[Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a specific grid of head and neck post-cancer with user healthcare professionals]. / Évaluation quantitative et qualitative d'une grille spécifique de l'après-cancer des voies aérodigestives supérieures auprès des professionnels de santé utilisateurs.

INTRODUCTION: The post-cancer period is a delicate one, as it does not necessarily mean good health and/or a return to life as it was "before". Over the past twenty years, a number of initiatives have been launched to improve support for people after cancer. We have created a post-cancer care pathway for patients with head and neck cancer, based on a nursing interview and the use of a post-cancer grid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The steps involved in creating the pathway and the grid, the fruit of a working group involving the educational team, five patient associations and two expert patients, with the support of a health promotion engineering resource association, were explained. A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the use of the grid was carried out. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients benefited. Individual interviews with the nurses involved in the post-cancer process showed that the grid was complete, easy to follow and based on the semi-directive interview model, but that care had to be taken not to follow it to the letter, so as not to impair the quality of the interview. CONCLUSION: Our post-cancer approach for upper aerodigestive tracts, anchored in a dedicated grid, highlights the often underestimated significance of this crucial phase in patients' journeys. While the grid is a valuable tool in development, its use requires caution, with further research needed to confirm its effectiveness. We encourage adaptation by teams, respecting fundamental principles.

Patient Education for Radical Prostatectomy: Development of a Program Tailored to the Needs of Prostate Cancer Patients.

In all, 30% to 90% of prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) recover their erectile capacity. No effective post RP erectile rehabilitation program exists to date. The aim of this exploratory qualitative study is to explore the needs of these patients and to develop a patient education program (PEP) which meets these needs. Interviews were carried out by a socio-anthropologist with prostate cancer patients treated by RP within the 6 previous months. The needs and expectations identified led to the choice of a logical model of change for the construction of the PEP. Nineteen patients were included in the study; 17 of them were living with a partner. Two categories of patients appeared during the interviews: informed patients resigned to lose their sexuality and patients misinformed about the consequences of the surgery. The tailored program was built on the Health Belief Model and provides six individual sessions, including one with the partner, to meet the needs identified. This study designed the first program to target comprehensively the overall sexuality of the patient and his partner, and not only erection issues. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this program, a controlled, multicentric clinical trial is currently ongoing.

[Smoking and alcohol cessation programs in patients with head and neck cancer]. / Accompagnement des dépendances à l'alcool et au tabac des patients atteints d'un cancer des voies aérodigestives supérieures.

Most head and neck cancers are associated with smoking and alcohol exposure. Smoking and alcohol cessation (ASC) is associated with improved quality of life, cancer therapy efficacy, decreased treatment-related and cardiovascular risks, and is expected to decrease the risk of second primary tumor. It is therefore a high priority in the plan of care. However, results of current ASC programs are disappointing and understanding the reasons of this is critical. We started a qualitative study in 6 academic centers including 3 university hospitals, one regional hospital and one comprehensive cancer center. We first interviewed surgeons and care givers involved in the management of head and neck cancers. Poor communication between stakeholders, absence of alignment of care goals between patients, surgeons and other caregivers, and low level of understanding by patients of the benefits of ASC were felt to represent frequent obstacles to successful outcome. More work is ongoing within the context of our IHNPACT umbrella protocol to identify hurdles associated with successful ASC.

Adherence to oral anticancer chemotherapy: What influences patients' over or non-adherence? Analysis of the OCTO study through quantitative-qualitative methods.

BACKGROUND: Numerous oral anticancer chemotherapies are available. Non-adherence or over-adherence to these chemotherapies can lead to lowered efficacy and increased risk of adverse events. The objective of this study was to identify patients' adherence profiles using a qualitative-quantitative method. METHODS: A capecitabine treatment was initiated for 38 patients with advanced breast or colorectal cancer. At inclusion, information on patients' beliefs was reported using a questionnaire. Later, Information on patients' relation to treatment was obtained from a sub-group during an interview with a sociologist. Questionnaires were analyzed using Multiple Classification Analysis to cluster patients. Treatment adherence was evaluated by an electronic medication event monitoring systems (MEMS caps) and then correlated with patient clusters. Interviews were analyzed to complete and explain results. RESULTS: 38 patients were enrolled between 2008 and 2011 and completed the questionnaire. Twenty had adherence measured with MEMS caps all along treatment. Between 4 and 6 months after inclusion, 16 patients were interviewed. Patient profile B (retired, with a regular life, surrounded by a relative's attention to drug adherence, with a low educational level) was statistically associated with adequate adherence (p = 0.049). A tendency for lower adherence was observed among more highly educated patients with an irregular, active life (NS). All patients taking capecitabine demonstrated a risk of over-adherence, potentiating side effects. CONCLUSIONS: These encouraging primary results suggest that further studies should be undertaken and that educational programs tailored to patient profiles should be evaluated to enhance adherence for those who need it and to empower all patients to manage treatment side effects.