Psycho-oncology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Web-based self-monitoring for weight loss among overweight/obese women at increased risk for breast cancer: the HELP pilot study.
Excess weight and physical inactivity are modifiable risk factors for breast cancer. Training women to use self-help resources over the internet has potential for reducing intervention costs and enhancing maintenance. ⋯ A program to train women to use web-based weight loss tools achieved a substantial short-term weight loss among the majority of participants. Further follow-up is needed to assess weight loss maintenance over time.
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The aim of the study was to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with head and neck cancer up to 18 months after radiotherapy. ⋯ The rates of depression in head and neck cancer patients increase following cancer treatment and are related to tumour/treatment-related physical symptoms. Anxiety levels are higher pre-treatment, lower immediately following cancer treatment but rise to near pre-treatment levels more than a year after completion of cancer treatment.
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The aim of the study was to investigate the adequacy of help delivered by the healthcare system for 12 symptoms/problems in a national, randomly selected sample of advanced cancer patients in Denmark. ⋯ Advanced cancer patients are not receiving the help they need. Large proportions of patients were burdened by symptoms/problems. Of those who had received help, many viewed it as inadequate. Better symptom/problem identification and management is warranted for advanced cancer patients.
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Dignity therapy (DT) has been developed to help reduce distress experienced by people nearing the end of life; however, evaluations of this novel intervention have largely involved non-distressed samples. ⋯ The extent to which DT can help these patients and their families, either as a stand-alone therapy or as an adjunct to other therapies, needs to be determined in studies focussing on distressed patients, particularly those with problems likely to be helped by the therapy.
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We examined differences in distress levels and Distress Thermometer (DT) cutoff scores between different cancer types. The effect of socio-demographic and illness-related variables on distress was also examined. ⋯ Distress and cutoff score in prostate cancer patients were lower than in patients with other cancer types. Additionally, younger women and patients receiving treatment other than surgery only or 'wait and see' are at risk for higher distress. These results can help identify patients possibly in need of referral to professional psychosocial and/or allied health care.