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Palliative care (PC) benefits patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but it remains underutilized. Although transplant physicians report concerns regarding how patients perceive PC, HSCT recipients’ perceptions about PC remain unaddressed. We conducted a multisite, cross-sectional survey of autologous and allogeneic HSCT recipients 3 to 12 months after transplant to assess their familiarity, knowledge, and perception of PC, as well as their unmet PC needs. We computed a composite score of patients’ perceptions of PC and used a generalized linear regression model to examine factors associated with these perceptions. We enrolled 69.6% (250/359) of potential participants (median age = 58.1; 63.1% autologous HSCT). Overall, 44.3.8% (109/249) reported limited knowledge about PC and 52% (127/245) endorsed familiarity with PC. Most patients felt hopeful (54%) and reassured (50%) when they heard the term PC; 83% saw referral as a sign their doctor cared about what was happening to them. In multivariate analyses, patients who were more knowledgeable about PC were more likely to have positive perceptions of PC (B = 7.54, standard error = 1.61, P < .001). Patients’ demographics, HSCT features, quality of life, and symptom burden were not significantly associated with perceptions of PC. HSCT recipients have positive perceptions of PC, though many have limited knowledge about its role. Patients who were more knowledgeable about PC were more likely to have positive perceptions of PC. These data do not support transplant physicians’ negative concerns about how patients perceive PC and underscore the need to further educate patients and transplant physicians about PC.

Shared decision-making (SDM) is a key component of patient-centered healthcare. SDM is particularly pertinent in the relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) setting, in which numerous treatment options can present challenges for identifying optimal care. However, few studies have assessed the extent and relevance of SDM and patient-centered communication (PCC) in RRMM. To describe treatment decision-making patterns between physicians and patients in the RRMM setting, we conducted online surveys of patients and physicians in the USA to compare their perspectives on the process of treatment decision-making. We analyzed the surveys descriptively. Two hundred hematologists/oncologists and 200 patients with RRMM receiving second-line (n = 89), third-line (n = 65), and fourth-line (n = 46) therapy participated. Top treatment goals for physicians and patients included extending overall survival (among 76% and 83% of physicians and patients, respectively) and progression-free survival (among 54% and 77% of physicians and patients, respectively), regardless of the number of prior relapses. Thirty percent of physicians believed patients preferred a shared approach to treatment decision-making, while 40% of patients reported most often preferring a shared role in treatment decision-making. One-fourth of patients most often preferred physicians to make the final treatment decision after seriously considering their opinion. Thirty-two percent of physicians and 16% of patients recalled ≥3 treatment options presented at first relapse. Efficacy was a primary treatment goal for patients and physicians. Discrepancies in their perceptions during RRMM treatment decision-making exist, indicating that communication tools are needed to facilitate SDM and PCC.

Advance care planning (ACP) intends to support person-centered medical decision-making by eliciting patient preferences. Research has not identified significant associations between ACP and goal-concordant end-of-life care, leading to justified scientific debate regarding ACP utility.To delineate ACP's potential benefits and missed opportunities and identify an evidence-informed, clinically relevant path ahead for ACP in serious illness.We conducted a narrative review merging the best available ACP empirical data, grey literature, and emergent scholarly discourse using a snowball search of PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar (2000-2022). Findings were informed by our team's interprofessional clinical and research expertise in serious illness care.Early ACP practices were largely tied to mandated document completion, potentially failing to capture the holistic preferences of patients and surrogates. ACP models focused on serious illness communication rather than documentation show promising patient and clinician results. Ideally, ACP would lead to goal-concordant care even amid the unpredictability of serious illness trajectories. But ACP might also provide a false sense of security that patients' wishes will be honored and revisited at end-of-life. An iterative, 'building block' framework to integrate ACP throughout serious illness is provided alongside clinical practice, research, and policy recommendations.We advocate a balanced approach to ACP, recognizing empirical deficits while acknowledging potential benefits and ethical imperatives (e.g., fostering clinician-patient trust and shared decision-making). We support prioritizing patient/surrogate-centered outcomes with more robust measures to account for interpersonal clinician-patient variables that likely inform ACP efficacy and may better evaluate information gleaned during serious illness encounters.

Background The relationship between CINV duration and recurrence in subsequent cycles is largely unstudied. Our objective was to determine if patients experiencing CINV in their first cycle of chemotherapy (C1) would face increased risk of CINV in later cycles and whether the duration of the CINV would predict increased risk of recurrence. Patients and Methods Using data from a previously reported phase III trial, we assessed patients’ recurrence of breakthrough CINV after antiemetic prophylaxis for anthracycline+cyclophosphamide (AC) for breast cancer, comparing C1 short CINV vs. extended CINV as a secondary analysis. Complete response (CR) and CINV duration were primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. CR was considered prophylaxis success; lack of CR was considered treatment failure (TF). Results Among 402 female patients, 99 (24.6%) had TF in C1 (TF1). The remaining 303 patients (CR1) had ≥93% CR rates in each subsequent cycle, while the 99 patients with TF1 had TF rates of 49.8% for cycles 2-4 (P < .001). The 51 patients with extended TF (≥3 days) in C1 had recurrent TF in 73/105 later cycles (69.5%, P < .001), while the 48 patients with short TF (1-2 days) in C1 had recurrent TF in 33/108 later cycles (30.6%). The relative risk of recurrence after C1 extended TF was 2.28 (CI 1.67-3.11; P < .001) compared to short TF. Conclusions Prophylaxis success in C1 led to >90% repeat success across cycles of AC-based chemotherapy. For patients with breakthrough CINV, extended duration strongly predicted recurrent CINV. The duration of CINV should be closely monitored, and augmenting antiemetic prophylaxis considered for future cycles when extended CINV occurs.

Aim: This retrospective, observational study assessed healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients receiving intensive induction chemotherapy. Materials & methods: Adult AML patients with inpatient hospitalization or hospital-based outpatient visit receiving intensive induction chemotherapy (CPX-351 or 7 + 3 treatments) were identified from the Premier Healthcare Database (US). Results: All 642 patients had inpatient hospitalizations (median number = 2; median length of stay = 16 days); 22.4% had an ICU admission. Median total outpatient hospital cost was US$2904 per patient, inpatient hospital cost was $83,440 per patient, and ICU cost was $16,550 per patient. Discussion: In the US hospital setting, substantial HCRU and costs associated with intensive induction chemotherapy for AML were driven by inpatient hospitalizations.

Background: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) face an abrupt life-threatening illness and experience immense physical and psychological symptoms. However, no data describe how patients with AML cope longitudinally with their illness or the relationship between longitudinal coping and outcomes. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from 160 patients with high-risk AML enrolled in a supportive care intervention trial to describe coping strategies longitudinally across the illness course. We used the Brief COPE questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian Version, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia to measure coping strategies, psychological distress, and quality of life (QoL) at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, 12, and 24 after diagnosis. Electronic health records were used to assess healthcare utilization and end-of-life (EoL) outcomes, and multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationship between coping and outcomes. Results: Longitudinal utilization of approach-oriented coping strategies was significantly associated with less distress (anxiety: β, –0.18; PPPPPPP=.049). Conclusions: Longitudinal use of approach-oriented coping strategies was associated with less psychological distress, better QoL, and a lower likelihood of ICU admission, suggesting a possible target for supportive oncology interventions. Coping strategies did not impact EoL outcomes, and further research is needed to elucidate which patient factors impact EoL decision-making.

Patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often experience intensive medical care at the end of life (EOL), including high rates of hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Despite this, studies examining code status transitions are lacking. We conducted a mixed-methods study of 200 patients with high-risk AML enrolled in supportive care studies at Massachusetts General Hospital between 2014 and 2021. We defined high-risk AML as relapsed/refractory or diagnosis at age ≥60. We used a consensus-driven medical record review to characterize code status transitions. At diagnosis, 86.0% (172/200) of patients were “full code” (38.5% presumed, 47.5% confirmed) and 8.5% had restrictions on life-sustaining therapies. Overall, 57.0% of patients experienced a transition during the study period. The median time from the last transition to death was 2 days (range, 0-350). Most final transitions (71.1%) were to comfort measures near EOL; only 60.5% of patients participated in these last transitions. We identified 3 conversation types leading to transitions: informative conversations focusing on futility after clinical deterioration (51.0%), anticipatory conversations at the time of acute deterioration (32.2%), and preemptive conversations (15.6%) before deterioration. Younger age (B = 0.04; P = .002) and informative conversations (B = −2.79; P < .001) were associated with shorter time from last transition to death. Over two-thirds of patients were “presumed full code” at diagnosis of high-risk AML, and most experienced code status transitions focused on the futility of continuing life-sustaining therapies near EOL. These results suggest that goals-of-care discussions occur late in the illness course for patients with AML and warrant interventions to increase earlier discussions regarding EOL preferences.

Several prognostic tools have been developed to aid clinicians in survival prediction. However, changes in symptoms are rarely included in established prognostic systems. We aimed to investigate the influence of changes in symptoms and quality of life (QOL) on survival time in outpatients with advanced cancer.Study subjects included a subgroup of those with longitudinal symptom and QOL data within a larger, single-site parent study. We assessed patients' symptoms and QOL at enrollment and follow-up at an approximately 3-month interval. Patients' symptoms were evaluated by the Korean version of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (K-ESAS). QOL was checked by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Participants were categorized into three groups by changes in symptoms or QOL. These groups were: improved (having at least a one level of improvement in the response scale), stable (no change), or worsened (at least a one level of worsening in the scale). We compared survival time in the improved plus stable vs. worsened groups, using a log-rank test.We analyzed 60 patients, with a median survival time of 346 days. In the Worsened group, depression (P0.01) and sleep disturbance (P0.01) by K-ESAS, and dyspnea (P0.03) per the EORTC QLQ-C30, were statistically significantly related to shorter survival time compared to 'improved and stable' group. There was no relationship between changes in other symptoms, overall QOL, and survival.Longitudinal assessment of depression, sleep disturbance and dyspnea may be useful in prognostication of patients with advanced cancer. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings with more consecutive assessments in diverse populations.

Mobile health interventions can improve patient care. We developed the Digital Supportive Care Awareness and Navigation (D-SCAN) application (app) to facilitate symptom monitoring and use/awareness of cancer supportive care resources. This study tested feasibility, usability/satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy of D-SCAN.We randomized 50 patients with advanced cancer to receive the D-SCAN intervention or usual care; 10 caregivers also received D-SCAN. The primary feasibility outcome was determined by weekly symptom survey completion and end of study procedures. We assessed secondary outcomes including usability/satisfaction, awareness/use of supportive care resources, patient activation, and quality of life via various questionnaires including the Net Promoter Score (NPS), Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), and Caregiver Oncology Quality of Life (CarGOQOL) questionnaire.Seventy-six percent of intervention patients met feasibility criteria, exceeding our pre-determined threshold of 75%. Usability/satisfaction by NPS was high, at 14.3% and 12.5% for patients and caregivers, respectively. Intervention patient and caregiver resource awareness increased by a mean of 3.7 (p = 0.27) and 4.1 items, respectively. Supportive care resource utilization increased by a mean of 0.8 items for intervention patients (p = 0.70) and 0.6 for caregivers. PAM-13 increased by a mean of 1.6 for intervention patients (p = 0.65). FACT-G increased by a mean of 1.1 for intervention patients (p = 0.91), and CarGOQoL increased by a mean of 2.2 (p = 0.41).D-SCAN is a feasible, usable, and satisfactory intervention for augmenting patient and caregiver supportive care. Further testing is necessary to formally assess D-SCAN's efficacy and impact on patients and caregivers.NCT03628794. Registered on August 14th, 2018.

Treatment decisions in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are challenging, particularly for those who are not candidates for intensive chemotherapy (IC), and the trade-offs patients, their families and physicians consider when choosing a treatment option are not well understood. This qualitative research explored the value of extending survival and the treatment decision-making process from a multi-stakeholder perspective.Overall, 28 patients with AML (≥ 65 years old, unsuitable for IC), 25 of their relatives and 10 independent physicians from the US, UK and Canada took part in one-on-one, 60-minute qualitative interviews.Across all stakeholders, improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL), extended survival and relief of AML symptoms were recognized as most important in AML treatment decision-making. However, extending survival in 'good health' was more important than extending survival alone, particularly because of the extra time it gives patients and their relatives together, and allows patients to achieve important goals. Patients' limited understanding of available treatment options, paired with incorrect perceptions of treatment side effects, impacted their involvement in the treatment decision-making process. Patients and physicians perceived physicians to have the most influence in the decision-making process despite their priorities not always aligning.These findings illustrate the importance of having structured discussions which explicitly assess patients' goals and their understanding and expectations of treatments and also the need for patient friendly resources about the lived experience of AML and available treatment options. These measures will help to ensure that patients are fully involved in the shared decision-making process.

Background: Patients (≥60 years) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often receive intense health care utilization at the end of life (EOL). However, factors associated with their health care use at the EOL are unknown. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of 168 deceased patients with AML within the United States. We assessed quality of life (QOL) (Functional-Assessment-Cancer-Therapy-Leukemia), and psychological distress (Hospital-Anxiety-and-Depression Scale [HADS]; Patient-Health-Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) at diagnosis. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine the association between patient-reported factors and the following outcomes: (1) hospitalizations in the last 7 days of life, (2) receipt of chemotherapy in the last 30 days of life, and (3) hospice utilization. Results: About 66.7% (110/165) were hospitalized in the last 7 days of life, 51.8% (71/137) received chemotherapy in the last 30 days of life, and 40.7% (70/168) utilized hospice. In multivariable models, higher education (odds ratio [OR] = 1.54, p = 0.006) and elevated baseline depression symptoms (PHQ-9: OR = 1.09, p = 0.028) were associated with higher odds of hospitalization in the last seven days of life, while higher baseline QOL (OR = 0.98, p = 0.009) was associated with lower odds of hospitalization at the EOL. Higher baseline depression symptoms were associated with receipt of chemotherapy at the EOL (HADS-Depression: OR = 1.10, p = 0.042). Higher education was associated with lower hospice utilization (OR = 0.356, p = 0.024). Conclusions: Patients with AML who are more educated, with higher baseline depression symptoms and lower QOL, were more likely to experience high health care utilization at the EOL. These populations may benefit from interventions to optimize the quality of their EOL care.

