Dados do Trabalho

Título

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES PROGRAM IN A BRAZILIAN CANCER CENTER

Introdução

Patient-reported outcome (PROs) programs can add great value to cancer care. Routine assessment of PROs can enable healthcare teams to improve symptom management and communication with patient and caregivers.

Objetivo

We sought to establish the feasibility of a Brazilian PROs program for patients with cancer starting chemotherapy.

Método

This prospective study was conducted in a private cancer center, located in Espirito Santo (Vitoria and Serra), Brazil, from July 2020 to February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients starting chemotherapy were invited to participate. Those who agreed answered the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) in person at the first day of each cycle of therapy, and by telehealth on the second- and seventh-days post-infusion (range between 6 to 18 time points, depending on the treatment regimen). A total of 16 problems were included in this assessment (mouth/throat sores, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, memory, muscle pain, insomnia, fatigue, anxious, sad, chills, pain and swelling at injection site). Symptoms classified as moderate or severe were communicated immediately to their physician. Feasibility was defined as 70% of the participants having completed all intended assessments, based on their treatment regimen.

Resultado

A total of 32 patients were recruited. Median age was 59 years old (range of 23-85 years), 81.3% were female and 56.3% had a college degree. The majority of patients were diagnosed with breast (37.5%) and gastrointestinal cancers (21.8%). The PRO-CTCAE was completed by 71.8% of patients at all intended assessment time points. Positive feedback was received from patients. In general, most patients reported mild symptoms throughout their treatment. The majority of moderate to severe symptoms were reported in the first 2 cycles of treatment, with pain and swelling at injection site (96.8%), anxiety (46.8%), insomnia (31.2%) and sadness (25.0%) the most frequently endorsed. The reporting of these issues tended to dissipate over time (p<0.01).

Conclusão

Based on our preliminary data, this PROs program was feasible in a private cancer center. Our findings suggest the benefit of this program in identifying and managing common problems faced by patients with cancer during their chemotherapy treatment.

Palavras-chave

Patient-reported outcomes, quality of care, screening program

Área

Oncologia - Prevenção, rastreamento e diagnóstico