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Background Online health communities (OHCs) can be a source for clinicians to learn the needs of cancer patients and caregivers. Ovarian cancer (OvCa) patients and caregivers deal with a wide range of unmet needs, many of which are expressed in OHCs. An automated need classification model could help clinicians more easily understand and prioritize information available in the OHCs. Objective The aim of this study was to use initial OHC postings to develop an automated model for the classification of OvCa patient and caregiver needs. Methods We collected data from the OvCa OHC and analyzed the initial postings of patients and caregivers (n = 853). Two annotators coded each posting with 12 types of needs. Then, we applied the machine learning approach with bag-of-words features to build a model to classify needs. F1 score, an indicator of model accuracy, was used to evaluate the model. Results The most reported needs were information, social, psychological/emotional, and physical. Thirty-nine percent of postings described information and social needs in the same posting. Our model reported a high level of accuracy for classifying those top needs. Psychological terms were important for classifying psychological/emotional and social needs. Medical terms were important for physical and information needs. Conclusions We demonstrate the potential of using OHCs to supplement traditional needs assessment. Further research would incorporate additional information (eg, trajectory, stage) for more sophisticated models. Implications for practice This study shows the potential of automated classification to leverage OHCs for needs assessment. Our approach can be applied to different types of cancer and enhanced by using domain-specific information.

PURPOSE GOG-259 was a 3-arm randomized controlled trial of two web-based symptom management interventions for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Primary aims were to compare the efficacy of the nurse-guided (Nurse-WRITE) and self-directed (SD-WRITE) interventions to Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) in improving symptoms (burden and controllability) and quality of life (QOL). METHODS Patients with recurrent or persistent ovarian, fallopian, or primary peritoneal cancer with 3+ symptoms were eligible for the study. Participants completed baseline (BL) surveys (symptom burden and controllability and QOL) before random assignment. WRITE interventions lasted 8 weeks to develop symptom management plans for three target symptoms. All women received EUC: monthly online symptom assessment with provider reports; online resources; and every 2-week e-mails. Outcomes were evaluated at 8 and 12 weeks after BL. Repeated-measures modeling with linear contrasts evaluated group by time effects on symptom burden, controllability, and QOL, controlling for key covariates. RESULTS Participants (N = 497) reported mean age of 59.3 ± 9.2 years. At BL, 84% were receiving chemotherapy and reported a mean of 14.2 ± 4.9 concurrent symptoms, most commonly fatigue, constipation, and peripheral neuropathy. Symptom burden and QOL improved significantly over time ( P < .001) for all three groups. A group by time interaction ( P < .001) for symptom controllability was noted whereby both WRITE intervention groups had similar improvements from BL to 8 and 12 weeks, whereas EUC did not improve over time. CONCLUSION Both WRITE Intervention groups showed significantly greater improvements in symptom controllability from BL to 8 and BL to 12 weeks compared with EUC. There were no significant differences between Nurse-WRITE and SD-WRITE. SD-WRITE has potential as a scalable intervention for a future implementation study.

Purpose\ud \ud Patients with primary malignant brain tumors have high symptom burden and commonly rely on family caregivers for practical and emotional support. This can lead to negative mental and physical consequences for caregivers. We investigated effectiveness of an 8-week nurse-led online needs-based support program (SmartCare©) with and without online self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression compared to enhanced care as usual (ECAU) on depressive symptoms, caregiving-specific distress, anxiety, mastery, and burden.\ud \ud \ud \ud Methods\ud \ud Family caregivers scoring ≥ 6 on a depressive symptoms inventory were randomized to three groups: ECAU plus self-guided CBT and SmartCare©; ECAU plus SmartCare©; ECAU only. Primary outcomes (depressive symptoms; caregiving-specific distress) and secondary outcomes (anxiety, caregiver mastery, and caregiver burden) were assessed online. Intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses of covariance corrected for baseline scores were performed for outcomes at 4 months.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results\ud \ud In total, 120 family caregivers participated. Accrual and CBT engagement were lower than expected, therefore intervention groups were combined (n = 80) and compared to ECAU (n = 40). For depressive symptoms, no statistically significant group differences were found. Caregiving-specific distress decreased in the intervention group compared with ECAU (ITT: p = 0.01, partial ɳ2 = 0.08; PP: p = 0.02, partial ɳ2 = 0.08). A trend towards improvement in mastery for the intervention group compared with ECAU was identified (ITT: p = 0.08, partial ɳ2 = 0.04; PP: p = 0.07, partial ɳ2 = 0.05).\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusions\ud \ud SmartCare©, with or without self-guided CBT, reduced caregiving-specific distress with a trend towards improving mastery. SmartCare© has the potential to improve the lives of families coping with a brain tumor diagnosis.\ud \ud \ud \ud Trial registration number\ud \ud NCT02058745; 10 February 2014