Objectives When patients make cancer treatment decisions, they consider the needs and preferences of family caregivers and clinicians. We examined how much all three triad members agreed about goals of treatment and caregivers’ influence on decision-making. Methods We surveyed 70 triads of patients, caregivers, and oncologists who had recently made an advanced cancer treatment decision. We assessed each triad member’s perception of the goal of treatment and the caregiver’s influence on the decision. Participants also completed scales related to decisional conflict, satisfaction, and regret. Results In only 28/70 triads (40%), all three agreed on the goal of treatment with the most common goal being to live longer (n = 22). Whereas patients and caregivers tended to think the goal was to cure or live longer, oncologists were less optimistic. In only 22 triads (31%), all three agreed on how much influence the caregiver had on decision-making. Oncologists tended to underestimate caregiver influence. Patients and caregivers had low decisional conflict (M=15.40, SD=4.51; M=17.09, SD=6.34, respectively). Conclusions Advanced cancer treatment decision-making occurs amid incomplete understanding among patients, caregivers, and oncologists. Practice implications Confirming agreement about goals of care and influence on treatment decision-making may increase the likelihood of goal-concordant care throughout the illness trajectory.

Introduction: Treatment with dasatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been associated with development of pleural effusion, however data regarding its optimal management are limited. We examined treatment patterns and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs among patients with CML treated with dasatinib who experienced a subsequent pleural effusion. Methods: Adults with CML and ≥1 pharmacy claim for dasatinib in 2015–2018 who experienced pleural effusion after dasatinib were identified using data from claims databases. Results: Overall, 123 patients were eligible. After 1 year, of the 38.2% of patients with a dose modification, 72.3% did not switch treatment; amongst these patients, 70.6% continued treatment. Among patients with a stable dose after pleural effusion (61.8%), 57.9% later switched to another TKI. The mean (SD) duration of dasatinib treatment after pleural effusion was 262.0 (124.0) days for patients with a dose modification versus 149.1 (155.2) days for those with a stable dose (p < 0.001). HCRU and costs were similar between groups. Discussion/Conclusion: Dasatinib dose modification after pleural effusion was not always required; however, patients with dose modifications continued therapy for a longer duration with a lower rate of switching to another TKI versus patients who remained on a stable dose.

Developments in investigational agents and novel regimens in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were reported in the 2022 American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. Encouraging efficacy data were presented from first-in-human studies of two investigational menin inhibitors, SNDX-5613 and KO-539, in relapsed and refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with KMT2A rearrangement or mutant NPM1, with overall response rates (ORR) of 53% (32/60) and 40% (8/20), respectively. The addition of the novel drug pivekimab sunirine, a first-in-class antibody–drug conjugate targeting CD123, to azacitidine and venetoclax in R/R AML resulted in an ORR of 45% (41/91), which rose to 53% in those who were venetoclax naïve. Additional novel triplet treatment combinations included the addition of magrolimab, an anti-CD47 antibody, to azacitidine and venetoclax, with an ORR of 81% (35/43) in newly diagnosed AML, including an ORR of 74% (20/27) in TP53 mutated AML. The addition of the FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib to azacitidine/venetoclax was also featured, with an ORR of 100% (27/27) in newly diagnosed AML and an ORR of 70% (14/20) in R/R AML.

Fragmented communication with patients and families during hospitalizations often leaves patients confused about the daily plan.To pilot a supplemental text message-based platform for improving bidirectional communication about the clinical plan and patients' goals.Randomized controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: Thirty adult patients, thirty caregivers of pediatric patients, and the interns caring for them on inpatient general medicine and pediatric services.Patients and caregivers were texted or emailed daily to report their personal goal and assess their understanding of the team's clinical plan. Interns were texted daily to report the team's clinical plan and to assess their understanding of the patient's personal goal.Primary outcomes were feasibility, defined as survey response rates, and acceptability. Secondary outcomes were patient comprehension of the clinical plan, trainee comprehension of the patient's goal, patient-centered communication scores, and educational satisfaction scores.Thirty adult patients, thirty caregivers of pediatric patients, fourteen general medicine interns, and six general pediatric interns enrolled. Intervention feasibility was met, with survey response rates of 80% for general medicine trainees, 67% for general pediatric trainees, 58% for adult patients, and 70% for caregivers. Patients and caregivers in the intervention arm had higher understanding of medication changes (76% vs 50%, p = 0.02) and new consultations (90% vs 61%, p = 0.002). Interns had higher understanding of patients' goals in the intervention arm (93% vs 40%, p0.001), particularly for adult patients (97% vs 17%, p0.001). Caregivers rated communication higher regarding information to help make decisions (p = 0.04). Interviews demonstrated high acceptability.Our text message-based communication intervention was feasible and acceptable to all involved participants, with preliminary signals of efficacy. The intervention may contribute to improved understanding of medication changes and new consultations, as well as help in making decisions. A large, randomized efficacy trial of this intervention is warranted. Graphical abstract.

Background Advances in multiple myeloma treatment and a proliferation of treatment options have resulted in improved survival rates and periods of symptom-free remission for many multiple myeloma patients. As a result, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concerns related to myeloma treatments have become increasingly salient for this patient population and represent an important consideration guiding patients’ treatment choices. To gain an understanding of patients’ experiences with choosing myeloma therapies and explore the HRQoL concerns that are most important to them, we interviewed a diverse sample of US-based multiple myeloma patients about their treatment considerations. Methods We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using in-depth interviews. Participants reflected on (1) the factors that were most important to them when thinking about multiple myeloma treatment and how these have changed over time, (2) how they might weigh the importance of treatment efficacy vs. side effects, (3) trade-offs they would be willing to make regarding efficacy vs. HRQoL, and (4) treatment changes they had experienced. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and narratives were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Results We interviewed 21 patients, heterogeneous in their disease trajectory and treatment experience. Participants were 36 to 78 years, 52% female, and 38% Black. Efficacy was named as the most important treatment consideration by almost two-thirds of participants, and over half also valued HRQoL aspects such as the ability to maintain daily functioning and enjoyment of life. Participants expressed concern about potential treatment side effects and preferred more convenient treatment options. Although participants stated largely trusting their clinicians’ treatment recommendations, many said they would stop a clinician-recommended treatment if it negatively impacted their HRQoL. Participants also said that while they prioritized treatment efficacy, they would be willing to change to a less efficacious treatment if side effects became intolerable. Conclusions Our findings link to other reports reflecting considerations that are important to multiple myeloma patients, including the importance placed on increasing life expectancy and progression-free survival, but also the tension between treatment efficacy and quality of life. Our results extend these findings to a racially diverse US-based patient population at different stages in the disease trajectory.

