diet in cancer patients can be used as secondary treatment, and complications peculiarly cancer cachexia could be improved which increases life quality of cancer patients. In conclusion, decreasing the risk of cancer will be possible by shifting fatty acids consumption toward more omega-3 and less omeg-6 fatty acids and decreased intake of SFAs (via less consuming of processed foods).

Platelet-to-lymphocyte, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratios are related to cancer-related fatigue and quality of life in patients with cancer: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo explore the association of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) with cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients.DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingsA...

Effects of an Integrative Day Care Clinic Program with a Focus on Nature Therapy in a Hospital Park Setting on Quality of Life in Oncological Patients-A Non-Randomized Controlled Study.

Cancer often causes long-term physical and psychological impairments. Lifestyle modification and nature-based interventions (NBIs) can have a positive impact on patients' quality of life (QOL). This participants-blinded, non-randomized controlled study assessed parameters at weeks 0, 12, and 24, including, as a primary endpoint, QOL in cancer patients on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) at week 12. QOL in breast cancer patients, fatigue, well-being, stress, anxiety/depression, socio-psychological well-being, benefits of nature interaction, insomnia, self-efficacy, mindfulness, and self-compassion were assessed as secondary endpoints. N = 107 cancer patients (96.3% women; 52.5 ± 9.3 years, 80.4% breast cancer) were assigned to either a 12-week nature-based (NDC; n = 56) or conventional (DC; n = 51) oncology day care clinic program, whereby the assignment group was not known to the participants. There was no significant group difference for the primary endpoint. At week 24, QOL, fatigue, mindfulness and self-compassion scores were significantly higher, and at weeks 12 and 24, the insomnia score was significantly lower in NDC compared to DC. In conclusion, this study indicates positive and clinically relevant effects of the program on QOL, fatigue, and psychological parameters. NBIs seem to have a more pronounced effect.

Factors Influencing the Quality of Life in Thai Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy during COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has physical and mental impacts on cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and this can lead to a decline in their quality of life (QoL). Little is currently known about the factors that affect QoL among cancer patients in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic.Purpose: This study aimed to examine the factors influencing the QoL of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy recruited using a simple random sampling technique. Four instruments were used; 1) Demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaires; 2) the Thai Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Thai HADS); 3) the Revised Thai version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (r-Thai MSPSS); and 4) the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQC-30, Thai version). Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis.Results: According to the findings, the study demonstrated that depression had a statistically significant negative influence on QoL, physical functioning, and emotional functioning (B=-2.196, p=0.001; B=-2.630, p&lt;0.001; B=-1.605, p=0.009, respectively). Similarly, anxiety exhibited a negative influence on emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, and social functioning (B= -2.593, p&lt;0.001; B=-1.508, p=0.037). However, social support did not significantly influence QoL.Conclusion: The study underscores the negative impact of depression and anxiety on QoL, emphasizing the importance of addressing psychological well-being. While social support’s influence on QoL was not significant in this context, the research highlights the factors affecting cancer patients’ well-being during challenging times. These insights could inform interventions to enhance QoL and patient care.

Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: The Modern Psycho-Oncologic Approach for Romania-A Review.

Quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of human satisfaction and well-being. QOL is significantly and persistently affected for patients after a cancer diagnosis. Despite some evidence suggesting that psycho-oncologic interventions can provide lasting benefits, the inclusion of such interventions in cancer therapy is not universal. This article provides an overview of the known approaches to the evaluation of QOL in cancer patients and various interventions for improving patients' outcomes, with a focus on the eastern European regional and specific Romanian context. With a mortality rate above and cancer care performance below the EU average and unequally distributed, Romania urgently needs a national coordination program, which is discussed in our review, highlighting the main psychological tools needed for the assessment and the challenges involved in implementing the program. In the end, we suggest some directions for the future development of the psycho-oncologic approach in the context of social considerations, policy, and the unexpected financial challenges the nation provides.

