1. Impact of disease recurrence on the supportive care needs of patients with ovarian cancer and their caregivers.
- Author
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DiSipio, Tracey, Hartel, Gunter, Butow, Phyllis, Webb, Penelope M., and Beesley, Vanessa L.
- Subjects
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CAREGIVERS , *OVARIAN cancer , *CANCER patient care , *DISEASE relapse , *CANCER patients , *CANCER relapse - Abstract
We aimed to explore the supportive care needs of ovarian cancer patients and their caregivers before and after the first cancer recurrence, the top unmet needs after recurrence, and the relationship between patient and caregiver needs at recurrence. Participants were 288 patients and 140 caregivers from the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study-Quality of Life (AOCS-QoL) cohort. They completed Supportive Care Needs Surveys (patients: SCNS-SF34, caregivers: SCNS-P&C44) every three-to-six months for up to two years. Linear mixed models tracked changes in needs over time. We calculated the percentage reporting moderate-to-high needs after recurrence. LASSO regression analysed patient-caregiver need relationships. Both patients' and caregivers' psychological, health system/service and information needs increased with recurrence along with patients' support and physical needs. These remained stable at nine months after recurrence. Dominant patient needs post-recurrence included 'fear of recurrence' (38%) and 'concerns about the worries of those close' (34%), while caregivers expressed 'concerns about recurrence' (41%) and 'recovery of the patient not turning out as expected' (31%). Among dyads, when patients had 'fears about the cancer spreading' this was associated with caregivers having a need for help with 'reducing stress in the patients' life'; when caregivers had concerns about 'recurrence' this was associated with patients needing help with 'uncertainty about the future' and 'information about things they can do to help themselves'. Recurrent ovarian cancer intensifies disease-related fears and concerns for patients and loved ones. Addressing dyadic concerns through supportive care interventions may enhance cohesion during the challenging journey of recurrent disease. [Display omitted] • Ovarian cancer recurrence imposes enduring psychological, service and information needs for patients and caregivers. • Patients additionally experience an increase in physical and care needs with recurrence. • At recurrence, the most prevalent unmet need for both patients and caregivers revolved around fear of cancer metastasis. • Coupled with this fear is caregivers' desire to alleviate patient stress and patient uncertainty and need for information. • Patients also worry about loved ones, while caregivers struggle with adjusting expectations about patient recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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