Background \ud \ud Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor. Patients commonly rely on family caregivers for physical and emotional support. We previously demonstrated that caregiver mastery measured shortly after diagnosis was predictive of GBM patient survival, corrected for known predictors of survival (n = 88).\ud \ud \ud \ud Objective \ud \ud The aims of this study were to verify the contribution of caregiver mastery and investigate the added value of mastery over other predictors to predict 15-month survival.\ud \ud \ud \ud Methods \ud \ud Data collected for a longitudinal study (NCT02058745) were used. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for models with known clinical predictors (patient age, Karnofsky Performance Status, type of surgery, O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase promotor methylation status), with and without adding caregiver mastery to predict mortality. The added value of each model in discriminating between patients with the lowest and highest chances of survival at 15 months was investigated through Harrell's concordance index.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results \ud \ud In total, 41 caregiver-patient dyads were included. When evaluating solely clinical predictors, Karnofsky Performance Status and patient age were significant predictors of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.949–1.000; and HR, 1.045; 95% CI, 1.002–1.091, respectively). Adding caregiver mastery, these clinical predictors remained statistically significant, and mastery showed an HR of 0.843 (95% CI, 0.755–0.940). The discriminative value improved from C = 0.641 (model with known clinical predictors) to C = 0.778 (model with mastery), indicating the latter is superior.\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusions \ud \ud We confirm that caregiver mastery is associated with GBM patient survival.\ud \ud \ud \ud Implications for Practice \ud \ud Incorporating support and guidance for caregivers into standard care could lead to benefits for caregiver well-being and patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND Patients with primary malignant brain tumors have high symptom burden and commonly rely on family caregivers for practical and emotional support. This can lead to negative mental and physical consequences for caregivers. We investigated effectiveness of an 8-week nurse-led online needs-based support program (SmartCare©) with and without online self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression compared to enhanced care as usual (ECAU) on depressive symptoms, caregiving-specific distress, anxiety, mastery, and burden. MATERIAL AND METHODS Family caregivers with depressive symptoms were randomized to three groups: SmartCare© plus/minus self-guided CBT, or ECAU. Primary outcomes (depressive symptoms (CES-D); caregiving-specific distress (Caregiver Needs Screen)) and secondary outcomes (anxiety (POMS-A), caregiver mastery (Caregiver Mastery Scale), and caregiver burden (Caregiver Reactions Assessment)) were assessed online. Intention to treat analyses of covariance corrected for baseline scores were performed for outcomes at four months. RESULTS In total, 120 family caregivers participated. Accrual and CBT engagement were lower than expected, therefore intervention groups were combined (n=80) and compared to ECAU (n=40). For depressive symptoms, no statistically significant group differences were found. Caregiving-specific distress decreased in the intervention group compared with ECAU (p=0.01, partial ɳ 2=0.08). Among secondary outcomes, there was a trend towards improvement in mastery for the intervention group compared with ECAU (p=0.08, partial ɳ 2=0.04). CONCLUSION SmartCare©, with or without self-guided CBT, reduced caregiving-specific distress with a trend towards improving mastery. SmartCare© has the potential to improve the lives of families coping with a brain tumor diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE Survivors of multiple primary cancers (MPC) are at increased risk for poor health outcomes compared with survivors of single cancers. Using an adapted psychobehavioral stress-response model, the study purpose was to identify pathways and individual risk factors associated with poor health outcomes in adults with MPC. METHODS Adult MPC survivors (N = 211) with first cancers (stages I-III) diagnosed within 1 to 10 years were recruited via tumor registry. Employing a cross-sectional design, established questionnaires were used to operationalize patient characteristics and theoretical constructs including perceived stress, psychological and behavioral responses, financial hardship, social role function, and physical health. Disease and treatment data were obtained via registry and medical records. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to fit, test, and modify the hypothesized psychobehavioral model. RESULTS Following measurement model refinement, an SEM linking self-management behaviors, distress, financial hardship, and functional health demonstrated a good fit: χ2 (200, N = 206) = 332.06, P < .01; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = .95, comparative fit index (CFI) = .96, standardized root mean residual (SRMR) = .06, root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .06. Less use of self-management behaviors predicted higher distress which, in turn, predicted higher financial hardship; higher distress and financial hardship predicted poorer functional health. Several sociodemographic and personal factors predicted self-management behaviors and distress. CONCLUSIONS The hypothesized stress-response model was partially supported. Data supported pathways among self-management behaviors, distress, financial hardship, and functional health. Self-management and distress may represent modifiable intervention targets for MPC survivors. High body mass index (BMI), less education, greater neuroticism, and lower social support were associated with less use of self-management behaviors and higher distress and should be further evaluated as potential markers of vulnerability.

PURPOSE: Family caregivers are instrumental to patients with gynecologic cancer and can be deeply affected by the demands of caregiving. Our aims were as follows: (1) increase awareness of unmet needs of caregivers and (2) identify and prioritize the unmet needs of caregivers and essential support services to be provided in gynecologic cancer centers. METHODS: From July 2017 to June 2018, a 16-person steering committee and 40 stakeholders, including caregivers, patients, and clinicians, participated in a modified Delphi approach to generate, review, and prioritize a set of essential elements for caregiver support. Stakeholders prioritized caregiver needs and brainstormed, discussed, and prioritized essential support services to meet those needs, using three rounds of a consensus-building protocol. Basic descriptive statistics were performed to feed means and rankings back to stakeholders before each round. RESULTS: The top three caregiver needs were as follows: (1) to obtain information about their loved one’s cancer, (2) how to provide support and comfort to their loved one, and (3) how to maintain their own emotional health and well-being. Fifteen essential elements of support for caregivers of patients with gynecologic cancer were identified and ranged from elements currently attainable (eg, information on managing symptoms, skilled-care training, a point person to help navigate the system) to more aspirational elements (eg, integrative services to promote caregiver well-being). CONCLUSION: To ensure comprehensive quality care, clinicians and health care providers should strive to provide caregivers with the identified essential elements of support. Health care settings should work to incorporate caregiver needs into cancer care delivery.

Objective Evaluate the ability of an office-administered phenotypic frailty assessment to predict chemotherapy tolerance in older adult gynecologic oncology patients, and describe practice patterns for chemotherapy administration in this population. Methods Prospective, single-institution cohort study of gynecologic oncology patients 65 or older initiating chemotherapy. Phenotypic frailty testing at an office visit encompassed components of two validated frailty assessments: Fried Score (physical testing and patient response) and FRAIL Scale (patient response only). Patients were followed through three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Standard statistics examined the relationship of frailty to chemotherapy regimen, ability to complete chemotherapy, and complications. Results Eighty patients were included, 65% with ovarian and 34% with endometrial cancer. On average 57% of patients were fit, 32% intermediately frail, and 11% frail. 68% received adjuvant chemotherapy versus 32% neoadjuvant. The majority (81%) received IV chemotherapy on a 21-day cycle and 81% initially received a regimen consistent with standard-of-care chemotherapy (SOCC). Age was not associated with receiving SOCC, or tolerance or completion of chemotherapy. Frailty was associated with non-initiation of SOCC in all patients and inability to complete SOCC in adjuvant patients. Complications and regimen alterations were common but were not associated with frailty. Conclusions There is a need to develop tools to help physicians predict chemotherapy tolerance among older adult gynecologic oncology patients in order to prevent both under- and over-treatment while minimizing morbidity. However, in this study phenotypic frailty assessment had limited predictive utility. Among adjuvant chemotherapy patients, frailty was associated with inability to complete SOCC and thus may be helpful in selecting patients appropriate for less aggressive chemotherapy regimens.

Background Ovarian cancer (OvCa) patients suffer from symptoms that severely affect quality of life. To optimally manage these symptoms, their symptom experiences must be better understood. Social media have emerged as a data source to understand these experiences. Objective The objective of this study was to use topic modeling (ie, latent Dirichlet allocation [LDA]) to understand the symptom experience of OvCa patients through analysis of online forum posts from OvCa patients and their caregivers. Interventions/methods Ovarian cancer patient/caregiver posts (n = 50 626) were collected from an online OvCa forum. We developed a symptom dictionary to identify symptoms described therein, selected the top 5 most frequently discussed symptoms, extracted posts that mentioned at least one of those symptoms, and conducted LDA on those extracted posts. Results Pain, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, and skin rash were the top 5 most frequently discussed symptoms (n = 4536, 1296, 967, 878, and 657, respectively). Using LDA, we identified 11 topic categories, which differed across symptoms. For example, chemotherapy-related adverse effects likely reflected fatigue, nausea, and rash; social and spiritual support likely reflected anxiety; and diagnosis and treatment often reflected pain. Conclusion The frequency of a symptom discussed on a social media platform may not include all symptom experience and their severity. Indeed, users, who are experiencing different symptoms, mentioned different topics on the forum. Subsequent studies should consider the influence of additional factors (eg, cancer stage) from discussions. Implications for practice Social media have the potential to prioritize and answer the questions about clinical care that are frequently asked by cancer patients and their caregivers.