Depression and Anxiety Mediate the Associations between Nutritional Status, Functional Capacity, and Quality of Life in Patients with Cancer

Cancer patients are at risk of malnutrition, which influences their functional status, mental health (MH), and quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to examine the associations between nutritional status, functional capacity, and aspects of QoL in cancer patients, as well as the potential mediating role of depression and anxiety in these associations. Patients with various types of cancer (n = 152) were recruited from the Attikon University Hospital, Greece. Validated questionnaires were used to assess nutritional status (PG-SGA), QoL (SF-36 and EQ-5D-3L), functional capacity (ECOG), depression, and anxiety (HADS and BEDS). Handgrip strength (HGS) was also measured. Poor nutritional status was inversely associated with functional capacity, QoL, depression, and anxiety, after adjusting for confounding factors (all P ≤ 0.05). Mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect effect of nutritional status on various parameters of functional capacity and QoL through depression and anxiety, after adjusting for age and sex. Mediated proportion ranged from 26.3–34% to 23.1–82.8% for functional capacity and QoL, respectively. A significant proportion of the effect of nutritional status on QoL and functional capacity can be partly attributed to psychological effects, highlighting the significance of integrating all aforementioned aspects in the nutritional intervention for cancer patients.

Effect of Multimodal Intervention on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Quality of Life among Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment—Pilot Study (Part 1)

Abstract Background Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common and devastating problem in cancer patients even after successful treatment. CRF has a severe impact on daily activities, social relationships, reintegration, and overall quality of life (QOL). Objective This study was done to evaluate the effect of multimodal intervention (MMI) on CRF and QOL among cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment. Materials and Methods One group before-and-after study (pre-experimental design) was conducted among cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment who met inclusion criteria and were selected using a purposive sampling technique, in selected hospitals. MMI consisted of exercise program, acupressure, and home care management guide. Pre-test CRF and QOL were assessed on first day using a FACIT-F scale (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy: Fatigue) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: Fatigue (FACT-G) Version 4, respectively. Post- test for CRF was further determined after 7 days, 21 days, and 3months and QOL was determined after 21 days and 3 months. Statistical Analysis Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants are presented as frequency and percentage. Comparison of pre- test and post-test means of CRF and QOL is done by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Correlation between fatigue and QOL of cancer patients was found by using Pearson correlation test. Results The mean pre-test fatigue score of the cancer patients (pre-test mean= 25.21) was lower than their mean post-test fatigue scores (post-test 1 =25.83, post-test 2 = 28.28, and post-test 3 = 34.72). There was a significant difference in CRF and QOL scores between before and after the MMI. In the repeated measures ANOVA, p-value is less than 0.05 (level of significance p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion Regardless of mechanism of occurrence of fatigue, most patients living with cancer suffer with persistent CRF. Yet it is often not assessed, has limited treatment options, there is a need to assess the state of fatigue in cancer patients. They do need intervention to reduce the fatigue and to improve the QOL. Nonpharmacological therapies are the best strategies to manage the fatigue among cancer patients without any safety issue.

Quality of life during medical oncological treatment in a real-world study in a single-institution of Peru.

e18735 Background: Quality of life (QoL), defined as a state of physical, psychological and social well-being that provides satisfaction to the patient to be able to perform daily activities, has become a very important aspect in the evaluation of cancer patients. The aim of the study was to assess the QoL of cancer patients during cancer treatment. Methods: Patients undergoing intravenous systemic treatment within three months of diagnosis were identified as eligible patients. A total of 315 patients were selected of out-patient chemotherapy and hospitalization services were included between January and December 2022. QoL was measured using the EQ-5D-5L Quality of Life Questionnaire. The health personnel previously explained the questionnaire to the patient and then were applied electronically through tablets. The questionnaire had 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression; each dimension has 5 levels from no problems (level 1) to extreme problems (level 5). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) respondent’s self-rated health, this scale is numbered from 0 (“worst health you can imagine”) to 100 (“best health you can imagine”). Level 1 vs other levels were compared and Odds ratio, chi-square and ANOVA were used to determine associated factors. Results: A total of 315 patients were included, the mean of age was 53 (18-92) and 79.1% were women. Most patients (92%) were in good performance status (Zubrod 0-1). The proportion of patients in out-patient chemotherapy service (89%) was higher than in hospitalization service (11%). A total of 48% of patients received systemic treatment with curative intention and 52%, palliative. Chemotherapy was the most common treatment (78%). Compared to gastrointestinal and central nervous system tumors; the gynecological and thorax (GTC) (OR: 2.62; 95%CI: 1.32-5.21) and genitourinary cancers (GU) (OR: 4.57; 95%CI: 1.23-16.89) had worse mobility; GTC (OR: 3.50; 95%CI: 1.69-7.24); melanoma, breast cancer, and soft tumors (MBSC) (OR: 2.14; 95%CI: 1.12-4.11) had worse self-care; and GTC (OR: 4.00; 95%CI: 1.53-10.43) had more pain/discomfort. Besides, all patients in the out-patient chemotherapy service had worse mobility (OR: 3.15; 95%CI: 1.03-9.58) and more problems during their usual activities (OR: 3.52; 95%CI: 1.27-9.76), compared to hospitalization service. In regards to the VAS, there were differences between men and women (83.05±15.49 vs 76.08±21.13, p = 0.010 respectively) and services (78.32±19.64 vs 62.94±26.15, p = 0.011 ou-patient chemotherapy vs hospitalization, respectively). Conclusions: Our study indicates that patients with gynecologic, thoracic and genitourinary neoplasms have a poorer QoL than other diagnoses during their systemic treatments. The reasons behind this finding require further research.