e24134 Background: Limited research suggests that war metaphors may be harmful for patients with cancer. For instance, it has been claimed that the use of war metaphors is associated with increased anxiety and depression, as well as poor coping for patients with cancer. However, little is known about how patients use and perceive these metaphors. Metaphors, which are intrinsic to the human conceptual system, help articulate patients’ experiences and needs. In this study, we explored patient narratives of illness metaphors in cancer, focusing particularly on war metaphors. Methods: Fifteen patients diagnosed with various stages of lung, colorectal or breast cancer completed semi-structured qualitative interviews about their use of metaphors after their cancer diagnoses. Interviews explored war metaphors in the context of treatment decisions, aggressiveness of care, and quality of life. Patients were also provided with a curated list of metaphors and asked about their use and experience thereof. Transcribed interviews were organized and analyzed by descriptive content analysis using NVivo software. Results: The most used metaphor categories were: 1) nature (e.g., journey, season); 2) militaristic (e.g., battle, victory, fight); and 3) uncertainty (e.g., mystery, puzzle). War metaphors were frequently referenced in patients’ support communities rather than in hospital or clinician encounters. Next, all patients with non-metastatic disease (n = 7) used war metaphors to describe their illness experience. Among all patients who used metaphorical language to describe their experience (n = 14), the only ones who did not use war metaphors (n = 2) had metastatic disease; these patients found war metaphors to be unhelpful due to their sense of having no control over the outcome. Lastly, participants reported that war metaphors served the following purposes in their illness experience with cancer: 1) promoted perseverance in the face of adversity, 2) expressed optimism, and 3) allowed them to relate cancer to previous life challenges. Conclusions: The hypothesis that war metaphors are invariably counterproductive for patients appears to be misguided. Metaphors of fighting, victory and battle worked both to empower and harm patients in this study, depending on the individual patient and their prognosis. While more prospective studies with robust sample sizes are needed to elucidate the role of metaphors in the lived experience of patients with cancer, our patients suggest the need to individualize, acknowledge and explore these metaphors for cancer populations.

Aim: Evaluate the relative efficacy of oral versus injectable azacitidine (AZA) maintenance therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after complete remission. Materials & methods: Systematic literature review identified QUAZAR AML-001, HOVON 97 AML, UK NCRI AML16 and QoLESS-AZA-AMLE (sensitivity analysis) trials. Network meta-analysis and matching-adjusted indirect comparisons assessed survival outcomes. Results: In the network meta-analysis, combining the HOVON 97 and UK NCRI trials, oral AZA (QUAZAR) was associated with significantly improved overall survival (OS) versus injectable AZA (hazard ratio: 0.744; 95% credible interval: 0.557–0.998). After matching-adjusted indirect comparisons, to address differences in patient characteristics across trials, OS improvements were maintained with oral versus injectable AZA (hazard ratio: 0.753; credible interval: 0.563–0.998). Conclusion: In AML, maintenance therapy with oral AZA was associated with improved OS versus injectable AZA.

PURPOSE To provide guidance on the use of opioids to manage pain from cancer or cancer treatment in adults. METHODS A systematic review of the literature identified systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials of the efficacy and safety of opioid analgesics in people with cancer, approaches to opioid initiation and titration, and the prevention and management of opioid adverse events. PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 1, 2010, to February 17, 2022. American Society of Clinical Oncology convened an Expert Panel to review the evidence and formulate recommendations. RESULTS The evidence base consisted of 31 systematic reviews and 16 randomized controlled trials. Opioids have primarily been evaluated in patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain, and they effectively reduce pain in this population, with well-characterized adverse effects. Evidence was limited for several of the questions of interest, and the Expert Panel relied on consensus for these recommendations or noted that no recommendation could be made at this time. RECOMMENDATIONS Opioids should be offered to patients with moderate-to-severe pain related to cancer or active cancer treatment unless contraindicated. Opioids should be initiated PRN (as needed) at the lowest possible dose to achieve acceptable analgesia and patient goals, with early assessment and frequent titration. For patients with a substance use disorder, clinicians should collaborate with a palliative care, pain, and/or substance use disorder specialist to determine the optimal approach to pain management. Opioid adverse effects should be monitored, and strategies are provided for prevention and management. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/supportive-care-guidelines .

BACKGROUND Audio recordings of oncology clinic discussions can help patients retain and understand information about their disease and treatment decisions. Access to this tool relies on acceptance of recordings by oncologists. This is the first study to evaluate experience and attitudes of oncologists toward patients recording clinic visits. METHODS Medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists from 5 US cancer centers and community affiliates were surveyed to evaluate clinicians' experience, beliefs, and practices regarding patient-initiated recordings. RESULTS Among 360 oncologists (69% response rate), virtually all (93%) have experienced patients seeking to record visits. Although 75% are comfortable with recording, 25% are uncomfortable and 56% report concerns ranging from less thorough discussions to legal liability. Most (85%) always agree when patients ask to record, but 15% never or selectively allow recording. Although 51% believe recording is positive for the patient-physician relationship, a sizable minority report that it can lead to less detailed conversations (28%) or avoidance of difficult topics, including prognosis (33%). Views did not vary based on subspecialty, practice setting, or geographic region, but older age and years in practice were associated with more positive views of recording. The majority of clinicians (72%) desire institutional policies to govern guidelines about recordings. CONCLUSIONS Most oncologists are comfortable with patient requests to record visits, but a sizable minority remain uncomfortable, and access to recording varies solely on physician preference. This difference in care delivery may benefit from institutional policies that promote access while addressing legitimate physician concerns over privacy and appropriate use of recordings.

This study describes the prevalence and persistence of fatigue among a cohort of long-term non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. Mailed surveys assessed quality-of-life including fatigue (SF-36) at baseline and five years. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with prevalence of fatigue at baseline and persistence of fatigue across timepoints. More than one-quarter (27.7%) of the 555 NHL survivors reported clinically meaningful fatigue at baseline and 18.7% reported persistent fatigue at five years. One-third (34.4%) reported clinically meaningful worsening of fatigue over time. Independent associations with persistent fatigue included female gender, less education, past chemotherapy, increased comorbidities, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (P

Young adults (YAs), aged 18-39 years, with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) navigate life disruptions amid an unpredictable illness trajectory. We conducted a secondary analysis of patient-reported outcomes for hospitalized YAs with high-risk AML receiving intensive chemotherapy, collected during a multisite randomized clinical trial. Of the 160 patients, 14 (8.8%) were YAs. At week 2 of hospitalization, YAs demonstrated significant worse quality of life (β = -18.27