PURPOSE: Caregivers of people with cancer represent a large, overburdened, and under-recognized part of the cancer care workforce. Research efforts to address the unmet needs of these caregivers are expanding with studies focused on caregivers’ skill sets, physical and psychological health, and integration into healthcare delivery. As this field of research continues to expand, integrating caregivers’ input is vital to studies to ensure that research aligns with their experiences. METHODS: This is a focus group study of 15 cancer caregivers conducted during a cancer caregiving workshop at the University of Pittsburgh in February 2020. During the workshop, caregivers reviewed, critiqued, and proposed priorities to support caregivers of adults with cancer. We used a multistage consensus building approach to identify priority areas of research and clinical practice to address caregivers’ experiences and needs. We used descriptive content analysis to summarize caregivers’ priorities. RESULTS: Caregiver-identified priorities included (1) training and information about cancer and treatment, (2) caregiver integration into the patient’s healthcare delivery, (3) assistance with navigating the healthcare system, (4) focus on caregiver health and well-being, and (5) policy reform to address caregiver needs. We identified ways in which these priorities can inform cancer caregiving research and practice. CONCLUSION: These recommendations should be considered by researchers, clinicians, cancer center leadership, and policymakers interested in creating caregiver-focused research protocols, interventions, and support systems.

ObjectiveSexual health is important to quality of life; however, the sexual health of gynecologic cancer patients is infrequently and inadequately addressed. We sought to understand patient experiences and preferences for sexual health care to help inform strategies for improvement.Methods/MaterialsAn anonymous, cross-sectional survey of outpatient gynecologic cancer patients at a large academic medical center was performed as part of a larger study examining patient and caregiver needs. The survey explored patient-provider discussions about sexuality across 3 domains (experiences, preferences, barriers) and 4 phases of cancer care (diagnosis, treatment, treatment completion, follow-up). Age, relationship status, sexual activity, and cancer type were recorded.ResultsMean age was 63 years. Most patients had ovarian cancer (38%) or endometrial cancer (32%). Thirty-seven percent received treatment within the last month, 55% were in a relationship, and 35% were sexuality active. Thirty-four percent reported sexuality as somewhat or very important, whereas 27% felt that it was somewhat or very important to discuss. Importance of sexuality was associated with age, relationship status, and sexual activity but not cancer type. Fifty-seven percent reported never discussing sexuality. Age was associated with sexuality discussions, whereas relationship status, sexual activity, and cancer type were not. The most common barrier to discussion was patient discomfort. Follow-up was identified as the best time for discussion. Sexuality was most often discussed with a physician or advanced practice provider and usually brought up by the provider.ConclusionsDemographic predictors of importance of sexuality to the patient are age, relationship status, and sexual activity. Providers primarily use age as a proxy for importance of sexuality; however, relationship status and sexual activity may represent additional ways to screen for patients interested in discussing sexual health. Patient discomfort with discussing sexuality is the primary barrier to sexual health discussions, and awareness of this is key to developing effective approaches to providing sexual health care.

ObjectivesAs gynecologic cancer care shifts to the outpatient setting, caregivers are instrumental in helping patients navigate the demands of the disease and treatment. Through social media, we aimed to understand the needs of caregivers of patients with gynecologic cancers and support services necessary to meet these needs.MethodsOn January 10, 2018, a monthly Twitter discussion session was hosted by the GYNecologic Cancer Social Media community (handle @GYNCSM) using the hashtag #GYNCSM. Five topics regarding caregiver needs and support were discussed. Basic descriptive statistics, including means and frequencies of tweets, and a content analysis of the tweets were performed.ResultsForty-six participants posted a total of 471 tweets, with 1.725 million impressions. Four main themes of caregiver needs emerged, including accepting help from others, a need to care for themselves as caregivers, increased access to information and resources, and a need for the health care team to communicate with caregivers. Themes relating to barriers to obtaining support services included practical barriers, a lack of awareness, negative emotions, and a need to do it all themselves. Participants suggested that caregiver support programs include convenient resources, caregiver peer support programs, support for the “work” of caregiving, and support to improve the emotional and physical health of the caregiver.ConclusionsExperts, patients, and caregivers effectively engaged in social media to identify a wide range of needs of caregivers of women with gynecologic cancers. Further research is needed to identify specific support services that could meet the priority needs of a broader network of caregivers.

BACKGROUND Patients with primary malignant brain tumors have high symptom burden and commonly rely on family caregivers for practical and emotional support. This can lead to negative mental and physical consequences for caregivers. We investigated effectiveness of an 8-week nurse-led online needs-based support program (SmartCare©) with and without online self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression compared to enhanced care as usual (ECAU) on depressive symptoms, caregiving-specific distress, anxiety, mastery, and burden. METHODS Family caregivers with depressive symptoms were randomized to three groups: SmartCare© plus/minus self-guided CBT, or ECAU. Primary outcomes (depressive symptoms (CES-D); caregiving-specific distress (Caregiver Needs Screen)) and secondary outcomes (anxiety (POMS-A), caregiver mastery (Caregiver Mastery Scale), and caregiver burden (Caregiver Reactions Assessment)) were assessed online. Intention to treat analyses of covariance corrected for baseline scores were performed for outcomes at four months. RESULTS In total, 120 family caregivers participated. Accrual and CBT engagement were lower than expected, therefore intervention groups were combined (n=80) and compared to ECAU (n=40). For depressive symptoms, no statistically significant group differences were found. Caregiving-specific distress decreased in the intervention group compared with ECAU (p=0.01, partial ɳ 2=0.08). Among secondary outcomes, there was a trend towards improvement in mastery for the intervention group compared with ECAU (p=0.08, partial ɳ 2=0.04). CONCLUSION SmartCare©, with or without self-guided CBT, reduced caregiving-specific distress with a trend towards improving mastery. SmartCare© has the potential to improve the lives of families coping with a brain tumor diagnosis.

