Hormonal breast cancer agents: implications for the primary care provider

PURPOSE: Over 2 million breast cancer survivors are in the United States, making women with breast cancer the largest group of cancer survivors. The purpose of this article is to review the current knowledge regarding survivorship issues in women with early-stage, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, focusing on advances in hormonal therapies for reducing risk of recurrence. DATA SOURCES: Published research studies, clinical treatment guidelines, and ongoing clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS: Innovations in antiestrogenic and estrogen modulator therapies are an important aspect of ongoing care after primary breast cancer treatment. Primary care providers may play an important role in monitoring potential complications of antiestrogenic treatment. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This article reviews the current state of the science in hormonal breast cancer agents for breast cancer survivors. With the high incidence and prevalence of breast cancer, primary care providers need to be aware of the potential short- and long-term health risks and benefits of hormonal therapies for breast cancer survivors.     

Better exercise adherence after treatment for cancer (BEAT Cancer) study: rationale, design, and methods

Most breast cancer survivors do not engage in regular physical activity. Our physical activity behavior change intervention for breast cancer survivors significantly improved physical activity and health outcomes post-intervention during a pilot, feasibility study. Testing in additional sites with a larger sample and longer follow-up is warranted to confirm program effectiveness short and longer term. Importantly, the pilot intervention resulted in changes in physical activity and social cognitive theory constructs, enhancing our potential for testing mechanisms mediating physical activity behavior change. Here, we report the rationale, design, and methods for a two-site, randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of the BEAT Cancer physical activity behavior change intervention to usual care on short and longer term physical activity adherence among breast cancer survivors. Secondary aims include examining social cognitive theory mechanisms of physical activity behavior change and health benefits of the intervention. Study recruitment goal is 256 breast cancer survivors with a history of ductal carcinoma in situ or Stage I, II, or IIIA disease who have completed primary cancer treatment. Outcome measures are obtained at baseline, 3 months (i.e., immediately post-intervention), 6 months, and 12 months and include physical activity, psychosocial factors, fatigue, sleep quality, lower extremity joint dysfunction, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and waist-to-hip ratio. Confirming behavior change effectiveness, health effects, and underlying mechanisms of physical activity behavior change interventions will facilitate translation to community settings for improving the health and well-being of breast cancer survivors.     

Breast Cancer Follow-Up: Strategies for Successful Collaboration between Cancer Care Specialists and Primary Care Providers

Nurse practitioners working in family or primary care often need to incorporate specialty care knowledge into their practice. Knowledge of breast cancer staging, treatment, common side effects, and possible long-term sequelae is critically important for primary care nurse practitioners caring for women with a history of breast cancer. The unique considerations of breast cancer staging, treatment, and long-term effects are reviewed in this article. The importance of optimal communication between the cancer care provider and the primary care providers is highlighted.     

Innovation in survivor care: group visits

The Centering Cancer Survivorship (CCS) follow-up care program is an innovation in healthcare delivery that meets the needs of cancer survivors and cancer centers. Piloted in a breast cancer clinic, the program provides an avenue for provision of psychological support and health-promotion activities, as well as surveillance for recurrence or late effects. The program empowers each survivor by enlisting her to produce a written breast cancer survivorship care plan for personal use and to share with her primary care provider. Concurrently, this innovation should enhance the viability of the primary cancer center by freeing appointment slots for oncologists who provide expensive therapies to newly diagnosed patients. The CCS program's central feature is the implementation of a multidisciplinary clinic designated specifically for breast cancer survivors in which follow-up care is provided through a group visit medical model. This model of care provides opportunities for health assessment, patient empowerment, and patient education within a framework of social support from peers with similar issues. The group visit model may be well suited to addressing the unique chronic healthcare needs of breast cancer survivors. Further evaluation is needed to verify cost-benefit analysis.     

Achieving the Triple Aim Through Doctor of Nursing Practice‒Directed Breast Cancer Survivorship Care

The Triple Aim is an approach developed by Institute for Healthcare Improvement to simultaneously optimize the performance of a health care system by enhancing care quality and patient satisfaction, improving population health, and reducing per capita health care cost. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. There are an estimated 3.5 million female breast survivors in the United States. The current US health care system is faced with multiple challenges with regard to providing high-quality, cost-effective care to breast cancer survivors. The Triple Aim can be achieved in breast cancer survivors through care directed by a doctor of nursing practice.     

Recognizing health risks in childhood cancer survivors

PURPOSE: To provide information about the special health needs of childhood cancer survivors through a discussion of Wilms' tumor, a common childhood renal tumor, and case studies of two survivors of Wilms' tumor, who encountered significant health problems as adults. This information may be generalized to many cancer survivors. DATA SOURCES: Actual case studies as well as extensive review of the current literature on childhood cancer survivorship. CONCLUSIONS: Adult healthcare practitioners may help to decrease morbidity of childhood cancer survivors in adulthood when they are knowledgeable about the risks of this population. Resources are readily available, both in the medical literature and on the Internet. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: With well-established success in the treatment of childhood cancer, there are many young and middle-aged adult survivors of the disease. However, as many as two-thirds of survivors may have chronic long-term effects of treatment. Most survivors eventually discontinue follow-up with their pediatric oncologists and receive primary health care from adult providers, many of whom are unaware of survivors' health risks. Awareness of primary care providers regarding the special health needs of childhood cancer survivors is critical to decrease morbidity and improve quality of life. The ever-increasing number of childhood cancer survivors is creating a public health issue as they transition into adulthood.     