Caregivers of patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) must cope with substantial caregiving burden, high rates of psychological distress, and diminished quality of life (QOL). However, data describing coping strategies before HSCT and the association between coping, QOL, and psychological outcomes in this population are lacking. We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected during a multisite randomized clinical trial of a supportive care intervention in HSCT recipients and their caregivers. Caregivers completed the Brief COPE, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Caregiver Oncology Quality of Life Questionnaire to measure coping strategies, psychological distress, and QOL, respectively. We grouped coping into 2 higher-order domains: approach-oriented (ie, emotional support and active coping) and avoidant (ie, self-blame and denial). We used the median split method to describe the distribution of coping and multivariate linear regression models to assess the relationship between coping and caregiver outcomes. We enrolled 170 caregivers, with a median (range) age of 53 (47-64) years. Most were White (87%), non-Hispanic (96%), and female (77%). Approach-oriented coping was associated with less anxiety (β = −0.210, P = .003), depression symptoms (β = −0.160, P = .009), and better QOL (β = 0.526, P = .002). In contrast, avoidant coping was associated with more anxiety (β = 0.687, P

There are limited real-world data about patient-reported outcomes with immunotherapies (IO) in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). We describe patient-reported distress and clinical outcomes with IO-based treatments or cytotoxic chemotherapies (Chemo).We conducted a single-institution retrospective chart review of adults with mNSCLC treated at Duke from 03/2015 to 06/2020. At each visit, patients self-reported their distress level and sources of distress using the NCCN Distress Thermometer (DT) and its 39-item Problem List. We abstracted demographic, clinical, distress, and investigator assessed-clinical response data, then analyzed these using descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations.Data from 152 patients were analyzed in four groups: Chemo alone, IO + Chemo, single agent IO, dual agent IO. Distress was worse before treatment start in all groups, and the odds of actionable distress (DT score 4) decreased by 10 % per month. The most frequent sources of distress were physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue, pain), which remained high longitudinally. Patients receiving IO had higher clinical response rates and a lower rate of unplanned healthcare encounters compared to patients treated with Chemo alone. Only one-third of all patients were seen by palliative care.This single-center, real-world evidence study demonstrates that patients with mNSCLC experience significant distress prior to starting first-line treatment. IO treatment was associated with higher clinical benefit rates and lower healthcare utilization compared to chemotherapy. Symptom distress persists over time, highlighting potential unmet palliative and supportive care needs in mNSCLC care in the IO treatment era.

Adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) face considerable distress and often have a poor prognosis. However, little is known about these patients’ perceptions of prognosis and how this relates to emotional well-being (EWB). We conducted a prospective, observational study of 50 adult patients with AML initiating chemotherapy, and surveyed them longitudinally for 6 months about their prognosis, treatment goals, quality of life, and EWB (by FACT-G). We derived a prognostic estimate for each patient based on data from published trials summarized in National Comprehensive Care Network Guidelines. We used descriptive statistics and longitudinal modeling to test the hypothesis that more accurate prognostic awareness is associated with worse EWB. Most patients (n = 43; 86%) had an objectively poor prognosis attributable to relapsed disease, complex karyotype, or FLT3 mutation. Yet, 74% of patients reported expecting a 50% or greater chance of cure. Patients with a poor prognosis more often had discordant prognostic estimates, compared to those with favorable risk AML (OR = 7.25, 95% CI 1.21, 43.37). Patient-reported prognostic estimates did not vary significantly over time. At baseline, patients who better understood their prognosis had worse EWB and overall quality-of-life scores (EWB 12 vs. 19.5; p = 0.01; FACT-G 65 vs. 75.5; p = 0.01). Patients with AML overestimate their prognosis, and awareness of a poor prognosis is associated with worse emotional well-being. Efforts are needed to improve patients’ understanding of their prognosis, and to provide more psychosocial support and attention to well-being as part of high-quality leukemia care.

Limited real-world information exists on the characteristics or treatment patterns of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). We reported demographics, treatments and direct healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in a large cohort of US patients newly diagnosed with PTCL. Patients aged ≥18 years with a PTCL diagnosis between January 2011 and December 2016 were identified from the Inovalon MORE2 Registry. Continuous medical/pharmacy enrollment 6-months prior to and ≥1-month after the first PTCL diagnosis was required. The main focus of this study was on newly diagnosed patients receiving cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) versus other chemotherapy. A total 2971 patients with PTCL and chemotherapy information were included in the study; 1706 (57%) received CHOP and 1265 (43%) other chemotherapy. A majority of patients (51.7%) were female; mean (standard deviation) age at index was 61.0 (±16.0), Charlson score was 4.1 (±2.9), and follow-up time was 24.6 (±16.7) months. During the variable follow-up period, HRU was similar for the CHOP and other chemotherapy cohorts; 58.1% and 59.3% had ≥1 all-cause hospitalizations, respectively. The proportion of patients with ≥1 PTCL-related hospitalizations was higher in the CHOP than in the other chemotherapy cohort (40.3% vs. 9.7%, respectively) and mean length of stay was longer (4.6 vs. 3.7 days per patient per month, respectively). This retrospective analysis of patients with PTCL revealed high levels of comorbidity and HRU; novel interventions that improve patient outcomes and reduce the HRU burden of PTCL are needed.

Background Patient decision aids (PDAs) are tools designed to facilitate decision-making. In this systematic review, we summarized existing studies on the development and evaluation of PDAs for patients with hematologic malignancies. Patients and Methods We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched for articles in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov. We included studies, abstracts, and clinical trial protocols available in English involving PDAs for patients age ≥18 diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy and/or their caregivers. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results Of the 5281 titles/abstracts screened, 15 were included: 1 protocol, 7 abstracts, and 7 full-texts. Six were PDA developmental studies, 6 were pilot studies, and 3 were randomized trials. PDA formats included electronic with web content, videos, and/or audio, questionnaires, bedside instruments, and a combination of various formats. Average participant age ranged from 36.0 to 62.4 years. Patients and caregivers identified efficacy, adverse effects, cost, and quality of life as important decision-making factors. PDAs were associated with increased knowledge and patient satisfaction as well as decreased decisional conflict and attitudinal barriers. Research on PDAs for adult patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers is limited. Among the studies, PDAs appear to support patients in shared decision-making. Conclusion While current literature examining the use of PDAs for adults with hematologic malignancies is limited, the positive impact of PDAs on shared decision-making and patient outcomes warrants additional research in this field.

Meaning-making is fundamental to the cancer experience and communication within cancer care is saturated with metaphors. The objective of this study was to better understand the impact and function of war metaphors among patients with cancer.Patients at the Duke Cancer Center were purposively sampled for inclusion based on type and stage of their cancer. Each patient underwent a semi-structured interview to explore their use of metaphors in their lived experience with cancer. Qualitative interviews broadly explored two key areas of interest: (1) frequency and use of metaphors to describe cancer diagnosis, treatment, or survivorship; (2) function and impact of the war metaphor on the patient experience of cancer.Fifteen participants with either breast, lung, or colorectal cancer were interviewed. Most patients used metaphor themes of journey, war, and mystery to describe their cancer. All patients with non-metastatic disease used war metaphors and described how these metaphors facilitated meaning-making by promoting positivity and situating cancer within a larger life story. The few patients who did not use war metaphors had metastatic disease, and they explained that war metaphors were unhelpful due to feeling a lack of control over their metastatic disease and outcomes.The war metaphor should remain an integral part of cancer care. Disregarding war metaphors robs patients of an important framework for meaning-making-one that may promote strength, continuity, and resilience in navigating cancer.