Crowdsourcing is “the practice of obtaining participants, services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, especially via the Internet.” (Ranard et al. J. Gen. Intern. Med. 29:187, 2014) Although crowdsourcing has been adopted in healthcare research and its potential for analyzing large datasets and obtaining rapid feedback has recently been recognized, no systematic reviews of crowdsourcing in cancer research have been conducted. Therefore, we sought to identify applications of and explore potential uses for crowdsourcing in cancer research. We conducted a systematic review of articles published between January 2005 and June 2016 on crowdsourcing in cancer research, using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, PsychINFO, and Embase. Data from the 12 identified articles were summarized but not combined statistically. The studies addressed a range of cancers (e.g., breast, skin, gynecologic, colorectal, prostate). Eleven studies collected data on the Internet using web‐based platforms; one recruited participants in a shopping mall using paper‐and‐pen data collection. Four studies used Amazon Mechanical Turk for recruiting and/or data collection. Study objectives comprised categorizing biopsy images (n = 6), assessing cancer knowledge (n = 3), refining a decision support system (n = 1), standardizing survivorship care‐planning (n = 1), and designing a clinical trial (n = 1). Although one study demonstrated that “the wisdom of the crowd” (NCI Budget Fact Book, 2017) could not replace trained experts, five studies suggest that distributed human intelligence could approximate or support the work of trained experts. Despite limitations, crowdsourcing has the potential to improve the quality and speed of research while reducing costs. Longitudinal studies should confirm and refine these findings.

PURPOSE: A needs assessment of family caregivers (CGs) in our gynecologic oncology clinic found that 50% of CGs report nine or more distressing unmet needs, but only 19% of patients had a documented CG. We conducted an ASCO Quality Training Program project with the following aims: (1) to identify and document primary CGs for 85% of patients within two clinic visits of a gynecologic cancer diagnosis, and (2) assess the needs of and provide interventions to 75% of identified family CGs. METHODS: Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology and tools endorsed by the ASCO Quality Training Program were used. An interprofessional team reviewed baseline data (ie, any mention of a family CG in the electronic health record visit note; CG distress survey), defined the problem and project aims, created process maps, and identified root causes of poor CG identification and documentation. Eight successive PDSA cycles were implemented between October 2018 and March 2019 to address identified root causes. RESULTS: For aim 1, CG identification increased from 19% at baseline to 57% postimplementation, whereas for aim 2, assessment improved from 28% at baseline to 60% postimplementation. Results fell somewhat short of initial goals, but they represent an important initial improvement in care. The core team has begun additional PDSA cycles to improve CG identification rates and extend the momentum of the project. CONCLUSION: This project demonstrated that a CG assessment protocol can be implemented in a large, academic, gynecologic oncology clinic. Additional efforts to integrate CG identification, assessment, and intervention more fully within the clinic and electronic health record are under way.

Objective We sought to compare symptoms identified as a priority by patients with recurrent ovarian cancer to symptoms most frequently documented by their clinicians, and examine the association between clinician documentation of symptoms and subsequent clinical intervention. Methods Single-institution, retrospective chart review of patients enrolled in WRITE Symptoms Study (GOG 259), a randomized controlled trial of internet-based recurrent ovarian cancer symptom management. As part of the trial, women completed the Symptom Representation Questionnaire for 28 symptoms and selected 3 priority symptoms (PS). We compared patient-reported PS to clinician documentation of symptoms and interventions over the time period corresponding to study enrollment. Results At least one PS was documented in 92% of patients. Of 150 PS reported by patients, 53% were never documented by clinicians; these symptoms tended to be less directly related to disease or treatment status. Symptoms not identified by patients as PS were frequently documented by clinicians; these symptoms tended to relate to physiologic effects of disease and treatment toxicity. 58% of patients had at least one PS intervention. PS intervened for were documented at 2.58 visits vs 0.50 visits for PS not receiving intervention ( p ≤0.0001). Conclusions Discordance was identified between symptoms reported by patients as important and symptoms documented by clinicians. Symptoms more frequently documented were also more frequently intervened for. Our study illustrates the need to improve identification of symptoms important to patients, and suggests that improving communication between patients and clinicians could increase intervention rates to enhance quality of life in women with recurrent ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is associated with a poor prognosis, and patients rely heavily on family caregivers for physical and emotional support. The capability and mental health of family caregivers may influence their ability to provide care and affect patient outcomes. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether caregivers' anxiety, depressive symptoms, burden, and mastery influenced survival in a sample of patients newly diagnosed with GBM. METHODS Baseline data from caregiver-patient dyads participating in a longitudinal study funded by the National Institutes of Health were used. Cox regression analyses were performed to determine whether caregiver anxiety (Profile of Mood States-Anxiety), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale), burden (Caregiver Reaction Assessment), and feelings of mastery (Mastery Scale) predicted the survival time of patients with GBM after controlling for known covariates (patient age, Karnofsky performance status, type of surgery, and postsurgical treatment). RESULTS A total of 88 caregiver-patient dyads were included. The median overall survival for the sample was 14.5 months (range, 0-88 months). After controlling for covariates, caregiver mastery was found to be predictive of patient survival. With each unit increase in mastery, there was a 16.1% risk reduction in patient death (95% confidence interval, 0.771-0.913; P

Prolonged periods of family caregiving can induce stress levels that may negatively influence caregiver health. However, the physiologic effect of psychological distress in oncology family caregivers has received little attention. Therefore we aimed to determine longitudinal profiles of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1ra) in neuro-oncology caregivers and identify associations between psychological distress and cytokine levels. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, caregiver burden and blood were collected from 108 adult caregivers at adult patients' diagnosis, 4-, 8-, and 12-months. Trajectory analyses of log transformed cytokine levels were performed. Multiple logistic regression analyses evaluated the impact of psychological distress on cytokine levels. For both cytokines, two distinct populations were identified, neither of which changed over time. High IL-1ra was associated with male caregivers with anxiety (OR = 1.7; 95 %CI 1.06-2.83) and obese caregivers (BMI = 40) who felt burdened due to disrupted schedules (OR = 1.3; 95 %CI 1.02-1.77). Conversely, caregivers with a healthy weight (BMI = 25) who felt burdened due to disrupted schedules were less likely to have high IL-1ra (OR = 0.71; 95 %CI 0.54-0.92). Caregivers ≤30 years old with lower self-esteem from caregiving were 1.16 times (95 %CI 1.04-1.30) more likely to have high IL-6. Analysis demonstrated groups of family caregivers with high and low levels of systemic inflammation and these levels did not change longitudinally over the care trajectory. Poor physical health in family caregivers may have a negative impact on the burden placed on the healthcare system in general and on the well-being of neuro-oncology patients in particular.