Correlation between overall survival and quality of life in colon cancer patients with chemotherapy

BackgroundPatients presenting with inoperable colon cancer at first onset (ICF) or at time of relapse (ICR) are considered in unrecoverable. The therapeutic goal for unrecoverable cancer is to prolong overall survival (OS) and maintain a high quality of life (QOL). As data on objective indicators of QOL in cancer patients, such as length of hospitalisation (LOH), outpatient consultation times (OCT), and hospital-free survival (HFS), is limited, this study compared ICF and ICR with respect to OS and QOL over the entire clinical course.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 90 inoperable colon cancer patients with chemotherapy and compared ICF and ICR in terms of OS, LOH, OCT, and HFS.ResultsPatients with ICF had a worse OS than those with ICR. In patients with ICF and ICR, OS and LOH were not correlated but OS and OCT and OS and HFS were strongly correlated. In patients with ICF and ICR, OCT and HFS accounted for approximately 8% and 90% of their OS, respectively.ConclusionsThe LOH, OCT, and HFS are important factors for evaluating objective QOL of patients with inoperable colon cancer and should be considered when making treatment decisions.

Analysis of quality of life and functional capacity in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in Paraná Southwest, Brazil

Understanding psychosocial responses in cancer patients is fundamental for prognosis and quality of life (QoL). Chemotherapy is the primary and essential treatment for cancer. However, patients submitted to chemotherapy frequently show emotional and cognitive disruptions, which negatively influence the overall QoL. Here we evaluated the relationship between the functional capacity (FC) and QoL of cancer patients submitted to chemotherapy in a public health hospital in Paraná southwest, Brazil. We included 101 patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy who were enrolled from June to December 2017. Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) were used to evaluate FC and QoL, respectively. Patients presented a mean age of 59.6±13 years and were predominantly female. Breast cancer was the most common neoplasia (43.56%), and most patients exhibited advanced disease (73%) and distant metastasis (66.33%) at diagnosis. The global health score evaluated by EORTC QLQ-30 was 67.5%, and about 63% of patients presented a KPS of 80%. The working function was the one most affected FC (R=0.515; p&lt;0.05). Emotional and social functions were strongly associated with patients' global health status (R=0.960; p&lt;0.05). Our data showed that the KPS is an excellent tool for evaluating the QoL in patients undergoing chemotherapy, which correlates positively with their global health and is affected by the emotional and social functions of patients.

