To measure the long- and short-term effects of a group family cancer caregiver psychoeducational intervention delivered in palliative home care settings on caregiver preparedness, health perception, anxiety, reward, burden, and depression

Study caregivers meeting inclusion criteria received random assignments to the psychoeducational or control group, which received standard care support. The former group participated in theoretically based, weekly afternoon group sessions delivered by an interdisciplinary team in a palliative care setting to increase caregiver preparedness for family member palliative care needs. Each session lasted two hours per week over a three-week period. The use of a session manual ensured consistent structure and content presentation to all groups. Content included patient symptom management, daily nutritional care, caregiver support, and existential issues related to family member diagnoses. Both control and intervention groups received standard care from patient palliative care settings. Data collection occurred for both groups at baseline, the end of the intervention, and two months after the intervention.

• N = 194    
• AVERAGE AGE = 61.5 years
• MALES: 34%, FEMALES: 66%
• KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Overall, 90% of the patient sample had cancer with a life expectancy of at least five weeks to allow intervention completion.
• OTHER KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: In total, 90% of caregivers attended two or three sessions, 74% were married, almost half were employed or retired, and more than half lived with the patient. Spouses were the recipients of the caregiver intervention in 48% of study participants.

• SITE: Multi-site    
• SETTING TYPE: Home    
• LOCATION: Ten specialized palliative home care settings in metropolitan Sweden

• PHASE OF CARE: End of life care
• APPLICATIONS: Palliative care 

Randomized, unblided, controlled trial consistent with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials

• Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCS): Assesses degree of caregiver-perceived ability to provide family member with palliative care; good validity, reliability and internal consistency
• Caregiver Competence Scale (CCS): Assesses caregiver-perceived degree of competency; reflects high internal consistency
• Rewards of Caregiving Scale (RCS): Measures caregiver degree of perceived rewards of caregiving; reflects high internal consistency
• Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS): Measures five aspects of strain, isolation, emotional response and context of care; reflects high internal consistency
• Health Index: Measures degree of caregiver perceived health; high internal consistency
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS): Measures degree of experiencing those concepts in palliative care; high Cronbach’s alpha scores on two subscales

The study had 21 intervention sessions programs with an average of four caregivers per session. The mean age of the 175 patients in the study was 72 years, and greater than half of the sample was female and enrolled in Swedish palliative homecare for a median time of four months. In the first caregiver follow-up, the intervention group had significant increases in preparedness (p = 0.041) and caregiving competency (p = 0.001) from baseline as compared to control group (p = 0.041 by simple linear regression analysis). The second follow-up showed significantly higher intervention group scores on caregiver preparedness as compared to the control group (p = 0.12). No other significant findings for caregiving competency, rewards, burden, health, anxiety, or depression were found.

This study’s psychoeducational intervention showed significant improvements in caregivers’ preparedness in short- and long-term measurements and in caregivers’ perceived competency in the short-term. The nature of the intervention (three weeks) may have minimized significant effects on caregiver preparedness, competence, and rewards of caregiving compared to longer, previously published, six-session interventions that found such effects. No negative intervention effects occurred although other caregiver variables did not improve under investigation. Baseline data indicated that caregivers had low to moderate levels of burden, depression, and anxiety, and they had positive health perceptions that may have indicated that a short-term intervention would have a limited effect.

• Risk of bias (no blinding)
• Subject withdrawals ≥ 10% 
• Other limitations/explanation: Possible inconsistency with standard care delivery across settings

There is a need for diverse cultural randomized, controlled studies defining successful interventions that improve caregiver quality of life during palliative care. This Swedish study reflected high rates of caregiver attrition because of patient deaths or health deterioration. This suggests a critical need for innovative, personalized, short-term interdisciplinary healthcare interventions housed within the context of healthcare systems to meet caregiver needs.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of various single doses of pegfilgrastim per chemotherapy cycle in women receiving chemotherapy with doxorubicin and docetaxel.

On day 2 of each chemotherapy cycle, 24 hours after chemotherapy completion, patients either received a single subcutaneous injection of pegfilgrastim or began daily injections of filgrastim for 14 days or until absolute neutrophil count (ANC) recovery to 10 x 10⁹/L after nadir. Within the pegfilgrastim group, patients received 30, 60 or 100 mcg/kg. Filgastrim was given at 5 mcg/kg per day. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment group. Treatment was repeated for each cycle, up to four cycles. Blood samples were collected at screening, before each chemotherapy cycle, and once weekly during cycle 1. Findings were evaluated regarding duration of grade 4 neutropenia and rates of febrile neutropenia.

