Communication around palliative care principles and advance care planning between oncologists,children with advancing cancer and families

Background In medical oncology, palliative care principles and advance care planning are often discussed later in illness, limiting time for conversations to guide goal-concordant care. In pediatric oncology, the frequency, timing and content of communication about palliative care principles and advance care planning remains understudied.Methods We audio-recorded serial disease re-evaluation conversations between oncologists, children with advancing cancer and their families across the illness trajectory until death or 24 months from last disease progression. Content analysis was conducted to determine topic frequencies, timing and communication approaches.Results One hundred forty one disease re-evaluation discussions were audio-recorded for 17 patient–parent dyads with advancing cancer. From 2400 min of recorded dialogue, 119 min (4.8%) included discussion about palliative care principles or advance care planning. Most of this dialogue occurred after frank disease progression. Content analysis revealed distinct communication approaches for navigating discussions around goals of care, quality of life, comfort and consideration of limiting invasive interventions.Conclusions Palliative care principles are discussed infrequently across evolving illness for children with progressive cancer. Communication strategies for navigating these conversations can inform development of educational and clinical interventions to encourage earlier dialogue about palliative care principles and advance care planning for children with high-risk cancer and their families.Subject terms: Paediatric cancer, Quality of life, Paediatric research, Prognosis     

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in the elderly cancer patient

The proportion of older cancer patients is increasing due to demographic and disease-specific reasons. However, this group of patients is severely underrepresented in research and clinical therapy. Limitation in physical and functional capacity with considerable interindividual heterogeneity remains one of the important problems in the treatment decision process. One approach to this problem is the use of a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) to describe and classify these deficits with high validity and reliability. The different domains of CGA are described with special respect to the instruments applied, as CGA has also a key role in the decision process.     

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly breast cancer patients

Treatment of elderly patients with breast cancer is limited by the lack of evidence-based medicine due to exclusion of elderly persons from clinical studies and the difficulty of decision-making in an elderly population comprising subjects with heterogeneous health backgrounds. Individual variation of health conditions is larger in elderly patients than in young people. Since the risk–benefit balance of treatment depends on the health background, judgment of the vulnerability of individual patients is required in treatment planning. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a tool for acquisition of information for design of a cancer treatment plan based on evaluation of the vulnerability of elderly patients from various perspectives. The domains of the CGA include physical function, comorbidity, cognitive function, psychological status, social support system, nutrition, and medication. The CGA can be used to predict survival and adverse events; to identify health problems that cannot be detected based on medical history or examination; to recognize new problems that emerge during course observation; and to improve psychological conditions. However, application of the CGA in routine clinical practice requires establishment of a consensus regarding the survey method, evaluation scale, and use of results in decision-making. A prospective investigation of the CGA as an outcome index in elderly breast cancer patients is required to address these issues.     

Integrating POLST into palliative care guidelines: a paradigm shift in advance care planning in oncology

Because predicting and outlining guidance for all possible scenarios is difficult, advance directives are rarely sufficiently precise to dictate patient preferences in specific situations as a disease progresses. Nonetheless, advance care planning is an essential process that should begin at the time of diagnosis, if not already initiated, to ensure that all patient and family rights are preserved. Communicating effectively with the patient and family and having the patient designate a surrogate decision-maker are critical. Attention must be paid to resolving conflicts among patient values and preferences and those of family and the health care team. Patient-centered goals for care and expectations should be elicited at first assessment and reassessed frequently as conditions change. As a disease progresses, advance directives are rarely precise enough to predict all possible scenarios and outline guidance for care. Therefore, for patients with advanced metastatic cancer and a potential life expectancy of less than 1 year, converting patient-centered treatment goals into actionable medical orders while the patient maintains capacity is a more effective way to ensure that patient preferences are honored. Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) and similar medical order forms provide explicit direction about resuscitation status ("code status") if the patient is pulseless and apneic. POLST also includes directions about additional interventions the patient may or may not want. A decade of research in Oregon has proved that the POLST Paradigm Program more accurately conveys end-of-life preferences that are more likely to be followed by medical professionals than traditional advance directives alone.     