Chemotherapy impairs ovarian function through excessive ROS-induced ferroptosis

Chemotherapy was conventionally applied to kill cancer cells, but regrettably, they also induce damage to normal cells with high-proliferative capacity resulting in cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, peripheral nerve toxicity, and ovarian toxicity. Of these, chemotherapy-induced ovarian damages mainly include but are not limited to decreased ovarian reserve, infertility, and ovarian atrophy. Therefore, exploring the underlying mechanism of chemotherapeutic drug-induced ovarian damage will pave the way to develop fertility-protective adjuvants for female patients during conventional cancer treatment. Herein, we firstly confirmed the abnormal gonadal hormone levels in patients who received chemotherapy and further found that conventional chemotherapeutic drugs (cyclophosphamide, CTX; paclitaxel, Tax; doxorubicin, Dox and cisplatin, Cis) treatment significantly decreased both the ovarian volume of mice and the number of primordial and antral follicles and accompanied with the ovarian fibrosis and reduced ovarian reserve in animal models. Subsequently, Tax, Dox, and Cis treatment can induce the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs), likely resulting from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production-induced oxidative damage and impaired cellular anti-oxidative capacity. Thirdly, the following experiments demonstrated that Cis treatment could induce mitochondrial dysfunction through overproducing superoxide in GCs and trigger lipid peroxidation leading to ferroptosis, first reported in chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage. In addition, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment could alleviate the Cis-induced toxicity in GCs by downregulating cellular ROS levels and enhancing the anti-oxidative capacity (promoting the expression of glutathione peroxidase, GPX4; nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1, HO-1). Our study confirmed the chemotherapy-induced chaotic hormonal state and ovarian damage in preclinical and clinical examination and indicated that chemotherapeutic drugs initiated ferroptosis in ovarian cells through excessive ROS-induced lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to ovarian cell death. Consequently, developing fertility protectants from the chemotherapy-induced oxidative stress and ferroptosis perspective will ameliorate ovarian damage and further improve the life quality of cancer patients.

How much does having a neurologic disease affect QoL in non-CNS cancer patients? (P7-13.002)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To measure the impact of having an active neurologic disease (ND) in the quality of life (QoL) of patients with systemic cancer (non-CNS cancer). <h3>Background:</h3> The burden from neurologic symptoms in cancer patients has scantly been studied <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Patients with systemic cancer sent for Neuro-oncologic evaluation at a single cancer center were prospectively invited to respond the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20 questionnaires. Associations of the questionnaire’s items were blindly measured for the following groups: active ND (+) or not (ND−) and active cancer (AC+) or not (AC−) <h3>Results:</h3> Of 205 patients, mean age 55.6 ± 15.8 years, 122 (60%) had a ND+ and 107 (52%) an AC+. QoL, measured by the QLQ-C30, was significantly worse in the ND+ group in the following scales/items: role (P &lt;0.001), pain (P &lt; 0.001), fatigue (P &lt;0.001), cognitive (P &lt; 0.001), appetite loss (P = 0.003), N/V (P = 0.006), emotional (P = 0.007), physical (P = 0.021), global health (P = 0.021), and insomnia (P = 0.040). For the BN20 scales/items, the ND+ group had worse scores in headache (P &lt; 0.001), weakness (P &lt; 0.001), motor (P = 0.002), visual (P = 0.015), alopecia (P = 0.019), and communication (P = 0.039) <h3>Conclusions:</h3> In cancer patients quality of life is significantly worse for patients with an active neurologic disease; therefore, an early referral and approach is recommended for all patients with neurologic symptoms <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Cacho Diaz has nothing to disclose.

Digital Guardian Angel Supported by an Artificial Intelligence System to Improve Quality of Life, Well-being, and Health Outcomes of Patients With Cancer (ONCORELIEF): Protocol for a Single Arm Prospective Multicenter Pilot Study

According to Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, the number of cancer survivors is growing every year and is now estimated at over 12 million in Europe. A main objective of the European Commission is to ensure that cancer survivors can enjoy a high quality of life, underlining the role of digital technology and eHealth apps and tools to achieve this. The main objective of this study is the development of a user-centered artificial intelligence system to facilitate the input and integration of patient-related biopsychosocial data to improve posttreatment quality of life, well-being, and health outcomes and examine the feasibility of this digitally assisted workflow in a real-life setting in patients with colorectal cancer and acute myeloid leukemia. A total of 60 patients with colorectal cancer and 30 patients with acute myeloid leukemia will be recruited from 2 clinical centers: Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (Mainz, Germany) and IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori" (IRST, Italy). Psychosocial data (eg, emotional distress, fatigue, quality of life, subjective well-being, sleep problems, and appetite loss) will be collected by questionnaires via a smartphone app, and physiological data (eg, heart rate, skin temperature, and movement through step count) will be collected by a customizable smart wrist-worn sensor device. Each patient will be assessed every 2 weeks over their 3-month participation in the ONCORELIEF study. Inclusion criteria include patients with the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia or colorectal cancer, adult patients aged 18 years and older, life expectancy greater than 12 months, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤2, and patients who have a smartphone and agree to use it for the purpose of the study. Exclusion criteria include patients with a reduced cognitive function (such as dementia) or technological illiteracy and other known active malignant neoplastic diseases (patients with a medical history of treated neoplastic disease are included). The pilot study started on September 1, 2022. As of January 2023, we enrolled 33 patients with colorectal cancer and 7 patients with acute myeloid leukemia. As of January 2023, we have not yet started the data analysis. We expect to get all data in June 2023 and expect the results to be published in the second semester of 2023. Web-based and mobile apps use methods from mathematical decision support and artificial intelligence through a closed-loop workflow that connects health professionals and patients. The ONCORELIEF system has the potential of continuously identifying, collecting, and processing data from diverse patient dimensions to offer health care recommendations, support patients with cancer to address their unmet needs, and optimize survivorship care. German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) 00027808; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00027808. DERR1-10.2196/45475.

