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Objective: This retrospective observational study describes treatment patterns and longitudinal health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) among metastatic breast cancer patients with bone metastasis from nine community oncology clinics., Methods: For description of treatment patterns, patients were classified as treated if they started zoledronic acid within 60 days of diagnosis of bone metastasis, were considered untreated if they had not, and were considered unclassified if they died or experienced fracture before 60 days had elapsed. Medical record review provided demographic and disease characteristics as well as history of treatment. Patients completed Patient Care Monitor (PCM) assessments of patient reported outcomes during routine care for up to 2 years from the date of bone metastasis diagnosis., Results: The overall rate of fracture in the sample was 17.4%. Of the 321 patients enrolled, 160 were treated as of 60 days after diagnosis of bone metastasis, 147 were untreated, and 14 were unclassified. Of the 147 untreated as of 60 days, 82 did eventually receive zoledronic acid. More than half of all patients treated with zoledronic acid delayed the start of treatment by more than 30 days after diagnosis of bone metastasis. Patients who had a fracture showed decreased mobility and increased pain and anxiety at fracture, with recovery taking ~16 months., Limitations: Key limitations included: convenience sample with information limited to medical record content, low rate of observed fractures possibly due to limited 2-year follow-up, and exclusion of non-zoledronic acid bisphosphonate use., Conclusions: Whereas the proportion of patients experiencing a fracture was small, the impact of fracture on HRQoL was significant and was more prominently seen to impact specific dimensions of HRQoL.

This prospective study of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) explored the association between the relative grade of neutropenia and symptom burden and quality of life (QOL). Eighty-four adult cancer patients from nine community oncology centers receiving 1 of 13 myelosuppressive chemotherapies were evaluated at days 0, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, and 21 of their respective first cycle. Neutropenia grade (grade 3/4 vs grades 0 to 2) was determined by serial absolute neutrophil count (ANC) measures. Measures of patient-reported outcomes included the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Cancer Care Monitor-Medical Isolation Scale (CCM-MIS), and SF-36. Changes in outcomes from baseline to highest grade of neutropenia were evaluated using mixed model-repeated measures for each of 15 outcomes. Compared with grades 0-2, grade 3/4 neutropenia was associated with greater symptom burden and worse QOL for six measures (P < 0.05). The pattern of differences suggested that measures of symptom distress and social functioning were sensitive to patient changes associated with grade 3/4 neutropenia. Worsening of symptom burden and QOL appears to be associated with severe afebrile neutropenia. A causal relationship between neutropenia and worse symptoms and QOL remains difficult to establish due to the confounding of the effects of neutropenia with other adverse effects of chemotherapy.

The Cancer Care Monitor (CCM) is a tablet computer-based multidimensional measure of symptom burden and quality of life. This study examined individual item validity for 42 items measuring general physical symptoms and treatment side effects. Patients (40 females and 20 males) completed the CCM and a blinded nurse interview. In general, patient self-reported symptoms on the CCM corresponded well to nurse-verified evaluations. There was excellent agreement between the patient-reported CCM items and nurses' ratings on whether the symptom was present or absent and on the severity of a given symptom. Additionally, the results suggested that the majority of items had high sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Youden's Index score. Taken together, the results suggest that the CCM can provide an efficient method for collecting information about symptom presence and symptom burden at the point of care.

Purpose: In this exploratory, prospective study evaluated quality of life (QoL) changes in patients with diverse cancers during the first cycle of myelosuppressive chemotherapy., Patients and Methods: Of 80 patients enrolled, 71 were observed during one of five chemotherapy regimens: docetaxel; CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone); carboplatin-paclitaxel; carboplatin-docetaxel; and carboplatin-gemcitabine. Complete blood counts were taken weekly. QoL and symptom burden measures were administered at baseline and throughout the cycle, and included SF-36, Cancer Care Monitor (CCM), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS). Using generalized estimating equations, we modeled the change in each measure from baseline to the end of each week using the following covariates: baseline QoL measure, baseline SF-36 Physical and Mental Health Summary scores, sex, age, cycle week, grade 4 neutropenia any time in the past 7 days (yes/no), and the interaction of the latter two covariates., Results: Of the 71 patients observed, 33 developed grade 4 neutropenia during the first 2 weeks. Changes from baseline in SF-36 Bodily Pain, HADS Anxiety, and PAIS Social Environment scores were significantly less favorable (P<0.05) when patients experienced grade 4 neutropenia any time in the past 7 days compared to when they did not (grade 0-3). A similar, but non-significant, trend was also observed for 12 other QoL measures., Conclusion: QoL may be adversely affected up to 7 days after patients experience grade 4 (versus grade 0-3) neutropenia. Such findings need to be examined further in studies with adequate statistical power to test a priori hypotheses regarding specific QoL measures.