Background: CINV remains a challenging chemotherapy toxicity, particularly for anthracyclines + cyclophosphamide (AC) for breast cancer. Complete response (CR), defined as no vomiting or use of rescue medication over 5 days after chemotherapy, has been the standard endpoint for successful antiemetic prophylaxis, yet duration of prophylaxis treatment failure (i.e., breakthrough CINV) is rarely assessed. Previous work demonstrated that initial cycle breakthrough CINV is associated with at least one subsequent cycle with CINV (Schwartzberg 2011), and that longer duration CINV is associated with more lost work time and impaired activity (Schwartzberg ASCO 2020). We sought to evaluate the duration of breakthrough CINV in cycle one and its association with individual patients’ repeat breakthrough CINV in subsequent cycles. Methods: Days of CINV was a prespecified endpoint in a prospective, 4-cycle CINV prophylaxis trial of combination netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) + dexamethasone (Dex) for patients with breast cancer receiving AC; the primary endpoint was CR. Patients without CR were classified as prophylaxis treatment failure (TF) and categorized as short TF (sTF, 1-2 days) or extended TF (xTF, ≥3 days), consistent with work by Ballatori [2006] and Roeland [2019]. We analyzed patients’ sequences of CR, sTF, and xTF for cycles 1-4 and assessed likelihood of CR for cycles 2-4 based on cycle 1 TF duration, using chi-square statistics. Results: Of 402 patients in cycle 1, 303 had CR and 99 (24.6%) had TF. Duration of TF in cycle 1 was sTF for 48 patients while 51 patients had xTF. Patients with sTF in cycle 1 often experienced CR in cycle 2 (32/46 remaining patients; 69.6%) while patients with xTF in cycle 1 often had TF in cycle 2 (38/49; 77.6%). Patients had >84% likelihood of repeating their cycle 2 outcome (CR or TF) in cycles 3 and 4. Over all cycles, those with sTF in cycle 1 had CR in 75/108 later cycles (69.4%) while xTF in cycle 1 led to CR in 32/105 later cycles (29.0%), p Impact of Extended CINV in Cycle 1 on CINV in Later CyclesTF1P valueInitial Cycle Result (n/total initial cycles)Total TF1 (99/402)Short TF1 (48/99)Extended TF1 (51/99)Short vs Extended TF1Later CR cycles (n, % of total later cycles)107 (50.2%)75 (69.4%)32 (29.0%) Citation Format: Rudolph M. Navari, Gary Binder, Eric J. Roeland, Alexander Molassiotis, Kathryn J. Ruddy, Thomas W. LeBlanc, Dwight D. Kloth, Silvia Sebastiani, Marco Turini, Luke M. Schmerold, Xing Liu, Lee Schwartzberg. Duration of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) as a predictor of later-cycle CINV [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS13-27.

Background: Although many studies have demonstrated consistent levels of effectiveness of CINV prophylaxis for the entire study population across multiple chemotherapy cycles, rarely have studies reported how each patient’s risk of subsequent CINV differs based on prior cycle breakthrough CINV with the same prophylaxis. We lack data on whether prophylaxis continues to fail in the same group of patients each cycle, or whether failure is random with each subsequent cycle. We sought to evaluate individual patients’ risk of repeat CINV in each subsequent chemotherapy cycle. Methods: In a prospective, 4-cycle CINV prophylaxis trial of oral or intravenous combination netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) + dexamethasone (day 1) for patients with breast cancer receiving anthracycline + cyclophosphamide (AC), we defined CINV as vomiting or use of rescue medication during days 1-5 after chemotherapy. Patients without CINV were classified as complete response (CR); the rest as treatment failure (TF). We analyzed patients’ sequences of CR and TF, and compared CR or TF for cycles 2-4 based on cycle 1 outcomes, using chi-square statistics. To provide context, we performed a post-hoc similar analysis of results reported by Herrstedt et al [2005] from a clinical trial of ondansetron + aprepitant (APR) for patients with breast cancer receiving 4 cycles of AC. Results: The 402 female patients in the NEPA trial received a total of 1,299 cycles. In cycle 1, 99 (24.6%) patients experienced TF (TF1); over all 4 cycles, TF occurred 253 times (19.5%). Patients with CR in cycle 1 (CR1) had a ≥92% rate of CR in cycle 2; their rates of repeat CR were similar in each subsequent cycle. Patients with TF1 had nearly equal risk of CR or TF in cycle 2 (45:55); thereafter 85% of this TF1 subgroup repeated their cycle 2 outcome (CR or TF) in cycles 3 and 4. Over all cycles of NEPA, patients with CR1 subsequently had CR in >90% of cycles 2-4; those with TF1 subsequently had TF in 49.8% of cycles 2-4 (p Repeat CINV in Later Cycles, Based on Cycle 1 ResultsNEPAAprepitant + OndansetronInitial Cycle Result (n/total initial cycles)CR1 (303/402)TF1 (99/402)CR1 vs TF1 (P value)CR1 (220/433)TF1 (213/433)CR1 vs TF1 (P value)Subsequent CR cycles (n, % of total subseq. cycles)636 (93.0%)107 (50.2%) Citation Format: Rudolph M Navari, Gary Binder, Alexander Molassiotis, Eric Roeland, Kathryn J. Ruddy, Thomas W. LeBlanc, Dwight D. Kloth, Silvia Sebastiani, Lina Y. Dimberg, Luke M. Schmerold, Xing Liu, Lee Schwartzberg. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) risk after prior breakthrough CINV: Unmasking the false average [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS13-09.

Psychological distress is prevalent in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Many patients, regardless of prognosis, receive ABVD chemotherapy as first-line treatment, but few studies have specifically examined the nature of distress during this shared treatment experience. We conducted a retrospective study of patient-reported distress in HL patients receiving ABVD treatment at a single tertiary care facility. Distress was measured using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List (PL). We used descriptive statistics and generalized estimating equations to assess the prevalence of distress and specific problem items during treatment and associations with patient- and disease-related factors. We collected data from 50 patients comprising 467 unique encounters, with 369/467 (79.0%) reporting a distress thermometer score. Median distress score was 2 (IQR: 0–5), but actionable distress (distress thermometer ≥4) was noted for 118/369 (32.0%) encounters. Actionable distress was only related to having a prior cancer, which conferred lower odds of actionable distress (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07–0.74, p=0.01) Physical and emotional problems were reported for 287/369 (77.8%) and 125/369 (33.9%) visits, respectively. Female patients had greater odds of both physical (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.32–7.66, p=0.01) and emotional (OR 3.31, 95% CI 1.25–8.73, p=0.02) problems. ABVD treatment is associated with a high frequency of actionable distress, with physical and emotional problems acting as primary drivers. Female patients may be particularly vulnerable, while cancer survivors may be uniquely resilient. These findings demonstrate the need to thoroughly screen for and appropriately tailor distress management strategies for HL patients during treatment with ABVD.