Screening and in vitro Biological Evaluation of Novel Multiple Tyrosine Kinases Inhibitors as Promising Anticancer Agents.

Tyrosine kinases have emerged as key stimulatory drivers in several cancer-related pathways. This is particularly evident in non-small cell lung cancer with regulating cell growth and apoptosis and so on. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are one breakthrough option that could improve the life quality of cancer patients. This study aims to find more effective tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In this study, natural products from TargetMol that may be the potential TKI for lung cancer were screened through structure-based virtual screening and experimental validation. Moreover, the binding between the hit compounds and tyrosine kinase was explored. From the study findings, Gramicidin and Tannic acid have strong interactions with the four tyrosine kinases (ALK, TRK, MET, and ABL), and this could significantly inhibit the viability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings indicated that Gramicidin and Tannic acid might be potential multiple TKI and are promising anticancer agents that call for further study.

A Preliminary Study on Cancer Patients’ Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Cancer patients are 3.5 times more susceptible to COVID-19 than patients without cancer. The increasing number of COVID-19 patients is likely to impact cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL) significantly. This study aims to analyze the QoL of cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The method used is quantitative with a cross-sectional research design. In this study, 60 respondents were selected using the Consecutive Sampling Technique. The patient’s QoL was measured once by utilizing The World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL BREF) instrument. The QoL of cancer patients was shown in mean and standard deviation, and the correlation between respondent characteristics and QoL was analyzed with Spearman.Results: The results showed that the average QoL of the respondents in the physical health was 30.36 ± 7.72, the intermediate psychological was 25.88 ± 9.14, the average social relationship was 59.90 ± 13.04, and the mean environment was 56.7 ± 10.93.Conclusions: Respondents’ low QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic for all domains. This study implies the importance of paying attention to every domain of the QoL of cancer patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roles of Kampo medicine in chemotherapy‐related adverse events

AbstractBackgroundIn recent years, multidisciplinary treatment of cancer has greatly improved the results of cancer treatment. In particular, the development of molecular targeted drugs and cancer immunotherapy drugs has been carried out for many carcinomas, and this has had an important role in improving outcomes. At the same time, there have been important advances in supportive care‐related drugs, with a focus on antiemesis or neutropenia. Here, we overview the clinical roles and potential of the use and utilization of Kampo medicine.ProblemsThe side effects of cancer treatments include various symptoms, such as fatigue, numbness, and loss of appetite that are often difficult for modern medicine to deal with. When experienced, these side effects can make it difficult to continue chemotherapy because of malnutrition, infections, psychological burdens, and so on. In such cases, effective supportive care is very important as it is impossible to derive an anticancer effect unless chemotherapy can be continued.SolutionsLately, the application of traditional Japanese medicine, ‘Kampo’, to cancer supportive care has attracted attention to improve the results of cancer treatment and the quality of life (QOL) of patients. Especially, the Kampo formulae, called ‘Ho‐zai’, which demonstrate supplementing potencies, have been reported to improve nutritional and immune status. In addition, their effects on both mind and body are recognized.ConclusionsThe application of Kampo therapy in cancer supportive care is considered to be indispensable not only for improving treatment outcomes, but also for improving the quality of cancer treatments and the QOL of cancer patients in the latest treatment of cancer.