Development of a nurse-initiated proactive telephone nursing assessment guideline for new cancer patients.

Telephone practice is an essential component of ambulatory nursing practice to address patient concerns between their clinic visits. Proactive telephone practice has been part of oncology nursing at a large regional cancer centre for six years and involves taking the initiative of calling patients and families before they are in distress. A review of nursing practice regarding proactive calls in the centre revealed a lack of standardization across cancer disease sites in identifying and assessing patients who would benefit from proactive calls, and variability in how nurses documented telephone interactions. To create a standardized approach for proactive telephone practice, we began by identifying when patients require a proactive call based on key transition points across their cancer care trajectory. Based on the practice review of proactive calls, the needs assessment with patients, and a literature review, a Proactive Telephone Nursing Assessment Guideline was developed. The guideline provided guidance for conducting a proactive telephone call and identifying patient needs, intervening as required, and documenting the exchange. The guideline was piloted with newly diagnosed patients to determine if the call helped in meeting their needs. Informational and practical needs were most common. The pilot revealed both patients and families were satisfied with the proactive call. Nurses felt the guideline was useful, but could be burdensome, especially when it was first used. Through the pilot, it was identified that proactive telephone calls can be utilized to focus on patient and family supportive care needs.

The Live Voice Answer initiative: Supporting oncology patients beyond the clinic.

In 2016, a Live Voice Answer symptom management and distress telephone line was developed at a large regional cancer centre in Toronto. Prior to the initiation of Live Voice Answer, the previous telephone practice involved patients leaving a voicemail message for a nurse without a definitive return call time. An interprofessional team, including patient partners, sought to address this drawback and ensure all patients living with cancer have access to a nurse in real time (live voice) when they called the centre. After piloting the feasibility of real time telephone access, the Live Voice Answer initiative expanded beyond the pilot to meet the needs of all patients and families. Overall, the Live Voice Answer initiative has led to marked improvements in patient satisfaction compared to the pre-pilot state and timeliness of telephone access for patients and their families. This article describes the Live Voice Answer initiative, process improvements, and evaluation results.

SARS-CoV-2 Testing for Asymptomatic Patients with Cancer Prior and during Treatment: A Single Centre Experience.

Patients with cancer are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. As a result, routine SARS-CoV-2 testing of asymptomatic patients with cancer is recommended prior to treatment. However, there is limited evidence of its clinical usefulness. The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of routine testing of asymptomatic patients with cancer. Asymptomatic patients with cancer attending Odette Cancer Centre (Toronto, ON, Canada) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 prior to and during treatment cycles. Results were compared to positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2 locally and provincially. All 890 asymptomatic patients tested negative. Positivity rates in the province were 1.5%, in hospital were 1.0%, and among OCC's symptomatic cancer patients were 0% over the study period. Given our findings and the low SARS-CoV-2 community positivity rates, we recommend a dynamic testing model of asymptomatic patients that triggers testing during increasing community positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2.

Quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden (SB) in patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden (SB) among breast cancer patients. METHODS: Patients with DCIS, early stage, locally advanced, or metastatic breast cancer completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast Cancer (FACT-B). Patients were divided into subsequent cohorts based on their last day of treatment, age at enrollment, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. RESULTS: A total of 1513 patients were enrolled. Metastatic patients had a lower QOL and greatest SB compared to all other patient groups. Patients ≤50 years old with early stage or locally advanced breast cancer had a lower QOL and greater SB for fatigue, depression, and anxiety compared to all other age cohorts. Patients with early stage breast cancer who received chemotherapy had a lower QOL and greater SB. Patients taking selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) had greater SB for depression and lower QOL compared to those not on SERM. Patients 2-10 years post-treatment had a lower QOL compared to patients ≥10 years post-treatment. CONCLUSION: Patients ≤50 years old, 2-10 years post-treatment, treated with chemotherapy or SERM had increased SB and decreased QOL. Individualized interventions and programs can be developed to tailor to physical, educational, and psychosocial needs identified across the breast cancer continuum.

The Perceptions and Expectations of Older Women in the Establishment of the Senior Women's Breast Cancer Clinic (SWBCC): a Needs Assessment Study.