Implementing a survivorship care plan for patients with breast cancer

The growing number of cancer survivors challenges healthcare organizations to develop programs that support survivors' transition from active treatments to survivorship care. Many individuals and families continue to face complicated care issues resulting from cancer diagnosis and side effects long after completion of their treatments. This article describes a model of a survivorship care plan, Cancer Treatment Summary and Follow-Up Care Plan, piloted in an outpatient clinical setting in a community hospital for patients with breast cancer. The plan can be expanded to include other cancer types. The intent of the survivorship care plan is to strengthen the care connections and coordination of services for survivors of breast cancer to ensure that continuing care needs are met during the survivorship phase of the cancer trajectory. The survivorship care plan is a unique opportunity for oncology nurses to be catalysts for the interdisciplinary interactions that are required to develop survivorship care plans and to implement a change in oncology nursing practice. The intervention shifts the paradigm of cancer survivorship care from an acute care medical model to a wellness model for cancer survivors in the clinical setting.     

Increased health care utilisation among 10-year breast cancer survivors

Objective We investigated self-reported health care utilisation of women who survived breast cancer for 10 years and identified predictors of health care utilisation.Methods The population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry was used to select all women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993, in six hospitals in the Netherlands, and were disease-free at the time of data collection. Health status, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life and health care use were compared with same age controls. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of health care utilisation.Results Of the 254 women who were sent a questionnaire, 183 (72%) responded. Breast cancer survivors had a similar health status and psychological well-being and a better satisfaction with life compared to same age controls. The proportion of breast cancer survivors (79%) who visited a specialist in the past 12 months was significantly higher compared to controls (53%). Young breast cancer survivors (45–54 at time of completing questionnaire) more often visited a physical therapist (56%) or complementary caregiver (26%) than controls (29 and 13%, respectively). Spontaneously reported problems (fatigue, arm problems) as a consequence of cancer and co-morbidity showed the strongest associations with health care utilisation.Conclusions Although self-reported health, satisfaction with life and psychological well-being were similar or even better in long-term breast cancer survivors compared to those in population controls, survivors more often attended a specialist, physical therapist and complementary caregiver in the past 12 months. Survivors of young age appear to have the highest use of health care services compared to age-matched controls, especially related to fatigue and arm problems.     

Care of the breast cancer survivor: increased survival rates present a new set of challenges

Earlier detection of invasive and noninvasive breast cancer and more effective treatments have led to both an improved prognosis for women with breast cancer and an increasing number of long-term survivors. However, such advances present various physical and emotional health challenges to patients facing breast cancer and its aftermath. Thus, understanding of the specific medical and psychosocial problems associated with survivorship is paramount in primary care.     

Thai nurses’ perspectives on the use of complementary and alternative medicine among Thai breast cancer survivors in northern Thailand

Breast cancer survivors are more likely to seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their health and well‐being than other cancer patients. The purpose of the study was to describe how Thai nurses perceive the use of CAM in Thai breast cancer survivors. An ethno‐nursing research method was used. Fifteen Thai nurses who had experience in taking care of Thai breast cancer survivors who used CAM from a tertiary care referral and resource centre in the lower northern part of Thailand were interviewed. Two major themes emerged from this study: Meaning of care practices in CAM was seen as: (i) an additional beneficial choice for health; and (ii) emotional and psychological healing. Nurses should be concerned about CAM use in Thai breast cancer survivors. Open communication about CAM helps ensure that safe and holistic care is provided. Further research to enhance integration of CAM into health care is needed.     

Survivorship care in breast cancer: Perceptions of patients and primary care physicians

Objective

To compare the perceptions of breast cancer survivors and primary care physicians (PCPs) about PCPs’ ability to deliver survivorship care in breast cancer.

Design

Mailed survey.

Setting

British Columbia.

Participants

A total of 1065 breast cancer survivors who had completed treatment of nonmetastatic breast cancer within the previous year, and 587 PCPs who had patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer discharged to their care within the preceding 18 months.

Main outcome measures

Breast cancer survivors’ and PCPs’ confidence ratings of PCPs’ ability to deliver the following aspects of care: screening for recurrence; managing osteoporosis, lymphedema, endocrine therapy, menopausal symptoms, and anxiety about or fear of recurrence; and providing nutrition and exercise counseling, sex and body image counseling, and family counseling. Response options for each question included low, adequate, or good. Responses were summarized as frequencies and compared using χ² tests.