• 137 participants
• The mean age was 50 years (SD = 9)
• Women made up 100% of the sample.
• All had breast cancer and were receiving the same type of chemotherapy regimen.  
• About 33% had stage II disease, 33%had stage III, and about 33% had stage IV disease.

Multiple sites in the United States

Active antitumor treatment

Randomized dose finding phase II. Analysis also included open-label phase data.

• Grade 4 neutropenia defined as ANC less than 0.5 x 10⁹/L
• Febrile neutropenia was defined as grade 4 neutropenia plus an oral temperature of 38.2ºC or higher.

Mean duration of grade 4 neutropenia in patients on filgastrim during cycle 1 was 2.5, and was 2.0 in patients receiving 30 mcg/kg pegfilgastrim (95% CI [0.35,1.93]). There was not a statistically significant difference in cycle 1 with the other pegfilgastrim dosage groups. Mean time to ANC recovery for cycle 1 was 9.4 days with filgastrim, 9.5 with 100 mcg pegfilgastrim (p = 0.05), 10.3 with 60 mcg (p = 0.05) pegfilgastrim,  and 11 with 30 mcg doses (not significant). There were no significant differences across groups in any other outcome measure. There were no significant differences in adverse events. A single dose of pegilfrastim produced a sustained serum concentration, with maximum concentration at about 24 hours, and was sustained until ANC nadir.

Pegfilgastrim at a single dose per chemotherapy cycle was similar to daily filgastrim in efficacy and adverse effects.

• Risk of bias (no blinding)
• Selective outcomes reporting
• Measurement/methods not well described
• Results reporting is somewhat confusing, as the sample sizes per measure vary throughout.  
• Only data from cycle 1 was fully analyzed.  
• Authors state that they pooled results from the open-label phase and randomized study phase, but it is not clear which data are which.

Findings suggest that single dose of pegfilgastrim per chemotherapy cycle is similar to daily filgastrim dosing in terms of safety and efficacy. The need for fewer subcutaneous injections with single dosing may be beneficial to patients.

To investigate the effects of rye bread and cultured buttermilk on bowel function, colon metabolism, and gastrointestinal symptoms in adults with constipation.

For three weeks before the beginning of the study, participants were instructed not to use products containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). At the end of the baseline period, participants were randomized into one of five groups.

1. Rye bread: minimum of 240 g per day of whole-grain rye bread
2. LGG: 400 g per day of cultured buttermilk with LGG
3. Rye bread plus LGG: minimum 240 g per day of whole-grain rye bread and 400 g per day cultured buttermilk with LGG 
4. Laxative: laxative use as usual and maximum of 192 g per day of white wheat bread 
5. Control: maximum of 192 g per day of white wheat bread

Foods considered to have laxative effects (e.g., prunes, flax, fiber products) were only allowed for the laxative group. All participants were permitted laxative use as necessary after first contacting the principal investigator. Participants were to exclude products containing other lactic acid bacteria.

Participants collected all feces for five days during the baseline week, one day during week 1, and five days during week 3. The samples were kept frozen until taken to the study center. Sitzmarks^® Radiopaque capsules were used to determine total intestinal transit time (TITT) measurements.

• The study reported on a sample of 51 patients.
• Mean patient age was 46 years (range 22–78).
• The sample comprised 47 women and four men.
• Patients self-reported constipation and laxative use.

A metropolitan area in Helsinki, Finland

This study had a randomized, unblended, 2 x 2 factorial design (LGG given, LGG not given, rye bread given, rye bread not given).

Patients self-reported the following.

• Stool consistency (-1 = loose, 0 = normal, 1 = hard)
• Ease of defecation (-1 = easy, 0 = normal, 1 = straining)
• Rank of abdominal symptoms (i.e., abdominal pain, flatulence, borborygmi, abdominal bloating, constipation, diarrhea) (0 = no symptoms, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe)

• Rye bread, compared with white wheat bread, shortened TITT by 23% (p = 0.04), increased weekly defecations by 1.4 (p = 0.014), softened feces (odds ratio [OR] = 3.98, p = 0.037), eased defecation (OR = 5.08, p = 0.018), increased fecal acetic acid by 24% (p = 0.044), increased fecal butyric acid by 63% (p < 0.001), and reduced fecal enzyme (β-glucuronidase) activity by 23% (p = 0.014).
• Rye bread, compared with laxatives, reduced TITT by 41% (p = 0.006), reduced fecal enzyme (β-glucuronidase) activity by 38% (p = 0.033), and reduced fecal pH by 0.31 units (p = 0.006).
• LGG did not significantly improve bowel function or affect colonic metabolism.
• Adverse abdominal symptoms did not significantly differ among the study groups.