Nausea is a common and potentially serious effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer and may function as a sentinel symptom reflecting adverse effects on the gut-brain axis (GBA) more generally, but research is scant. As a first exploratory test of this GBA hypothesis, we compared women reporting nausea to women not reporting nausea with regard to the severity of other commonly reported symptoms in this patient population.A secondary analysis of data systematically collected from women in active chemotherapy treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer (n = 158) was conducted. The Symptom Representation Questionnaire (SRQ) provided severity ratings for 22 common symptoms related to cancer and chemotherapy. Independent sample t tests and regression analyses were used to compare women with and without nausea with regard to their experience of other symptoms.Nausea was reported by 89 (56.2 %) women. Symptoms that were significantly associated with nausea in bivariate and regression analyses included abdominal bloating, bowel disturbances, dizziness, depression, drowsiness, fatigue, headache, lack of appetite, memory problems, mood swings, shortness of breath, pain, sleep disturbance, urinary problems, vomiting, and weight loss. Symptoms that were not associated with nausea included hair loss, numbness and tingling, sexuality concerns, and weight gain.Nausea experienced during chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer may be an indicator of broader effects on the gut-brain axis. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects could lead to the development of novel supportive therapies to increase the tolerability and effectiveness of cancer treatment.

IntroductionIntraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy improves survival in ovarian cancer but its use has been limited by toxicity with cisplatin-based regimens. The primary objective of this study was to define the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity of intravenous (IV) oxaliplatin and IP docetaxel in women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer. Secondary objectives were response rate, time to progression, symptom interference with quality of life, and pharmacokinetics.MethodsPatients received a constant dose of oxaliplatin 75 mg/m2IV on day 1 and docetaxel escalating from 50 mg/m2IP on day 2 every 3 weeks using a 3 + 3 design. Treatment continued until disease progression, remission, or intolerable toxicity occurred. Plasma and IP samples were taken to determine drug concentrations. Patients completed the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory weekly.ResultsTwelve patients were included. The median number of cycles was 4 (range 2–6) with a median time to progression of 4.5 months. Among eight patients with measurable disease, the best responses were partial response in two patients, stable disease in five, and progressive disease in one. A total of 14 grade 3–4 toxicities were noted, most commonly hematologic. Four patients, all dose level 3, had six dose-limiting toxicities: two with prolonged neutropenia, one with infection, one with hyponatremia, and two with abdominal pain. Dose level 3 was therefore considered intolerable. The mean±SD ratio of docetaxel area under the curve (AUC) in IP fluid to AUC in plasma was 229±111. Symptom interference with life activities steadily decreased from cycle 1 to 5.ConclusionsOxaliplatin 75 mg/m2IV on day 1 and docetaxel 75 mg/m2IP on day 2 was the maximum tolerated dose. Most patients had partial response or stable disease, even in a heavily pre-treated population. At this dose level, patient-reported outcomes demonstrate temporary but tolerable decrements in quality of life.

Objective The primary objective was to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of IV docetaxel and IP oxaliplatin in women with recurrent ovarian (OV), fallopian tube (FT) or peritoneal (PP) cancer. Secondary objectives included response rate, time to progression, pharmacokinetics (PK) and quality of life (QoL). Methods Patients received docetaxel 75mg/m 2 IV day (d) 1 and oxaliplatin escalating from 50mg/m 2 IP d2 every 3weeks using a 3+3 design. Treatment continued until disease progression, remission, or intolerable toxicity. Plasma and IP samples were taken to determine drug concentrations. MD Anderson Symptom Inventory and symptom interference scale were completed weekly. Results Thirteen patients were included. Median number of cycles was 6 (range 1–10). Ten patients had measureable disease. Best response was partial response (PR-2), stable disease (SD-7), and progressive disease (PD-1). Twenty-one Grades 3–4 toxicities were noted, commonly hematologic. Two patients had DLTs: prolonged neutropenia (1) and abdominal pain (1). MTD was d1 docetaxel 75mg/m 2 IV and d2 oxaliplatin 50mg/m 2 IP. Symptom burden peaked week one and returned to baseline by week two of each cycle on dose level 1. Dose level 2 had persistently high symptom burden and interference. At IP oxaliplatin doses of 50mg/m 2 , total unbound drug exposure (AUC) averaged 8 times larger and C max reached concentrations 50-fold greater in IP fluid compared to plasma. Conclusions Docetaxel 75mg/m 2 IV d1 and oxaliplatin 50mg/m 2 IP d2 is the MTD. Most patients had PR or SD. Patient-reported outcomes demonstrate temporary but tolerable decrements in QoL. IP oxaliplatin provides PK advantages over IV administration.

Primary brain tumors (PBTs) are rare but have a great impact on both patient and family caregiver wellbeing. Supporting caregivers can help them to continue their caregiving activities to maintain the patients’ best possible level of quality of life. Efforts to improve PBT caregiver wellbeing should take into account country- or culture-specific differences in care issues and supportive care needs to serve larger caregiver groups. We aimed to explore PBT caregivers’ satisfaction with the current supportive care provision, as well as their thoughts on monitoring their care issues with both paper-based and digital instruments. Twelve PBT caregivers were interviewed in the United States. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by two coders independently. Data were combined with those collected in the Netherlands, following similar methodology (N = 15). We found that PBT caregivers utilize both formal and informal support services, but that those who experience more care issues would prefer more support, particularly in the early disease phase. Keeping track of care issues was thought to provide more insight into unmet needs and help them find professional help, but it requires investment of time and takes discipline. Caregivers preferred a brief and easy-to-use ‘blended care’ instrument that combines digital monitoring with personal feedback. The present study shows that the preferences of family caregivers in neuro-oncology toward keeping track of care issues are likely not heavily influenced by country- or culture-specific differences. The development of any instrument thus has the potential to benefit a large group of family caregivers.

Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) utilization is linked to improved clinical outcomes among breast cancer survivors (BCS); yet, AET adherence rates remain suboptimal. Little is known about provider perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators to AET-related symptom management (SM). In this study, we examined provider perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to AET-related SM among BCS and opportunities for improvement. We conducted three focus groups (FGs) with a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers (n = 13) experienced in caring for BCS undergoing AET. We utilized semi-structured discussion guides to elicit provider perspectives on AET-related SM. FGs were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative software to identify key themes. Providers described patient-, provider-, and system-level barriers and facilitators to AET-related SM. At the patient-level, barriers included competing demands, limited time/resources, and possible misattribution of some symptoms to AET, while family/social relationships and insurance emerged as important facilitators. Discomfort with SM, limited time, and challenges distinguishing AET-related symptoms from other conditions were key provider-level barriers. Provider-level facilitators included routine symptom documentation and strong provider relationships. Care fragmentation and complexity of the cancer care delivery system were described as system-level barriers; however, survivor clinics were endorsed by providers. Provider perspectives on AET-related SM can shed light on SM barriers and facilitators spanning multiple levels of the cancer care delivery system. Strategies for improving AET-related SM in BCS include increasing patients’ knowledge and engagement in SM, equipping providers with efficient SM strategies, and improving coordination of symptom-related services through survivorship programs.