The perception and attitudes of Israeli cancer patients regarding advance care planning

ObjectivesAdvance care planning (ACP) allows patients to acknowledge and document their preferences regarding end-of-life care and to ensure their fulfilment. Several factors were found to be related to patients' motivation regarding this process, such as their fear of being a burden on family members; however, the completion rate of the ACP forms is partial. The current study aimed to evaluate the barriers and motives among Israeli cancer patients regarding ACP, including many older adults.Setting and measurementsAdvanced cancer patients participated in the study. All completed an initial questionnaire to evaluate their basic knowledge regarding the issue. Participants who agreed to talk with a social worker completed a semi open-ended questionnaire which investigated their main motives and barriers regarding the issue.ResultsMost of the patients who completed the ACP forms were older and had lung cancer. They mentioned information and open communication with family and staff members as the main enabling factors. Their main motives were to ensure that the best medical decisions would be made and to avoid unnecessary medical procedures. The main reasons for not completing the forms was no close relative who would agree to take the responsibility as well as timing. Most of the participants did not hear about the issue from sources outside the oncology division.ConclusionsDespite several limitations, the current findings may have important implications regarding ways to establish a more suitable ACP process, adjusted to older patients' needs. This may assist in promoting patients' cooperation with ACP and its implementation in the medical system, including older adults.     

预立医疗照护计划在晚期癌症患者中的研究进展

预立医疗照护计划（advance care planning,ACP）是基于患者、家属和医务人员的沟通,表达患者临终护理意愿并形成书面指示的过程,可减少患者生命末期的决策冲突,提高患者及家属的满意度。目前,ACP已广泛应用于西方发达国家的医疗卫生体系中,并在晚期癌症患者中开展了大量的实践研究,而我国尚处于起步阶段,且多为对ACP态度及影响因素的调查。本文从晚期癌症患者ACP的实践现状及影响因素两个方面的研究进展作一综述。     

Predicting outcome in older patients with cancer: Comprehensive geriatric assessment and clinical judgment

ObjectivesComprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) has been incorporated into geriatric oncology to prevent unfavorable outcome from anticancer treatment. This study determined the value of CGA and medical oncologist's clinical judgment in predicting unfavorable outcome and explored whether treatment decisions can be based on CGA.Patients and MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, a multidomain CGA was performed by a geriatric nurse and geriatrician in 110 consecutive patients aged ≥70 years, newly referred to a multidisciplinary oncology clinic. CGA domains included comorbidity, polypharmacy, mood, cognition, nutrition, functionality and physical performance. Medical oncologist's clinical judgment on expected tolerance of standard treatment was noted (N = 62). Unfavorable outcome was defined as any ≥grade three chemotherapy toxicity, dose reduction, postponement of treatment, death before start of treatment and early progression before first evaluation of treatment (N = 80).ResultsCGA identified multidomain problems in 77 out of 110 patients (70.0%) and the medical oncologist had doubts about standard treatment tolerance in 30 out of 62 patients (48.4%). Unfavorable outcome occurred in 48 out of 80 patients (60%) who received anticancer treatment but could not be predicted by CGA, medical oncologists' clinical judgment or their combination. There was discrepancy between CGA and clinical judgment in 24 out of 62 patients (38.7%).ConclusionNeither CGA, medical oncologist's clinical judgment or a combination could predict unfavorable outcome in our heterogeneous sample. CGA and clinical judgment did not align in more than one-third of patients.     