This study explored older women's perceptions and expectations of the prospective Senior Women's Breast Cancer Clinic (SWBCC) at Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre (SOCC) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In our previous studies, older breast cancer patients had expressed a greater need for informational, decisional, and post-treatment support. This study also assessed women's perspectives on the involvement of geriatricians and incorporation of geriatric assessment in their cancer care. Twelve breast cancer patients aged 68 years or older who were treated at the SOCC participated in the study. We recorded and transcribed 11 interviews and analyzed them using qualitative thematic analysis methods to identify major themes; one interview was excluded due to recording defect. Eight major themes were identified: transportation issues, service, communication between patient and healthcare professionals, communication between healthcare professionals, support during treatment, support after treatment, informational resources, and patient suggestions. Important issues were raised by participants, such as difficulties in arranging transportation to the clinic, barriers in accessing family physician service, and communication breakdown that result in treatment delay and unaddressed complications. In conclusion, there were important gaps in the cancer care of older women with breast cancer that could be detected earlier and better addressed in the new multidisciplinary SWBCC. The participating women were highly supportive of the initiative and made several suggestions on how the clinic could better accommodate their specific needs during and after breast cancer treatment.

Quality of life and symptom burden in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to examine the symptom burden (SB) and quality of life (QOL) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Breast cancer patients with metastases were asked to complete the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and FACT-B questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed to identify (1) any differences in SB and QOL between patients with bone metastases only and patients with visceral +/- bone metastases and (2) any associations between SB and/or QOL and various clinical factors, including treatment with bisphosphonates, participation in a clinical trial and presence of brain metastases. RESULTS: A total of 174 patients were enrolled. Treatment with bisphosphonates was significantly associated with lower ESAS well-being scores (less symptoms) in patients with bone metastases only. In this same group, receiving treatment prior to diagnosis of metastases was significantly associated with increased fatigue, anxiety and dyspnoea. The presence of brain metastases was associated with higher physical well-being scores (increased QOL). Participation in clinical trials was associated with better QOL. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients with metastases have different SB and QOL in relation to the type of the metastases, treatment interventions and participation in clinical trials.

Quality of life and symptom burden in patients with breast cancer treated with mastectomy and lumpectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Mastectomy (MAS) and lumpectomy (LUMP) are the two common local surgical treatments for early breast cancer. There has been a debate whether MAS or LUMP results in better quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to examine the symptom burden (SB) and QOL of both MAS and LUMP patients. METHODS: Patients at the Louise Temerty Breast Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada, were approached to complete two self-administered questionnaires, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Score (ESAS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) cancer edition. Additionally, patient demographics were recorded from medical records. Patients were divided into two cohorts depending on their surgical treatment: MAS and LUMP. The QOL and SB, assessed by FACT-B and ESAS, respectively, of MAS and LUMP patients were compared. The analysis was repeated excluding patients with metastases. RESULTS: From January to August 2014, 614 MAS and 801 LUMP patients were accrued. The MAS patients reported a lower QOL in all categories, except social well-being. There was however no statistical difference in ESAS scores for MAS and LUMP patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. CONCLUSION: This study supports existing literature that SB of MAS and LUMP patients without metastases are similar. QOL of MAS patients including those with metastases was lower than that of LUMP patients.

Towards an optimal multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer treatment for older women.

The treatment of breast cancer presents specifc concerns that are unique to the needs of older female patients. While treatment of early breast cancer does not vary greatly with age, the optimal management of older women with breast cancer often requires complex interdisciplinary supportive care due to multiple comorbidities. This article reviews optimal approaches to breast cancer in women 65 years and older from an interdisciplinary perspective. A literature review was conducted using MEDLINE and EMBASE, choosing articles concentrated on the management of older breast cancer patients from the point of view of several disciplines, including geriatrics, radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology, psychooncology, palliative care, nursing, and social work. This patient population requires interprofessional collaboration from the time of diagnosis, throughout treatment and into the recovery period. Thus, we recommend an interdisciplinary program dedicated to the treat ment of older women with breast cancer to optimize their cancer care.

Validation of the long-term quality of life breast cancer scale (LTQOL-BC) by health care professionals.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of life has become an important measure of treatment success and is currently being explored not only for patients on active treatment, but also for long-term breast cancer survivors. The long-term quality of life breast cancer scale (LTQOL-BC) is a tool to assess QOL in breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to validate the tool with health care professionals (HCPs). METHODS: Six HCPs with extensive experience working with breast cancer survivors were selected. HCPs completed the LTQOL-BC and were asked to assess the relevance of each included item to the disease-free breast cancer population. They were also instructed to identify items that could be upsetting for patients, irrelevant to this population, and to assess the tool's breadth of coverage. RESULTS: Feedback indicated that some items such as the body image and sexual functioning questions were potentially upsetting to patients and should be rephrased or removed. The overall breadth of coverage of the tool was inadequate, with employment status, economic situation, ability to meet needs of family, health care insurance coverage, and overall sense of well-being not being addressed by the LTQOL-BC. HCPs also identified that certain items should be edited including those specifying pain in the lower body and the item containing the term "homemaker". CONCLUSION: The LTQOL-BC may need to be modified to take into the recommendations provided by HCPs.