Background Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is one of the most common symptoms among women with recurrent ovarian cancer, yet it remains extremely difficult to manage. Symptom management typically requires patients to set goals and strategies to manage their CRF, but little is known about how to create individualized CRF symptom management goals and strategies. Objective The aim of this study was to describe cancer patients' goals and strategies for managing CRF along with their process of individualizing both. Methods This study is a qualitative analysis with supportive quantitative description of a Web-based symptom management randomized clinical trial, the WRITE (Written Representational Intervention to Ease) Symptoms study. Researchers conducted a content analysis on 47 participants' CRF symptom care plans to identify common themes in participants' goals, categorize strategies, and describe the individualization process. Results Four general themes were identified among participants' CRF goals: (1) enjoying time with friends and family, (2) doing the things I enjoy, (3) having energy to be physically active, and (4) keeping up with what I need to do. Cancer-related fatigue strategies were categorized into 13 groups including conserving energy, increasing activity, and talking with healthcare providers. A multistep individualization process resulted in personally meaningful strategies. Conclusions The process by which participants individualized their CRF strategies consisted of identifying, confirming, testing, and evaluating different CRF strategies and resulted in refined, specific, and individualized strategies intended to eventually ensure participants achieve their goal. Implications for practice Clinicians can assist patients in individualizing their CRF goals and strategies. Individualization of CRF goals and strategies assists patients in visualizing how improving CRF will impact their life.

BackgroundThe aim of chemotherapy in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer is palliation. Patients’ experience of symptoms is not well documented, and the impact of treatment on symptoms has not been evaluated in clinical trials. We report symptom burden and treatment outcomes from stage 1 of the Gynecological Cancer Intergroup (GCIG) Symptom Benefit Study.MethodsOne hundred twenty-six patients receiving palliative chemotherapy completed 5 validated health-related quality-of-life questionnaires before starting treatment and before each cycle. They also reported their expected and perceived benefits from treatment. Physicians documented the reasons for treatment and adverse events including symptoms at baseline and estimated the number of cycles of treatment that patients would receive.ResultsPalliation was the major reason for chemotherapy. At baseline, all patients were symptomatic (almost 70% had ≥9 symptoms). Patients had high expectation of benefit from treatment. Only 41% of patients received the predicted number of cycles with most stopping early (≤2 cycles) due to progression, death, or adverse effects. Treatment was associated with significant toxicity, with discordance between patient report and physician grading. Although RECIST response rates were low (8.5%), 40% of the patients were reported to have had a clinical benefit and almost 50% of symptomatic patients also reported symptom improvement.ConclusionsPatients had a complex array of symptoms and significant symptom burden, which was commonly the reason for treatment. Although chemotherapy improved symptoms in about half of the patients, many did not benefit and progressed rapidly. Our findings support research into the use of patient reported outcome measures to document symptoms, adverse events, and subjective benefit, both in clinical trials and in clinical practice, in this patient population. Our findings highlight the need to develop prognostic models to better select patients for treatment, and this is an aim of stage 2 of the GCIG Symptom Benefit Study.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the optimal patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for assessing symptom benefit in trials of palliative chemotherapy for women with symptomatic ovarian cancer.MethodsCandidate PROMs were EORTC QLQ-C30 plus ovarian-specific QLQ-OV28, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovarian (FACT-O), FACT Ovarian Symptom Index (FOSI), and gynecologic cancer-specific Symptom Representation Questionnaire. Predefined optimality criteria were inclusion of all symptoms necessary for the specified purpose, recall period covering typical length of palliative chemotherapy, numerical item rating scales, and all necessary symptoms included in a single symptom index. Qualitative and quantitative methods were applied to data from stage 1 of the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup Symptom Benefit Study to determine the set of necessary symptoms and to objectively assess candidate PROMs against the optimality criteria.ResultsTen necessary symptoms were identified: pain, fatigue, abdominal bloating/discomfort, sleep disturbance, bowel disturbance, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, poor appetite, urinary symptoms, and weight changes. Although QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OV28 together cover all these symptoms, they split them into numerous scales, dissipating potential symptom-benefit signal. Conversely, FACT-O does not cover all necessary symptoms and contains many other HRQoL-related items and treatment side effects, diluting potential symptom-benefit signal when summed into scales. Item response scales and composite scoring of all candidate PROMs were suboptimal to our specific purpose. We therefore developed a new PROM, the Measure of Ovarian Symptoms and Treatment (MOST) concerns, to provide optimal measurement for the specified purpose.ConclusionsThis article documents the development of the MOST, a new PROM designed to assess patient-reported benefits and burden as end points in clinical trials of palliative chemotherapy for women with symptomatic ovarian cancer. The validity, reliability, and statistical efficiency of the MOST, relative to the best candidate scales of existing PROMs, will be assessed in the stage 2 of Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup Symptom Benefit Study.

Objective To examine the prevalence of symptom-related mobility disability and identify specific symptoms and other factors associated with mobility disability among a national sample of ovarian cancer (OC) survivors. Methods Descriptive, correlational secondary analysis of a National Ovarian Cancer Coalition mailed survey of women with a history of OC ( n =713). We used the Symptom Representation Questionnaire (SRQ), the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) Interference Scale, and medical and demographic information to determine prevalence of symptom-related mobility disability. We constructed a multiple linear regression model to determine the relative contributions of specific symptoms and other factors to mobility disability. Results A majority of the sample (60.0%) reported symptom-related mobility disability. Independent predictors included: > one comorbidity (β=0.112, p =0.001), active OC (β=0.111, p =0.037), abdominal bloating (β=0.097, p =0.006), fatigue (β=0.314, p p =0.045), numbness/tingling (β=0.134, p p 2 =0.415). Unexpectedly, age (β=−0.028, p =0.412) and current chemotherapy (β=0.107, p =0.118) were not significant predictors. Conclusions Symptom-related mobility disability is common among women with OC and is associated with medical comorbidities, abdominal bloating, fatigue, lack of appetite, numbness/tingling, and pain. Longitudinal research should clarify the relationship of these symptoms to mobility disability and determine whether effective symptom management minimizes disability.