The relevance of geriatric assessment for older patients receiving palliative chemotherapy

ObjectivesNo tools accurately discriminate between older patients who are fit and those who are frail to tolerate systemic palliative treatment. This study evaluates whether domains of geriatric assessment (GA) are associated with increased risk of chemotherapy intolerance in patients who were considered fit to start palliative chemotherapy after clinical evaluation by their treating clinician.Materials and MethodsThis prospective multicenter study included patients ≥70 years who started first line palliative systemic treatment. Before treatment initiation, patients completed GA including Activities of Daily Life (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Life (IADL), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT). Primary endpoint was treatment modification, defined as inability to complete the first three sessions of systemic treatment as planned. Secondary endpoint was treatment related toxicity ≥ grade 3 (CTCAE Version 4). The association between GA and endpoints were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis.ResultsNinety-nine patients with median age of 77 (+/− 8) years underwent GA. 48% of the patients required treatment modification and grade 3 toxicity occurred in 53% of patients. One or more geriatric impairments were present in 71% of patients and 32% of patients were frail in two or more domains. Only TUGT was associated with treatment modifications (OR 2.9 [95% CI 1.3–6.5]) and grade 3 toxicities (OR 2.8 [95% CI 1.2–6.3]).ConclusionFrailty was common in older patients who were considered fit to receive palliative chemotherapy. Treatment modification was necessary in half of the patients. Only TUGT was significantly associated with treatment modifications and grade 3 chemotherapy toxicities.     

Comprehensive geriatric assessment and its clinical impact in oncology

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a process that consists of a multidimensional data-search and a process of analyzing and linking patient characteristics creating an individualized intervention-plan, carried out by a multidisciplinary team. In general, the positive health care effects of CGA are established, but in oncology both CGA and the presence of geriatric syndromes still have to be implemented to tailor oncological therapies to the needs of elderly cancer patients. In this paper the conceptualization of geriatric syndromes, their relationship to CGA and results of clinical studies using CGA in oncology are summarized. Geriatric syndromes are associated with increased vulnerability and refer to highly prevalent, mostly single symptom states (falls, incontinence, cognitive impairment, dizziness, immobility or syncope). Multifactorial analysis is common in geriatric syndromes and forms part of the theoretical foundation for using CGA. In oncology patients, we reviewed the value of CGA on the following endpoints: recognition of health problems, tolerance to chemotherapy and survival. Most studies performed CGA to identify prognostic factors and did not include an intervention. The ability of CGA to detect relevant health problems in an elderly population is reported consistently but no randomized studies are available. CGA should explore the pre-treatment presence of (in)dependence in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), poor or moderately poor quality of life, depressive symptoms and cognitive decline, and thereby may help to predict survival. However, if scored by the Charlson comorbidity-index, comorbidities are not convincingly related to survival. The few studies that included a CGA-linked intervention show inconsistent results with regard to survival but compared to usual care quality of life is improved in the surviving period. Functional performance scores and dependency at home appeared to be independent predictive factors for toxicity, similar to depressive symptoms and polypharmacy. Overall, CGA implements/collects information additional to chronological age and Performance Score. So far in oncology there are no prognostic validation studies reported using geriatric syndromes or information based on CGA in its decision making strategies.     

综合老年评估在老年肿瘤中的临床应用

随着社会老龄化,老年肿瘤的处理成为一个主要的社会健康问题.然而,有关老年肿瘤的治疗耐受、疗效与预后的相关资料仍十分缺乏.综合老年评估是近年来发展起来的一项多学科、多维的老年肿瘤寿命及发病风险的评估系统,其对老年肿瘤患者制定合理的治疗方案,提出降低发病和死亡风险的干预措施等都有重要的意义.     

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly cancer patients: an experience in an outpatient population

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Cancer is an age-related disease, and the increase in life expectancy will lead to a progressive increase of cancer cases in the elderly (> or =70 years of age). We have created a group called GONG (Gruppo Oncologico Geriatrico) to apply cancer geriatric assessment in elderly cancer patients, in order to select which of them are eligible for oncological treatment or supportive care only. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We applied this model to evaluate 153 patients from March 2004 to August 2005. Our model included three categories of patients: frail (at least one of the following items: Activities of Daily Living scale <80, > or =3 comorbidities unrelated to the tumor according to the Charlson Index, performance status < or =60/> or =3 according respectively to Karnofsky and the ECOG scale, > or =1 geriatric syndrome); borderline (patients with multiple comorbidities not affecting performance status or ability in daily activities); non-frail. Results: Applying the aforementioned criteria, we found 30 borderline, 14 frail and 109 non-frail patients. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in mortality between frail and non-frail patients (P <0.05), whereas there was no difference between borderline and non-frail patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our model was thus able to identify patients at higher risk of death. These results confirm the importance of cancer geriatric assessment also for the clinical evaluation of oncological patients. Additional randomized studies with a larger number of patients, also in an adjuvant setting, should be performed to confirm the effectiveness of this approach.     

