Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), unmet need, and psychosocial adaptation among recent breast cancer (BC) survivors.

Authors

null

Steven C Palmer

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Steven C Palmer , Angela DeMichele , Marilyn M. Schapira , Karen Glanz , Abigail Blauch , Donna A. Pucci , Linda A. Jacobs

Organizations

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: BC survivors have physical and psychosocial symptoms which, if unaddressed, result in unmet need. Unmet need has been examined primarily in long term survivors, and understanding the characteristics associated with unmet need is under-studied among recent patients. Methods: Eligibility included non-metastatic BC treated < 1 year prior. Participants completed a PRO symptom measure and reported unmet need for assistance for symptoms. Concerns about recurrence risk, late effects, health maintenance, family needs, and hereditary risks were assessed. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using the HADS; quality of life (QoL),using the SF-12. Results: Participants (N = 137) were primarily white (72%), middle-aged (M = 55 yrs), and treated for Stage I (47%) or II (38%) BC. Participants reported an average of 10.7 symptoms (R = 0-18), while unmet need was less common (M = 2.6, R = 0-15). Physical and mental health QoL were similar to norm values (M = 48.0; M = 53.5). 13% and 29% met “caseness” (i.e., criteria for significant elevation) for depression or anxiety on the HADS, respectively. Unmet need was trichotomized into no (0), low (1-3), and elevated (4-15) groups. Level of unmet need was not predicted by demographic variables, time from end of treatment, treatment exposure, staging, or physical QoL. Groups differed significantly with respect to level of patient concern, mental health QoL, anxiety and depression, and meeting caseness for depression on the HADS (all p < 0.03) with elevated needs being associated with worse outcomes. In multivariate analysis, overall unmet need was independently predicted by depression and level of survivorship concerns (R2 = .28, p < .001). Conclusions: In the year after treatment, patient reported symptoms are common, but unmet need is less common. QoL is similar to national norms. Higher unmet need is associated with worse psychosocial adaptation, including QoL, patient concerns, anxiety, and depression. In particular, depression and survivorship concerns independently predict unmet need. Addressing unmet needs among recent BC survivors may be one means of improving the psychological functioning of these survivors.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2016 Cancer Survivorship Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Care Coordination and Financial Implications,Communication,Late- and Long-term Effects/Comorbidities,Health Promotion,Psychosocial Issues,Recurrence and Secondary Malignancies

Sub Track

Psychological and Social Well-being

Citation

J Clin Oncol 34, 2016 (suppl 3S; abstr 212)

DOI

10.1200/jco.2016.34.3_suppl.212

Abstract #

212

Poster Bd #

L6

Abstract Disclosures

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