Supportive Care

Correction to: High incidence of invasive fungal infection during acute myeloid leukemia treatment in a resource-limited country: clinical risk factors and treatment outcomes Incorrect family name of Warissara Jutidamrongphan.

Responses to Comments on Our Previous Publication ( Support Care Cancer . 2018 Feb; 26(2):657–665. doi: 10.1007/s00520-017-3881-7.)

Correction to: Reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in breast cancer patients There is a typo in the Funding reference cited in the paper. This alteration is fundamental to justify the funding of the project.

Acupuncture for reduction of symptom burden in multiple myeloma patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a randomized sham-controlled trial. Respond to author

Correction to: One shot NEPA plus dexamethasone to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in sarcoma patients receiving multiple-day chemotherapy The title of the original paper is incorrect and is now corrected in this aticle.

Oxaliplatin-desensitization procedure is safe and feasible in an outpatient cancer unit in France Abstract This study was undertaken to assess the previously unevaluated safety and feasibility of oxaliplatin-desensitization procedure add a French ambulatory cancer unit, which is a current topic in oncology. Our findings demonstrated that oxaliplatin-desensitization was safe and feasible in our ambulatory cancer unit. In routine practice, all these procedures are done on an inpatient basis starting at least the day before. Those results could change oncological practices in France and improve patients’ quality of life and lower costs associated with inpatient administration.

Correction to: Human Development Index and its association with staff spiritual care provision: a Middle Eastern oncology study Incorrect family name of Layth Mula-Hussain.

Advancing supportive oncology care via collaboration between psycho-oncology and integrative medicine Abstract Purpose As survival after cancer diagnosis increases, patients are increasingly turning toward integrative therapies (e.g., yoga, acupuncture, massage) to manage acute and chronic concerns related to cancer treatment and survivorship. As such, integrative medicine programs devoted to combining conventional Western cancer care with complementary treatments such as yoga, acupuncture, botanicals, and homeopathy are increasingly common in cancer communities around the world. However, few integrative medicine programs have included psycho-oncology providers in order to systematically evaluate and treat psychological and behavioral health factors affecting adjustment to cancer. Methods A pilot program was initiated at a large academic medical center to explore benefits of a collaborative clinic visit conducted with psycho-oncology and integrative medicine within an existing supportive oncology clinic. Collaborative medical and psychological interventions were provided to enhance patient quality of life and reduce symptom burden. Results Forty-nine patients were seen via the dyadic consultation model. Sixty-eight percent of patients rated their emotional distress at or above clinical cutoffs, indicating unmet supportive care needs. The majority of patients seen were White, non-Hispanic, and female. Conclusions Many cancer patients and survivors report persistent emotional distress and chronic physical problems associated with their diagnosis and treatment. The types of patients seen in this pilot program raise concern about ongoing inequalities in access to integrative medicine and psycho-oncology services, which may contribute to downstream health disparities and poorer clinical outcomes. Future directions will explore billing practices, financial sustainability, and methods to increase access to this type of program for demographically diverse individuals across cancer populations.

Self-perceived burden mediates the relationship between self-stigma and quality of life among Chinese American breast cancer survivors Abstract Purpose Cancer-related self-stigma (the internalized sense of shame about having cancer) has been found to associate with poorer quality of life (QoL) among cancer survivors. However, culturally salient illness beliefs (e.g., cancer is contagious; cancer is a result of karma; and cancer brings shame to the family) may make Chinese cancer survivors vulnerable to self-stigmatization. This study examined the association between self-stigma and QoL among Chinese American breast cancer survivors (BCS). To understand the potential mechanism, the mediating role of self-perceived burden to caregivers between self-stigma and QoL was also examined. Methods Chinese American BCS (n = 136) were recruited through community-based cancer associations. Participants’ self-stigma, self-perceived burden, and QoL were measured in a questionnaire package. Results Structural equation modeling results supported the proposed mediation model in predicting physical QoL (χ2(100) = 123.041, CFI = 0.982, TLI = 0.975, RMSEA = 0.041) and emotional QoL (χ2(84) = 137.277, CFI = 0.958, TLI = 0.940, RMSEA = 0.069), with satisfactory model fit indices. Both the indirect effects from self-stigma to QoL via self-perceived burden (physical: β = − 0.13; 95% CI = − 0.22, − 0.07 and emotional: β = − 0.11; 95% CI = − 0.22, − 0.04) and the direct effects from self-stigma to poorer QoL were significant (physical: β = − 0.22; 95% CI = −0.34, −0.10 and emotional: β = − 0.39; 95% CI = − 0.54, − 0.23), suggesting a partial mediation effect of self-perceived burden between self-stigma and QoL. Conclusions Self-stigma could reduce physical and emotional QoL through increasing self-perceived burden. Interventions aiming to reduce Chinese American BCS’ self-stigma and perceptions of burdensomeness may facilitate improvement in QoL, which in turn promotes better cancer survivorship.

Feasibility of an exercise and nutritional intervention for weight management during adjuvant treatment for localized breast cancer: the PASAPAS randomized controlled trial Abstract Purpose Lack of physical activity (PA), weight gain, and overweight have been associated with increased risk of recurrence and mortality after breast cancer diagnosis. We evaluated the feasibility of implementing an individualized exercise program and nutritional counseling during adjuvant treatment of localized invasive breast cancer. Methods Sixty-one patients eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized 2:1 to receive a 6-month program of weekly aerobic exercises associated with nutritional counseling (n = 41) or usual care with nutritional counseling (n = 20, one withdrawal). The primary endpoints were the proportion of patients compliant with two weekly supervised sessions and their overall adherence (i.e., proportion of supervised and unsupervised sessions completed versus planned sessions). Results Ten percent of patients in the intervention group were compliant with the two weekly supervised sessions for 6 months, but the overall median adherence rate was 85% of supervised and non-supervised sessions completed. Non-adherence was mainly due to intrinsic reasons (medical, organizational, psychological barriers). Adherence was positively associated with education and baseline PA level and inversely associated with baseline weight and tumor grade. No statistically significant benefits were observed in the intervention group, even if overall PA level and body composition improved and anthropometrics were maintained over time (p < 0.05). Conclusions Overall, there was good adherence with the 6-month exercise program during adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, despite poor compliance to twice-weekly supervised sessions. This study highlights the need for flexible exercise modalities and innovative experimental design to reach patients who would most adhere and benefit from intervention. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01331772. Registered 8 April 2011, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01331772?term=pasapas&rank=1