Technology is making the routine screening of symptoms and the measurement of quality of life (QoL) more feasible at the point of care. However, most existing symptom screening scales and QoL measures were not developed for clinical use and were not formatted and validated for administration through computerized mediums. The Cancer Care Monitor (CCM) is a symptom-based scale developed for administration on pen-based computers. This study is an initial evaluation of the reliability and validity of the CCM. Three samples of adult outpatients provided ratings on 38 physical, psychological, and functional oriented items of the CCM that comprise six symptom scales and one global QoL index. All additive scales are converted to normalized T scores. Reliability was examined through internal consistency and confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent and divergent validity were examined by comparing CMM scores to established measures of corresponding constructs and physician judgments. Alternative forms reliability was established by comparing paper and pencil administration with computer administration. Internal consistency reliability and factor analyses confirmed the structure of the CCM as comprising six primary symptom scales and one global QoL index. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.80 to 0.89. The pattern of correlations between CCM scales and established measures supported the convergent and divergent validity of the CCM scales. Alternate forms reliability based on paper and computer forms of the CCM scales was high. Patients indicated a preference for the computer-administered version. Results suggest that CCM items can be scored as a reliable and valid measure of constructs related to physical, psychological, and functional status, and global health-related QoL in adult cancer patients. Future studies should replicate and further evaluate the properties of the CCM, especially in relation to clinical utility.

The Zero Acceptance of Pain (ZAP) Quality Improvement Project was a multi-site effort to improve the lives of outpatients with cancer pain by enhancing the clinical practice of pain assessment and management. Independent samples of patients completed self-report measures of severity of pain, pain interference, global quality of life, pain treatment satisfaction, general medical treatment satisfaction, pain attitudes, and pain-related medical costs before and after the implementation of ZAP. Results suggested that ZAP decreased the severity of recent pain, decreased interference of pain on daily functioning, and improved satisfaction with pain treatment and attitudes about addiction to opioid medication. Direct medical costs consisting of pain-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and physician office visits were greatly reduced. In summary, the findings of this study support the idea that clinic-based efforts to improve the practice of pain management are effective in improving the lives of cancer patients who are experiencing pain.

Background: Neutropenia is a common toxicity in chemotherapy but detailed information about how neutropenia is associated with changes in patients' quality of life is not readily available. This prospective study interviewed patients with grade 4 neutropenia to provide qualitative information on patients' experience of developing and coping with grade 4 neutropenia during a cycle of chemotherapy. Methods: A sample of 34 patients who developed grade 4 neutropenia during the first cycle of chemotherapy completed a total of 100 structured clinical interviews. Interviews were transcribed, and 2 raters inductively developed 5 broad categories comprising 80 specific complaint domains nominated by patients. Thirty-five patient-nominated problems were mentioned in 5% or more of the interviews. Results: Fatigue was the most common physical symptom. Interference in daily routine, negative self-evaluation, negative emotion, and social isolation were other common complaints associated with neutropenia. Conclusion: Neutropenia is associated with a number of negative experiences among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and these negative experiences have an adverse effect on the patient's quality of life. Oncology nurses can play a key role in helping patients manage adverse effects to maintain their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Objectives: To provide an initial evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Patient Care Monitor 1.0 Revised-Neutropenia Index (PCM-N), a symptom-based assessment tool designed to measure health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) changes associated with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.Design: Known-groups methodology and self-report instrument validation.Setting: A large community oncology practice in Memphis, TN.Sample: 424 patients with cancer in four samples.Methods: All patients in the first three samples were assessed at baseline of chemotherapy administration and at a point analogous to midcycle. The fourth sample underwent a cross-sectional evaluation of the ability of the PCM-N to distinguish patients with febrile neutropenia, severe afebrile neutropenia, and no neutropenia.Main Research Variables: PCM-N score, grade of neutropenia, and febrile status.Findings: Internal consistency reliability and factor analysis supported the single additive scale structure of the 13 items of the PCM-N. The PCM-N demonstrated good known-groups validity and was able to distinguish patients with grades 3-4 neutropenia from those with grades 0-2. The tool also was able to distinguish patients with febrile neutropenia, severe afebrile neutropenia, and no neutropenia. Receiver operating characteristic analyses provided a psychometrically based threshold score.Conclusions: The PCM-N is a reliable and valid instrument sensitive to changes in HRQOL associated with moderate-to-severe chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.Implications for Nursing: Nurses can use the PCM-N as a rapid and cost-effective tool for monitoring symptoms of neutropenia in patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zero Acceptance of Pain (ZAP)™ Quality Improvement Project was a multi-site effort to improve the lives of outpatients with cancer pain by enhancing the clinical practice of pain assessment and management. Independent samples of patients completed self-report measures of severity of pain, pain interference, global quality of life, pain treatment satisfaction, general medical treatment satisfaction, pain attitudes, and pain-related medical costs before and after the implementation of ZAP. Results suggested that ZAP decreased the severity of recent pain, decreased interference of pain on daily functioning, and improved satisfaction with pain treatment and attitudes about addiction to opioid medication. Direct medical costs consisting of pain-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and physician office visits were greatly reduced. In summary, the findings of this study support the idea that clinic-based efforts to improve the practice of pain management are effective in improving the lives of cancer patients who are experiencing pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]