In adults with constipation, bowel function and colonic metabolism may improve more with rye bread consumption than with wheat bread consumption or common laxative use without causing adverse abdominal symptoms. Cultured buttermilk with LGG did not significantly improve bowel function or affect colonic metabolism in this population.

• The sample size was small (fewer than 100). In addition, the study design was 2 x 2 factorial with a control, so five groups existed. Therefore, the already small total sample size (N = 51) was distributed into very small study groups of only 8 to 12 participants each. 
• The study was not blinded.
• The ratio of women to men was not balanced.

Rye bread consumption may be more effective in relieving constipation than wheat bread or commonly used laxatives in adults. However, the convenience sample of volunteers was small, comprised predominately men, and did not include patients with cancer. Additional study is warranted in a larger population that includes patients with cancer, as well as a balanced number of women and men.

The 10-day study had two arms: alprazolam 0.5 mg three times a day or progressive muscle relaxation three times a day.

• The study reported on a sample of 147 patients.
• Sample age range was 18–70 years.
• Patients were receiving active cancer treatment at three centers.
• Patients had Karnofsky scores greater than 60.

A randomized controlled trial (nonblinded) design was used.

• Covi Anxiety Scale
• Raskin Depression Scale
• Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS)
• Symptom Checklist–90 (SCL-90)
• Patient’s Global Impression Scale
• Physiologic measures: Pulse and blood pressure

There was significant decrease in anxiety (HARS, ABS, SCL-90 subscale) and depression (SCL-90 subscale) in both treatment arms (p < 0.001). There was minimal change in pulse and blood pressure.

• The study yielded equivocal findings regarding alprazolam and progressive relaxation. 
• The study had no long-term follow-up, only a 10-day period.
• The sample was largely white (87%) and female (64%).
• Older study

• FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 11 (nine randomized, controlled trials and two quasiexperimental designs)
• TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW = 1,033
• SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: 9–385 patients
• KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: All had advanced cancer

PHASE OF CARE: End of life care
 
APPLICATIONS: Palliative care

Interventions included massage or aromatherapy massage (five studies), physical therapy and massage (one study), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS, one study), acupuncture (one study), reflexology (one study), warm water footbath (one study), biofeedback-assisted relaxation (one study), and varied strategies of relaxation and imagery with nature sounds (one study). The effectiveness of massage was mixed, TENS had the potential to reduce pain on movement, acupuncture reduced pain immediately after the intervention but the benefit was transient, reflexology showed no effect, relaxation with biofeedback was beneficial, and psychoeducational and behavior strategies had only a short-term effect. Most studies were found to have a relatively high risk of bias.

There was insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of nonpharmacologic interventions to reduce pain among patients with advanced cancer.

• Very few studies included for most of the specific interventions
• High risk of bias of studies were included

Treating pain is a high priority among patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care. The effectiveness of many nonpharmacologic interventions is unclear and warrants additional well-designed research. Most of the evidence involved studies in inpatient settings. Additional research among outpatients and those receiving palliative care in the home is needed. Nonpharmacologic interventions are generally low-risk. The identification of approaches than can facilitate reductions in pain would be beneficial for patients with cancer-related pain.

To review current knowledge and provide guidance to clinicians regarding care for the prevention of mucositis, particularly pediatric patients

The databases searched and search keywords were not stated.

This study has clinical applicability to pediatrics.

Experts generally agree that oral care is important and that oral care instructions should include brushing teeth 2–3 times per day, flossing, rinsing with a bland agent such as sterile water, using fluoride therapy, and using mouth moisturizers. These measures are recommended regardless of hematologic status. Experts recommend changing toothbrushes frequently. Dental assessments should be performed at initial diagnosis. This report provides a summary of the oral care guidelines of four organizations.

This report provides general recommendations for oral hygiene but no specific review of evidence or evidence quality.

This report provides a general overview and supports the development and implementation of specific protocols based on evidence for oral care.