Background: Aggressive combination therapy with taxane and platinum-based therapy places women with ovarian cancer at high risk for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Incidence rates for CIPN during front-line therapy are estimated to range from 51% to 80% and are most commonly reported to occur by Cycle 3. However, these findings are limited by retrospective PRO or adverse event reporting on Day 1 of each cycle. The aim of this study was to identify a) time to onset of CIPN and b) changes in average and peak CIPN severity over time. Methods: Participants (n=30) were enrolled prior to beginning first-line adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ovarian, fallopian, primary peritoneal, or uterine cancer. Peripheral neuropathy was assessed at baseline and 1) daily using a single numbness/tingling (N/T) severity item (0=did not experience to 10 = as bad as I can imagine) and 2) on day 1 of each cycle using the 13-item FACT/GOG-Ntx (0=not at all to 4=very much). For each cycle, average FACT/GOG-ntx13 and ntx-4 (sensory component only) score, and average, peak, and last day of cycle N/T severity scores were calculated. Results: Of the 30 women enrolled, 25 completed at least 3 complete cycles of daily symptom diaries and are included in this analysis. Participants were 59.6 ± 10.0 years old and had 13.7 ± 4.21 years of formal education. 33% of women reported having a GED/high school diploma as their highest level of education, 92% were white, 60% were married, and 67% were employed at baseline. Based on daily N/T diaries, the average time to first occurrence of CIPN > 0 was 26.83 ± 31.76 days (range 1-123 days) and 33.63 ± 33.82 days (range 1 to 126 days) for first occurrence of CIPN > 2. Of note, 4 women (16%) did not ever experience CIPN > 2 during the 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Based on the daily N/T item, 32% of women reported n/t at baseline compared to 40% based on the FACT/GOG-ntx4 and 72% based on the FACT/GOG-ntx13. Mean ± SD N/T severity ranged from 1.18 ± 1.96 (average), 2.43± 2.94 (peak), and 1.27 ± 2.27 (last day of cycle) during Cycle 1 to 3.05 ± 2.42 (average), 4.26 ± 2.53 (peak), and 2.95 ± 3.01 (last day of cycle) during Cycle 6. CIPN severity was highly variable across participants over time: 13 participants (52%) never experienced sustained (21 days) of continuous N/T severity >2. However, among the 12 participants who did, the average time to continuous N/T was only 35.0 ± 36.7 days (range 0-87). Discussion: Time to onset, average, peak, and duration of CIPN are highly variable among women receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy. A majority of women report some CIPN during cycle number 2; however, over half of all women do not experience continuous (daily) N/T, returning to no or minimal severity ( Citation Format: Grace B. Campbell, Teresa L. Hagan, Dana H. Bovbjerg, Heidi S. Donovan. Intensive daily monitoring to identify onset, severity, and persistence of peripheral neuropathy following initiation of neurotoxic chemotherapy for women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment; Oct 1-4, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(15_Suppl):Abstract nr B69.

Purpose/objectives To examine the association between self-report of memory problems and the most commonly reported concurrent symptoms by women with ovarian cancer who have received chemotherapy. Design Secondary analysis. Setting Midwestern university-based school of nursing. Sample 638 women with ovarian cancer participating in a larger study who had received chemotherapy and 68 women with ovarian cancer who had not received chemotherapy. Methods Responses to a demographic questionnaire, disease and treatment history survey, and symptom severity index were analyzed using Pearson's correlations, hierarchical regression analysis, and Welch t tests for unequal sample size. Main research variables Self-rating of memory problems, time since chemotherapy, education level, and self-rating of commonly reported symptoms associated with ovarian cancer. Findings Nine symptoms accounted for 37% of the variance of memory problems (controlling for time since chemotherapy and education level). Significant predictors of memory problems included fatigue, mood swings, numbness or tingling, and sleep disturbance. Mean scores for self-reported memory problems were significantly different for participants who received chemotherapy compared to those who had not. Conclusions Findings suggest that memory problems were common following chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Additional prospective study is warranted to evaluate potential mechanisms underlying these symptom interactions. Further qualitative study may be of value to describe the patient experience and identify effective coping strategies. Implications for nursing Patient and family education should include information about the potential for memory problems following chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

Most women with advanced ovarian cancer will relapse and subsequently develop platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer. The benefit of treatment is currently based on objective response rates, which are a crude measure of benefit. It would be clinically meaningful if we were better able to measure the benefit of palliative therapy and, in particular, ascertain whether cancer-related symptoms improve with treatment and how this impacts on quality of life. This paper reviews the management of patients with platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer and highlights the gaps in our knowledge and shortcomings with the current approaches to measure the benefit of treatment. The ultimate objective is to describe and encourage recruitment to the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup study that has recently opened. This study will recruit a large number of patients from around the world in an effort to develop more robust instruments to measure the benefit of chemotherapy and to understand the impact of chemotherapy on symptom control and quality of life. In addition, this study will give us an insight into how all patients are managed rather than a select minority who are treated in clinical trials.

Although several studies have quantified costs of cancer care; none to date have examined how cancer costs impact family caregivers’ emotional health. This study was designed to evaluate how perceptions of economic hardship influence burden, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in family caregivers of persons with a primary malignant brain tumor. Caregiver (CG)/patient dyads (n = 33) were recruited at the time of diagnosis; data were collected at diagnosis and 4 months, and linear regression determined the impact of economic hardship on caregivers’ emotional health. Economic hardship did not predict CG burden-schedule at diagnosis or 4 months. Economic hardship predicted burden-abandonment at diagnosis (P < 0.01), but not 4 months. There was a trend for economic hardship to predict CG depressive symptoms at 4 months (P = 0.09), but not at diagnosis. Economic hardship predicted CG anxiety at 4 months (P = 0.06), but not diagnosis. Results suggest caregivers’ economic hardship is an important and dynamic aspect of the emotional health of neuro-oncology family caregivers.

Although much work has been done to quantify the direct and indirect costs of cancer treatment, little is known regarding how these costs impact the daily lives of persons undergoing active treatment of cancer. Content analysis performed on open-ended interviews with 22 women in 3 income categories undergoing chemotherapy for a diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer revealed 7 themes. Most participants stated that they felt "lucky" or "thankful" that most of the treatment costs were being covered by insurance or personal income. Women also described receiving financial assistance from friends, family, and support organizations and stated that they often made trade-offs between paying for regular family expenses and paying for treatment-related expenses. Worry about future financial expenses and frustrations dealing with regulatory agencies were also pervasive in the interviews. Finally, participants described having to access retirement/savings accounts and voiced concerns regarding the impact of cancer treatment on their work income. Data from the study illuminate the personal impact of cancer costs and suggest that interventions to assist women with cancer in financial planning and negotiating with insurance companies may offset some of the financial burden of cancer treatment.