Background: Patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) often receive aggressive care at the end of life (EOL). Early palliative care (PC) has been shown to improve EOL care outcomes, but its benefits are less established in HM than in solid tumors. Objectives: We sought to describe the use of billed PC services among Medicare beneficiaries with HM. We hypothesized that receipt of early PC services (rendered >30 days before death) may be associated with less aggressive EOL care. Design: Retrospective cohort analysis Setting/Subjects: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare registry, we studied patients with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndrome, or myeloproliferative neoplasm who died between 2001 and 2015. Measurements: We described trends in the use of PC services and evaluated the association between early PC services and metrics of EOL care aggressiveness. Results: Among 139,191 decedents, the proportion receiving PC services increased from 0.4% in 2001 to 13.3% in 2015. Median time from first encounter to death was 10 days and 84.3% of encounters occurred during hospitalizations. In patients who survived >30 days from diagnosis (N = 120,741), the use of early PC services was more frequent in acute leukemia, women, and black patients, among other characteristics. Early PC services were associated with increased hospice use and decreased health care utilization at the EOL. Conclusion: Among patients with HM, there was an upward trend in PC services, and early PC services were associated with less aggressive EOL care. Our results support the need for prospective trials of early PC in HM.

Purpose Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) contributes to avoidable acute care, a metric now tracked in Medicare's oncology outcome measure. CINV is preventable, yet guidelines are often not followed. We sought to quantify acute care involving CINV and other avoidable toxicities after highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) to identify excess risk and assess clinician adherence to antiemesis guidelines for HEC. Materials and Methods We retrospectively evaluated U.S. electronic health records (2012-2018) using Medicare's OP-35 outcome measure to identify avoidable acute care involving any of 10 toxicities, including CINV, after HEC regimens relative to non-HEC. Antiemetic guideline adherence was defined as use ofneurokinin-1 (NKl) receptor antagonists Q5 (RAs) plus 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 RA+ dexamethasone at HEC initiation. Results Among 17,609 patients receiving HEC, acute care rates associated with HEC chemotherapy included 32% cisplatin, 31% carboplatin, and 21% anthracycline/cyclosphospharnide (AC), with 76% meeting the criteria as avoidable events. Oxaliplatin rates were 29%. Avoidable acute care occurred 1.83 times (95% confidence interval, 1.76-1.91, p < .0001) as often after HEC versus non-HEC excluding oxaliplatin; CINV-related acute care occurred 2.29 times as often. Nonadherence to antiemesis guidelines occurred in 34% and 24% of cisplatin and AC courses, respectively, because of omission of a NKl RA. Conclusions Patients treated with HEC regimens experienced high avoidable acute care use, 1.8 times the risk seen for other chemotherapy. Nonadherence to guideline-directed antiemetic prophylaxis highlights the need to ensure adherence to antiemetic guidelines, including the use of NKl RA in HEC. Implications for Practice After survival, perhaps the most important goal in oncology is limiting avoidable acute care, a goal now used by Medicare to impact cancer reimbursement. This study found that patients treated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) regimens had high rates of avoidable acute care use, 1.8 times the risk seen for other chemotherapy. A substantial proportion of the avoidable acute care involved chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Results showed that incomplete adherence to national antiemetic guidelines for HEC regimens primarily driven by omission of upfront neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist use, suggesting that improved adherence can meaningfully resolve this gap in quality and cost of care.

Patient fear of addiction is a well-documented barrier to the use of analgesic medications for cancer pain control. Over the past 2 decades in the United States, an "opioid crisis" has arisen, accompanied by risk messages delivered through news outlets, public health education, and patient-provider communication. The purpose of this study was to determine if patient-related barriers to cancer pain management-specifically, fears of addiction-and related pain outcomes (pain severity, pain interference with daily life, and adequacy of pain management) have worsened over the last 20 years. A sample of 157 outpatients with active recurrent or active metastatic cancer completed the Barriers Questionnaire-II (BQ-II) and measures of pain and analgesic use. We identified 7 comparison studies published between 2002 and 2020 that reported patient-related barriers using the BQ-II. Significant linear relationships were found between later year of publication and greater fear of addiction (harmful effect subscale score, B = 0.0350, R2 = 0.0347, F1,637 = 23.19, P < 0.0001) and between year of publication and more pain management barriers overall (total BQ-II score, B = 0.039, R2 = 0.065, F1,923 = 73.79, P < 0.0001). Relationships between BQ-II scores (harmful effect and total) and pain outcomes did not change over time. Despite worsening in patient-related barriers, the proportion of patients with adequate vs inadequate analgesic use did not differ over time. Notably, 40% of participants reported inadequate analgesic use, a statistic that has not improved in 20 years. Additional research is necessary to clarify factors contributing to changing beliefs. Findings indicate a continuing need for clinical and possibly system/policy-level interventions to support adequate cancer pain management.

Understanding decisional involvement and information preferences in patients with hematologic malignancies may help to optimize physician-patient communication about treatment decisions and align the decision-making processes with patients’ preferences. We described and examined factors associated with preferences of patients with hematologic malignancies for decisional involvement, information sources, and presentation of information. In a multicenter observational study, we recruited 216 patients with hematologic malignancies of any stage from September 2003 to June 2007. Patients were asked about their decisional involvement preferences (Control Preferences Scale), information sources (including most useful source of information), and preferences for their oncologists’ presentation of treatment success information. We used multivariate logistic regressions to identify factors associated with decisional involvement preferences and usefulness of information sources (physicians vs nonphysicians). Patient-directed, shared, and physician-directed approaches were preferred in 34%, 38%, and 28% of patients, respectively. Physicians and computer/Internet were the most common information sources; 42% perceived physicians as the most useful source. On multivariate analysis, patients with less than a college education (vs postgraduate education) were less likely to perceive their physician as the most useful source (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.21-1.00), whereas patients with acute leukemia (vs other blood cancers) were more likely to perceive their physician as the most useful source (AOR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.07-5.80). In terms of communicating treatment success rates, 70% preferred ≥1 method(s), and 88% preferred presentation in percentages. Our study suggests that decisional involvement and information preferences vary and should be assessed explicitly as part of each decision-making encounter.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by a poor prognosis but also a paradoxical possibility of cure. This renders decision-making complex and imminent. Unfortunately, many patients with AML misestimate their prognosis and treatment risk. While decision aids can improve illness understanding and reduce decisional conflict, there are no validated decision aids for AML. We developed and tested a novel AML decision aid (NCT03442452). Patients (n = 20) were recruited at Duke University from May 2018 to February 2019. Participants completed assessments of AML knowledge and decisional conflict, before and after using the electronic decision aid. The primary endpoint was feasibility (endpoint met if > 80% of study participants completed all study components). Secondary analyses of efficacy were conducted using paired t tests for dependent pre-/post-samples. The primary endpoint of feasibility was met (100% of participants completed all study components). Secondary analyses showed improved knowledge and reduced decisional conflict after using the decision aid. Knowledge scores improved from a mean of 11.8 (out of 18) correct items at baseline to 15.1 correct items after using the decision aid (mean difference 3.35; p < 0.0001). Decisional conflict scores reduced significantly from baseline to post-test as well (mean difference − 6.5; p = 0.02). These findings suggest that our AML decision aid is a useful tool to improve the patient experience and promote shared decision-making in AML. A randomized efficacy trial is planned.

