Search

Background: Benefits of prophylactic hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) in adults and children receiving cancer chemotherapy or undergoing stem-cell transplantation (SCT) are unclear. Purpose: To determine whether prophylactic CSFs decrease mortality, infections, and febrile neutropenia more than does placebo or no therapy in patients with cancer and in patients undergoing SCT. Data Sources: Electronic searches of Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception until April 2007 and of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until the second quarter of 2006. Study Selection: We selected 148 trials that were reported in any language that randomly assigned patients to CSFs or to either placebo or no therapy. Prophylactic CSFs were given concurrently with or after initiation of chemotherapy. Data Extraction: Two reviewers independently extracted data onto standardized forms. Data Synthesis: Short-term all-cause mortality appeared to be similar between the prophylactic CSF and the control groups (7.6% vs. 8.0%; relative risk, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.84 to 1.08]; absolute risk reduction, 0.4% [CI, -0.5% to 1.4%]). Risks for infection-related death with CSFs and placebo or no therapy were 3.1% and 3.8%, respectively (relative risk, 0.82 [CI, 0.66 to 1.02]; absolute risk reduction, 0.8% [CI, 0.0% to 1.5%]). Use of CSFs reduced the following more than did placebo or no therapy: documented infections (median rate, 38.9% vs. 43.1%; rate ratio, 0.85 [CI, 0.79 to 0.92]), microbiologically documented infections (median rate, 23.5% vs. 28.6%; rate ratio, 0.86 [CI, 0.77 to 0.96]), and episodes of febrile neutropenia (median rate, 25.3% vs. 44.2%; rate ratio, 0.71 [CI, 0.63 to 0.80]). Limitations: Trial designs, including assessments of infections, and participants were heterogeneous. Estimates of mortality effects were imprecise. Conclusions: Prophylactic CSFs may have little or no effect on mortality but do decrease rates of infection in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy or those undergoing SCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of temporal changes in cancer therapy on health status among childhood cancer survivors has not been evaluated.Objective: To compare proportions of self-reported adverse health status outcomes among childhood cancer survivors across 3 decades.Design: Cross-sectional. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01120353).Setting: 27 North American institutions.Participants: 14 566 adults, who survived for 5 or more years after initial diagnosis (median age, 27 years; range, 18 to 48 years), treated from 1970 to 1999.Measurements: Patient report of poor general or mental health, functional impairment, activity limitation, or cancer-related anxiety or pain was evaluated as a function of treatment decade, cancer treatment exposure, chronic health conditions, demographic characteristics, and health habits.Results: Despite reductions in late mortality and the proportions of survivors with severe, disabling, or life-threatening chronic health conditions (33.4% among those treated from 1970 to 1979 and 21.0% among those treated from 1990 to 1999), those reporting adverse health status did not decrease by treatment decade. Compared with survivors diagnosed in 1970 to 1979, those diagnosed in 1990 to 1999 were more likely to report poor general health (11.2% vs. 13.7%; P < 0.001) and cancer-related anxiety (13.3% vs. 15.0%; P < 0.001). From 1970 to 1979 and 1990 to 1999, the proportions of survivors reporting adverse outcomes were higher (P < 0.001) among those with leukemia (poor general health, 9.5% and 13.9%) and osteosarcoma (pain, 23.9% and 36.6%). Temporal changes in treatment exposures were not associated with changes in the proportions of survivors reporting adverse health status. Smoking, not meeting physical activity guidelines, and being either underweight or obese were associated with poor health status.Limitation: Considerable improvement in survival among children diagnosed with cancer in the 1990s compared with those diagnosed in the 1970s makes it difficult to definitively determine the effect of risk factors on later self-reported health status without considering their effect on mortality.Conclusion: Because survival rates after a diagnosis of childhood cancer have improved substantially over the past 30 years, the population of survivors now includes those who would have died in earlier decades. Self-reported health status among survivors has not improved despite evolution of treatment designed to reduce toxicities.Primary Funding Source: The National Cancer Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adult childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are at high risk for illness and premature death. Little is known about the physicians who provide their routine medical care.Objective: To determine general internists' self-reported attitudes and knowledge about the care of CCSs.Design: Cross-sectional survey.Setting: Mailed survey delivered between September 2011 and August 2012.Participants: Random sample of 2000 U.S. general internists.Measurements: Care preferences, comfort levels with caring for CCSs (7-point Likert scale: 1 = very uncomfortable, 7 = very comfortable), familiarity with available surveillance guidelines (7-point Likert scale: 1 = very unfamiliar, 7 = very familiar), and concordance with Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines in response to a clinical vignette.Results: The response rate was 61.6% (1110 of 1801). More than half the internists (51.1%) reported caring for at least 1 CCS; 72.0% of these internists never received a treatment summary. On average, internists were "somewhat uncomfortable" caring for survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and osteosarcoma. Internists reported being "somewhat unfamiliar" with available surveillance guidelines. In response to a clinical vignette about a young adult survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma, 90.6% of respondents did not appropriately recommend yearly breast cancer surveillance, 85.1% did not appropriately recommended cardiac surveillance, and 23.6% did not appropriately recommend yearly thyroid surveillance. Access to surveillance guidelines and treatment summaries were identified as the most useful resources for caring for CCSs.Limitation: Findings, based on self-report, may not reflect actual clinical practice.Conclusion: Although most general internists report involvement in the care of CCSs, many seem unfamiliar with available surveillance guidelines and would prefer to follow patients in collaboration with a cancer center.Primary Funding Source: National Cancer Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adult childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are at high risk for illness and premature death. Little is known about the physicians who provide their routine medical care. Objective: To determine general internists' self-reported attitudes and knowledge about the care of CCSs. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Mailed survey delivered between September 2011 and August 2012. Participants: Random sample of 2000 U.S. general internists. Measurements: Care preferences, comfort levels with caring for CCSs (7-point Likert scale: 1 = very uncomfortable, 7 = very comfortable), familiarity with available surveillance guidelines (7- point Likert scale: 1 = very unfamiliar, 7 = very familiar), and concordance with Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines in response to a clinical vignette. Results: The response rate was 61.6% (1110 of 1801). More than half the internists (51.1%) reported caring for at least 1 CCS; 72.0% of these internists never received a treatment summary. On average, internists were "somewhat uncomfortable" caring for survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and osteosarcoma. Internists reported being "somewhat unfamiliar" with available surveillance guidelines. In response to a clinical vignette about a young adult survivor of Hodgkin lymphoma, 90.6% of respondents did not appropriately recommend yearly breast cancer surveillance, 85.1% did not appropriately recommended cardiac surveillance, and 23.6% did not appropriately recommend yearly thyroid surveillance. Access to surveillance guidelines and treatment summaries were identified as the most useful resources for caring for CCSs. Limitation: Findings, based on self-report, may not reflect actual clinical practice. Conclusion: Although most general internists report involvement in the care of CCSs, many seem unfamiliar with available surveillance guidelines and would prefer to follow patients in collaboration with a cancer center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood cancer survivors develop gastrointestinal cancer more frequently and at a younger age than the general population, but the risk factors have not been well-characterized. Objective: To determine the risk and associated risk factors for gastrointestinal subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs) in childhood cancer survivors. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a multicenter study of childhood cancer survivors diagnosed between 1970 and 1986. Patients: 14 358 survivors of cancer diagnosed when they were younger than 21 years of age who survived for 5 or more years after the initial diagnosis. Measurements: Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for gastrointestinal SMNs were calculated by using age-specific population data. Multivariate Cox regression models identified associations between risk factors and gastrointestinal SMN development. Results: At median follow-up of 22.8 years (range, 5.5 to 30.2 years), 45 cases of gastrointestinal cancer were identified. The risk for gastrointestinal SMNs was 4.6-fold higher in childhood cancer survivors than in the general population (95% CI, 3.4 to 6.1). The SIR for colorectal cancer was 4.2 (CI, 2.8 to 6.3). The highest risk for gastrointestinal SMNs was associated with abdominal radiation (SIR, 11.2 [CI, 7.6 to 16.4]). However, survivors not exposed to radiation had a significantly increased risk (SIR, 2.4 [CI, 1.4 to 3.9]). In addition to abdominal radiation, high-dose procarbazine (relative risk, 3.2 [CI, 1.1 to 9.4]) and platinum drugs (relative risk, 7.6 [CI, 2.3 to 25.5]) independently increased the risk for gastrointestinal SMNs. Limitation: This cohort has not yet attained an age at which risk for gastrointestinal cancer is greatest. Conclusion: Childhood cancer survivors, particularly those exposed to abdominal radiation, are at increased risk for gastrointestinal SMNs. These findings suggest that surveillance of at-risk childhood cancer survivors should begin at a younger age than that recommended for the general population. Primary Funding Source: National Cancer Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]