Objectives. Optimal cancer symptom management requires effective patient–health care provider (HCP) communication. The goals of this study were to 1) describe symptom experiences of women with ovarian cancer, 2) evaluate frequency of patient–HCP communication about symptoms, and 3) evaluate whether communication is associated with patients' confidence in managing symptoms. Methods. This was a cross-sectional mailed survey study. The Symptom Experience Survey, containing valid, reliable measures of symptom severity and controllability; symptom communication; and symptom-related coping strategies, was mailed to members of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Descriptive statistics, t tests, correlations, and ANCOVA were used to address study objectives. Results. This analysis focuses on the 279 respondents who had active disease. The majority of women had recurrent disease (96%) and were on chemotherapy (57%). Women reported a mean of 12 concurrent symptoms. Fatigue, bowel disturbances, and peripheral neuropathies were the most severe and most noticed symptoms. Only 61% of women had discussed their most noticed symptom with an HCP in the past month, and only 50% of women reported that they had received symptom management recommendations. Women reported low levels of perceived control over symptoms ( M = 1.97 on a 0–4 scale). There was a significant interaction effect for symptom discussions and management recommendations on perceived control. Women who had never received recommendations had low perceived control whether or not they had discussed their symptom with an HCP in the past month. For women who had received recommendations, those who had discussed their symptom with an HCP in the past month had higher perceived control compared to those who had not discussed their symptom. Conclusions. Women with ovarian cancer experience multiple symptoms, but many do not discuss symptoms with their HCPs and fewer report receiving symptom management recommendations. Women would benefit from more active symptom assessment and discussion of management strategies by HCPs.

There is no consensus as to what symptoms or quality-of-life (QOL) domains should be measured as patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in ovarian cancer clinical trials. A panel of experts convened by the National Cancer Institute reviewed studies published between January 2000 and August 2011. The results were included in and combined with an expert consensus-building process to identify the most salient PROs for ovarian cancer clinical trials. We identified a set of PROs specific to ovarian cancer: abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, fear of recurrence/disease progression, indigestion, sexual dysfunction, vomiting, weight gain, and weight loss. Additional PROs identified in parallel with a group charged with identifying the most important PROs across cancer types were anorexia, cognitive problems, constipation, diarrhea, dyspnea, fatigue, nausea, neuropathy, pain, and insomnia. Physical and emotional domains were considered to be the most salient domains of QOL. Findings of the review and consensus process provide good support for use of these ovarian cancer-specific PROs in ovarian cancer clinical trials.

Purpose/Objectives: To conduct an investigation of women's experiences related to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) and managing AET-related symptoms. Research Approach: Qualitative, focus group design. Setting: Main campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Participants: 14 breast cancer survivors, aged 50 years or older, with AET-related symptoms. Methodologic Approach: Semistructured discussion guides were used to elicit recollections of conversations with healthcare providers about starting AET, symptom experiences, symptom management, and suggestions for improving management. Audiotaped discussions were transcribed and analyzed to identify themes. Findings: Women reported that, initially, AET was not viewed as a choice, but rather as the necessary next step to save their lives. After starting AET, women experienced difficulties making sense of, communicating about, and managing unanticipated AET-related symptoms. Women who experienced persistently bothersome symptoms began weighing the pros and cons of AET to decide whether to continue treatment. Conclusions: Focus group findings suggest multiple opportunities to better prepare patients for AET and to improve assessment and management of AET-related symptoms. Interpretation: By exploring AET-related symptom experiences, nurses may be able to promote AET adherence in breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer survivors often receive long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) to reduce recurrence risk. Adherence to AET is suboptimal, which may be due to the experience of symptoms and/or concerns. Few studies have comprehensively assessed self-reported concerns between those who currently, previously or have never received AET. The study objective is to describe self-reported physical and emotional concerns of breast cancer survivors who are current, prior, or never-recipients of AET. Secondary analysis was performed on a subset of survey data collected in the 2010 LIVESTRONG Survey. Breast cancer survivors (n = 1,013, mean 5.4 years post-diagnosis) reported on 14 physical and eight emotional concerns that began after diagnosis and were experienced within 6 months of participation in the survey. Bivariate analyses examined the prevalence of each concern by AET status. The relationships between AET and burden of physical or emotional concerns were modeled with logistic regression. More than 50 % of the participants reported currently experiencing cognitive issues, fatigue, fear of recurrence, emotional distress, and identity/grief issues. Thyroid dysfunction and stigma concerns were more common among participants with prior AET (p

37 Background: Prognosis affects decision making by providers and patients and accurate understanding of prognosis may help avoid futile end-of-life care. Gynecologic oncology (GO) patient and provider perspectives on discussing prognosis have not been described. We sought to analyze patient and provider preferences regarding timing, amount and type of information included in discussions of prognosis. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews regarding palliative care with 19 GO providers (7 physicians, 7 advanced practice providers, 5 nurses) and 29 patients with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer at an academic medical center. Communication about prognosis was one interview domain. Two coders independently and iteratively analyzed transcripts using qualitative analysis. Results: Median patient age was 61, the most common cancer was ovary (59%) and 90% had recurrent disease. Providers were 74% female with median 15 years in practice. Themes included patients wanting frank discussions about prognosis, not limited to life expectancy. Further preferences regarding timing and content were individualized. All categories of providers reported having prognosis conversations. Providers saw these conversations as part of their clinical role, though they often found them difficult. Providers commonly equated prognosis purely with life expectancy. Providers recognized variation among patients in preferences regarding these conversations, but did not discuss asking patients directly about their preferences. Conclusions: GO patients want frank discussions about what the future might hold, often including but not limited to life expectancy. Providers see these discussions as being within their scope of practice but often find them difficult. Opportunities exist for provider education regarding communication skills for assessing patient preferences and conducting patient centered prognosis discussions. Education should include GO physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses. Collaboration with specialty palliative care providers could facilitate that education and provide assistance with challenging cases.

Preparatory information at the time of metastatic breast cancer diagnosis can be used to enhance patients’ coping ability. Women with metastatic breast cancer evaluated a multimedia educational intervention designed to provide sensory and coping information regarding illness. Twenty women with metastatic breast cancer evaluated the materials. The intervention was evaluated very favorably and women identified the materials as needed information. However, they expressed dislike of content outlining possible concerns suggesting future iterations include only positive content. Findings confirm the acceptability and usability of these materials for further testing and ultimately for integration into cancer care practice.