Comprehensive geriatric assessment predicts azacitidine treatment duration and survival in older patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

BackgroundTreatment of older patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is based on disease biology and performance status. Performance status, however, does not reflect increasing co-morbidities, functional dependence or psychosocial issues in older patients.Patients and MethodsThis prospective study evaluated the burden of geriatric related health issues, assessed feasibility of “tailored” Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), and compared treatment duration and survival in older patients with MDS and oligoblastic acute myeloid leukemia with and without deficits in CGA domains (n = 98).ResultsAlthough only 27 (28%) patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥2, 78% (n = 77) patients had deficits in at least one CGA domain. Deficits were spread across all CGA domains, including dependence for instrumental activity of daily living (iADL; n = 33, 34%).Importantly, patients who were dependent for iADL (3.7 ± 2.6 vs 12.1 ± 7.9; p = .009), had cognitive impairment (3.5 ± 2.1 vs. 10.9 ± 7.9; p = .034) or impaired mobility (3.8 ± 2.5 vs. 13.2 ± 7.6; p = .001) completed significantly less azacitidine cycles as compared to those without these deficits.Cox-proportional regression showed that iADL dependency (hazard ratio 3.37; p = .008) and higher comorbidities (hazard ratio 4.7; p < .001) were associated with poor prognosis independent of disease related factors. Poor survival of iADL dependent patients was seen in both azacitidine (6 vs 19 months; p < .001) and supportive care cohorts (26 vs 48 months; p = .01).ConclusionCGA detected geriatric related health issues, predicted poor survival and identified patients less likely to continue and benefit from azacitidine. Hence, CGA should be included in the treatment decision algorithm of older patients with MDS.     

老年人急性白血病的老年综合评估

老年综合评估(CGA)有助于标准化老年患者的个体特征,包括身体机能、并发症、认知能力、情绪健康,以获得患者个体化信息,并从老年学角度评估老年患者治疗承受能力,从而优化治疗选择.已有研究显示CGA指标在老年急性白血病患者的治疗和预后评估中有预测价值,文章对CGA在急性白血病中的作用进行综述.     

Prevalence of advance care planning documentation and self-reported uptake in older Australians with a cancer diagnosis

BackgroundAdvance care planning (ACP) and completion advance care directives (ACDs) is recommended for patients with cancer. Documentation needs to be available at the point of care.Objective(s)To describe the prevalence of ACDs in health records and the self-reported awareness of and engagement in ACP as reported by older Australians with cancer, and to examine the concordance between self-reported completion of and presence of documentation in participants' health records.Design/setting/participantsProspective multi-center audit of health records, and a self-report survey of eligible participants in 51 Australian health and residential aged care services. The audit included 458 people aged ≥65 years with cancer.Results30% had ≥ ACD located in their record. 218 people were eligible for survey completion; 97 (44% response rate) completed it. Of these, 81% had a preference to limit some/all treatments, 10% wanted to defer decision-making to someone else, and 9% wanted all treatments. Fifty-eight percent of survey completers reported having completed an ACP document. Concordance between documentation in the participant's record and self-report of completion was 61% (k = 0.269), which is only fair agreement.Conclusion(s)Whilst 30% of participants had at least one ACD in their record, 58% self-reported document completion, and concordance between self-reported completion and presence in records was only fair. This is significant given most people had a preference for some/all limitation of treatment. Further ACP implementation strategies are required. These include a systematic approach to embedding ACP into routine care, workforce education, increasing community awareness, and looking at e-health solutions to improve accessibility at the point of care.