Results

Response rates for breast cancer survivors and PCPs were 47% and 59%, respectively. Responses were statistically different in all categories (P < .05). Both groups were most confident in the ability of PCPs to screen for recurrence, but breast cancer survivors were 10 times as likely to indicate low confidence (10% of breast cancer survivors vs 1% of PCPs) in this aspect of care. More breast cancer survivors (23%) expressed low confidence in PCPs’ ability to provide counseling about fear of recurrence compared with PCPs (3%). Aspects of care in which both breast cancer survivors and PCPs were most likely to express low confidence included sex and body image counseling (35% of breast cancer survivors vs 26% of PCPs) and family counseling (33% of breast cancer survivors vs 24% of PCPs). Primary care physicians (24%) described low confidence in their ability to manage lymphedema.

Conclusion

Breast cancer survivors and PCPs are reasonably confident in a PCP-based model of survivorship care. Primary care physicians are confident in their ability to manage physical effects related to breast cancer, with the exception of lymphedema. Low confidence ratings among both groups in psychosocial aspects of care suggest an area for improvement.     

Endocrine effects of breast cancer treatment

OBJECTIVES: To discuss long-term physical effects of treatment for breast cancer including effects on reproductive, bone, sexual health, and related women's issues. DATA SOURCES: Research articles, abstracts, literature reviews. CONCLUSION: Long-term effects of treatment have become increasingly prevalent in breast cancer survivors. The most common are effects on reproductive, bone, and sexual health. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Long-term effects of treatment can have a significant negative impact on the long-term health and QOL of women with breast cancer. Oncology nurses are well-positioned to anticipate and address the reproductive and endocrine consequences of breast cancer treatment.     

Posttreatment Experiences of Breast Cancer Survivors in Turkey: A Qualitative Study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the posttreatment experiences of breast cancer survivors in Turkey.Data SourcesThe study was conducted in Turkey between February 2020 and April 2020 with 18 breast cancer survivors who completed the treatment process. The data were collected using the individual in-depth interview method with the semi-structured interview form. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the data were analyzed using the seven-step Colaizzi method. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was used to report the study.ConclusionFour main themes emerged in the study which are symptom management, emotional responses, change in life, and challenges in health care. The cancer survivors in Turkey reported that moral values had more meaning for them after treatment, they started to feel extremely worried about their children, they tried to manage their own processes with the information they themselves gained and with some support systems, and they experienced radical changes in their family and social relations. In addition, cancer survivors criticized the inadequacy of health care services, including relapse follow-up after the treatment process.Implications for Nursing PracticeThis study provides an overview of the lived experiences of posttreatment breast cancer survivors in Turkey. The findings of this study can be used to better understand breast cancer survivors, identify their needs based on their experience, and develop interventions to improve patient outcomes.     

Memory and Cancer: A Review of the Literature

The mental health of cancer survivors has not always been the primary emphasis of treatment protocols since physical health outcomes have taken precedence. Older cancer survivors experience a double jeopardy since they are at risk for memory impairments and mild cognitive impairment and because they are greater than 55 years of age. Of the 9.6 million cancer survivors in the US who have completed active treatment, many report cognitive difficulties, with labels such as "chemo brain," "not as sharp," "woolly-headedness," or the "mind does not work as quickly". To date, most of our knowledge of cognitive impairment in cancer survivors comes from female breast cancer survivors. Studies indicate that these survivors have diminished executive function, verbal memory, and motor function. Cancer survivors want to live independently in the community for as long as possible however, these cognitive deficits may prevent this desired lifestyle. To broaden our understanding this paper reviews the literature on the cognitive impairment and memory deficits experienced by three groups of cancer survivors breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, that make up 60% of all survivors nationally. Even though mental health declined after a cancer diagnosis, the long-term outcomes of cancer survivors did not differ from persons without cancer in depression or cognitive function.     

Issues of ovarian cancer survivors in the USA: a literature review

Purpose

As the number of ovarian cancer survivors increases, so does the need for appropriate intervention and care. A literature review was conducted to assess the issues affecting ovarian cancer survivors in the USA, including the needs of younger survivors.

Methods

Articles on six topics (finances/employment, reproductive and sexual health, treatment effects, information needs, genomics, and end-of-life/palliative care) among ovarian cancer survivors were identified through comprehensive database searches. Abstracts for all citations were reviewed to determine relevancy. Data from relevant articles, defined as including a sample size of ≥20, published in English, involving human subjects in the USA, and published between 2000 and 2010, were abstracted.

Results

Thirty-four articles were relevant. Common, but often unaddressed, treatment side effects included infertility and issues with sexual health. Survivors reported not receiving adequate information about their disease. Hereditary cancer can lead to concern for family members. End-of-life/palliative care was often not addressed by physicians. Most of the studies used a cross-sectional design and lacked control groups. Participants were primarily recruited from academic medical centers or clinical trials and tended to be White. Few studies specifically addressed young survivors; however, reproductive health issues are common.

Conclusions

Ovarian cancer has wide-ranging impacts. This review emphasizes the need for more research among ovarian cancer survivors, particularly related to finances, reproductive and sexual health, information, genomics, and end-of-life care. Issues specific to young survivors also deserve more attention. Direction for future research and clinical implications are discussed.