PURPOSE: Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) can help clinicians proactively assess and manage their patients’ symptoms. Despite known benefits, there is limited adoption of ePROs into routine clinical care as a result of workflow and technologic challenges. This study identifies oncologists’ perspectives on factors that affect integration of ePROs into clinical workflows. METHODS: We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 16 oncologists from a large academic medical center, across diverse subspecialties and cancer types. Oncologists were asked how they currently use or could imagine using ePROs before, during, and after a patient visit. We used an inductive approach to thematically analyze these qualitative data. RESULTS: Results were categorized into the following three main themes: (1) selection and development of ePRO tool, (2) contextual drivers of adoption, and (3) patient-facing concerns. Respondents preferred diagnosis-based ePRO tools over more general symptom screeners. Although they noted information overload as a potential barrier, respondents described strong data visualization and ease of use as facilitators. Contextual drivers of oncologist adoption include identifying target early adopters, incentivizing uptake through use of ePRO data to support billing and documentation, and emphasizing benefits for patient care and efficiency. Respondents also indicated the need to focus on patient-facing issues, such as patient response rate, timing of survey distribution, and validity and reliability of responses. DISCUSSION: Respondents identified several barriers and facilitators to successful uptake of ePROs. Understanding oncologists’ perspectives is essential to inform both practice-level implementation strategies and policy-level decisions to include ePROs in alternative payment models for cancer care.

Patients with hematologic malignancies are thought to receive more aggressive end-of-life (EOL) care and have suboptimal hospice use compared with patients with solid tumors, but descriptions of EOL outcomes from comprehensive cohorts have been lacking. We used the population-based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare dataset to describe hospice use and indicators of aggressive EOL care among Medicare beneficiaries who died of hematologic malignancies in 2008-2015. Overall, 56.5% of decedents used hospice services for median 9 days (interquartile range, 3-27), 33.0% died in an acute hospital setting, 36.8% had an intensive care unit (ICU) admission in the last 30 days of life, and 13.3% received chemotherapy within the last 14 days of life. Hospice use was associated with 96% lower probability of inpatient death (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.038; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.035-0.042), 44% lower probability of an ICU stay in the last 30 days of life (aRR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.54-0.57), and 62% decrease in chemotherapy use in the last 14 days of life (aRR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.35-0.41). Hospice enrollees spent on average 41% fewer days as inpatient during the last month of life (adjusted means ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.57-0.60) and had 38% lower mean Medicare spending in the last month of life (adjusted means ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.61-0.64). These associations were consistent across histologic subgroups. In conclusion, EOL care quality outcomes and hospice enrollment were suboptimal among older decedents with hematologic cancers, but hospice use was associated with a consistent decrease in aggressive care at EOL.

Hematologic malignancies are a heterogeneous group of diseases with unique illness trajectories, treatment paradigms, and potential for curability, which affect patients’ palliative and end-of-life care needs. Patients with hematologic malignancies endure immense physical and psychological symptoms because of both their illness and often intensive treatments that result in significant toxicities and adverse effects. Compared with patients with solid tumors, those with hematologic malignancies also experience high rates of hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and in-hospital deaths and low rates of referral to hospice as well as shorter hospice length of stay. In addition, patients with hematologic malignancies harbor substantial misperceptions about treatment risks and benefits and frequently overestimate their prognosis. Even survivors of hematologic malignancies struggle with late effects, post-treatment complications, and post-traumatic stress symptoms that can significantly diminish their quality of life. Despite these substantial unmet needs, specialty palliative care services are infrequently consulted for the care of patients with hematologic malignancies. Several illness-specific, cultural, and system-based barriers to palliative care integration and optimal end-of-life care exist in this population. However, recent evidence has demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of integrating palliative care to improve the quality of life and care of patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers. More research is needed to develop and test population-specific palliative and supportive care interventions to ensure generalizability and to define a sustainable clinical delivery model. Future work also should focus on identifying moderators and mediators of the effect of integrated palliative care models on patient-reported outcomes and on developing less resource-intensive integrated care models to address the diverse needs of this population.

With sophisticated mobile and wearable technologies available, there has been interest in leveraging these devices to help gather and analyze patient-generated health data (PGHD). This information could be used to better address health concerns, aid in treatment decision-making, and guide interventional strategies to improve outcomes. Among PGHD, electronic patient-reported outcomes, direct reports of patient experience usually collected via validated scales and questionnaires, are increasingly integrated into routine clinical practice to monitor patient status. Electronic patient-reported outcomes have been shown to improve outcomes, including symptom control, quality of life, and overall survival, in several clinical trials. Electronic patient-reported outcome collection is now being implemented across broader clinical practice settings but with limited evaluation of impact thus far. Wearable devices and mobile apps provide opportunities to collect additional PGHD, including continuous physiologic measures, and to generate algorithms with which to monitor patients with cancer and guide interventions. In this article, we discuss several topics related to PGHD and technology, including electronic patient-reported outcomes, mobile apps, and wearable devices and how their introduction into oncology care has the potential to improve the collection and use of PGHD in the future. We also highlight the challenges and future directions needed for mobile and wearable technologies to provide meaningful information that can be acted upon and thus can improve oncologic care.

Background Invasive fungal infection (IFI) prophylaxis is recommended in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) during induction chemotherapy. Posaconazole (POSA) is the recommended agent of choice; however, this medication can be associated with QTc prolongation, hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence for the role of isavuconazole (ISAV) in this setting as an alternative to POSA. Objective The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the use of ISAV prophylaxis for primary IFI prevention in patients with AML undergoing induction. Additionally, the study investigated the use of ISAV trough concentration monitoring and compared these results to the efficacy of POSA therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Other secondary objectives included assessing the rates of toxicities associated with either prophylactic agent. This study analyzed the impact these toxicities had on patient outcomes by examining the need to hold or discontinue therapy. The final endpoint considered the efficacy associated with multiple dosing strategies employed at the study institution. Specifically, this included the use of loading doses or foregoing these when initiating prophylaxis. Methods This was a retrospective, single-center, cohort study. Patients included in this study were adults with AML admitted to Duke University Hospital between June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2021, who received induction chemotherapy and primary IFI prophylaxis for at least 7 days. Exclusion criteria included patients who received concomitant antifungal agents and patients who received antifungal agents as secondary prophylaxis. Results 241 patients met inclusion criteria with 12 (4.98%) participants in the ISAV group and 229 (95.02%) participants in the POSA group. The IFI incidence in the POSA group was 14.5%, while the ISAV group did not have any occurrences of IFI. No significant difference was found in the rate of IFI occurrence between the two treatment groups (p = 0.3805). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the use of a loading dose when initiating prophylaxis could impact rates of IFI for this patient population. Conclusion Due to no difference in incidence, patient specific factors such as concomitant medications and baseline QTc should influence the choice between prophylactic agent.