Survivorship care plans: is there buy-in from community oncology providers?

BACKGROUND: The Institute of Medicine recommended that survivors of cancer and their primary care providers receive survivorship care plans (SCPs) to summarize cancer treatment and plan ongoing care. However, the use of SCPs remains limited. METHODS: Oncology providers at 14 National Cancer Institute Community Cancer Centers Program hospitals completed a survey regarding their perceptions of SCPs, including barriers to implementation, strategies for implementation, the role of oncology providers, and the importance of topics in SCPs (diagnosis, treatment, recommended ongoing care, and the aspects of ongoing care that the oncology practice will provide). RESULTS: Among 245 providers (response rate of 70%), 52% reported ever providing any component of an SCP to patients. The most widely reported barriers were lack of personnel and time to create SCPs (69% and 64% of respondents, respectively). The most widely endorsed strategy among those using SCPs was the use of a template with prespecified fields; 94% of those who used templates found them helpful. For each topic of an SCP, although 87% to 89% of oncology providers believed it was very important for primary care providers to receive the information, only 58% to 65% of respondents believed it was very important for patients to receive the information. Furthermore, 33% to 38% of respondents reported mixed feelings regarding whether it was the responsibility of oncology providers to provide SCPs. CONCLUSIONS: Practices need additional resources to overcome barriers to implementing SCPs. We found resistance toward SCPs, particularly the perceived value for the survivor and the idea that oncology providers are responsible for SCP dissemination.

A phase II study of single agent gemcitabine in relapsed or refractory follicular or small lymphocytic non-Hodgkin lymphomas: a Hoosier Oncology Group Study.

Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine analog that is active in patients with aggressive lymphomas and Hodgkin disease. This study assessed tumor response in patients with previously treated follicular or small lymphocytic non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This was a 2-stage phase II trial with the first stage requiring 2 of 13 responses to proceed to the second stage. Gemcitabine was given as a single agent to patients with previously treated follicular or small lymphocytic lymphomas. Gemcitabine was administered at 1250 mg/m2 over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle for a maximum of 6 cycles. Thirteen patients were treated with 1 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Two patients experienced grade 4 toxicity with neutropenia. No grade 4 nonhematologic toxicity was seen. There was 1 partial response and 8 patients (61%) had either minimal response or stable disease. Single-agent gemcitabine administered at this dose and schedule produced 1 partial remission and half the patients had stable disease. However, the study had to be stopped early because of lack of meaningful response.