To provide a quantitative, meta-analytic review of the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) for improving anxiety and mood symptoms in clinical populations

• Databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library.
• Keywords: mindfulness plus meditation, program, therapy or intervention, anxiety, mood, depression or stress.
• Inclusion criteria: Studies that included a mindfulness-based intervention, a clinical sample, and adults 18–65 years. The mindfulness program was not coupled with treatment using acceptance and commitment therapy or dialectical behavior therapy. Researchers included a measure of anxiety and/or mood symptoms pre- and postintervention, and they provide sufficient data to perform effect-size analyses.
• Exclusion criteria: Studies in which the interventions differed substantially from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in length; studies in which the MBT was not delivered in person.

• Method of included-study evaluation: Two authors extracted data and analyzed changes pre- to posttreatment, pretreatment to follow-up, and intent to treat. Evaluation included a modified Jadad assessment of methodological quality. Two independent raters performed the assessment. Inter-rater reliability was r = 0.96.
• The total number of studies reviewed initially was 727.
• The study detailed publication bias and effect size.

• The report evaluated 39 studies. Sixteen of the studies included a control or comparison group.
• Total sample size: 1,140; individual study samples: 8–103. The most common clinical disorder was cancer (n = 9), followed by generalized anxiety disorder (n = 5), depression (n = 4), and 16 other clinical disorders. Many studies targeted more than one disorder.
• The report did not cite sample characteristics.

MBT was moderately effective for improving anxiety (Hedges’s g = 0.63) and mood symptoms (Hedges’s g = 0.59) from pre- to post-treatment in the overall sample. Eight studies met criteria for elevated levels of depression symptoms at pretreatment; none of these involved patients with cancer.

The effects of MBT on depression and anxiety related to chronic conditions, such as cancer, might be smaller than expected, because patients may experience physical symptoms listed on depression or anxiety scales as a result of their physical condition or as a side effect of medical treatment.

• The study does not present information about type, stage, and treatment of cancer. The study does not describe sample characteristics other than adult age.
• Researchers do not describe the specifics of the mindfulness interventions. 
• Researchers used many tools to measure anxiety and depression. Understanding if these tools measured the same things is difficult.
• Clinical populations varied. Many populations had only one study to represent them. Therefore, generalizability is limited.

MBT is a promising intervention in the treatment of anxiety and mood problems in patients with medical diagnoses, including cancer.

To design and test the feasibility and acceptability of a postsurgical intervention with exercise for patients with non-small cell lung cancer to promote perceived self-efficacy for fatigue self-management targeting cancer-related fatigue (CRF) severity and its associated fatigability

Participants performed warm-up exercises designed for the patient population. Wii walking was self-paced and comfortable for participants with the Wii exercise equipment, creating a virtual environment in a town of happy people providing encouragement to continue. Patients started walking five minutes each day for five days during week 1 and increased by five-minute intervals per day until a goal of 30 minutes per day of Wii walking was reached by week 6. The nurse assessed each participant’s readiness to advance the walking prescription. Participants also completed balance exercises five days a week from weeks 1 to 6 from a menu of predetermined Wii balance exercises, which used a gaming format. Data were recorded in the participants' daily diaries and confirmed by research staff as recorded in the Wii Fit Plus.

• N = 72   
• AGE RANGE = 37–89 years
• MEAN AGE = 67 years
• MALES: 44%, FEMALES: 56%
• CURRENT TREATMENT: Not applicable
• KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Early to late stage suspected non-small cell lung cancer receiving a surgical intervention
• OTHER KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Participants had to be at least 21 years of age; have a Karnofsky Performance Status of 70% or greater; have medically stable comorbid conditions presurgery; get the approval of a surgeon prior to and after surgery; have phone access; be able to speak and write English; own a television; have no severe sensory impairment that would increase the risks of exercise; have no metastatic disease requiring portable oxygen for activities of daily living; weigh equal to or less than 330 pounds; and have no history of photosensitive seizures or dementia, which would limit safety or full participation.

• SITE: Multi-site   
• SETTING TYPE: Home    
• LOCATION: Michigan

• PHASE OF CARE: Transition phase after active treatment
• APPLICATIONS: Elder care

Two-arm, randomized, controlled trial to compare the impact of a six-week rehabilitative CRF self-management exercise intervention post-surgical hospital discharge. The control group used a Wii-based walking and balance home program at home.

Feasibility: Rates of recruitment, adherence, retention, and monitoring of adverse events

Acceptability: 15-item acceptability questionnaire developed by the researchers

Efficacy:

• Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
• Perceived Self-Efficacy for Fatigue Self-Management
• Perceived Self-Eefficacy for Walking Duration
• Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale
• Cancer-related fatigue self-management behaviors diary

Functional status:

• Capacity-fatigability six-minute walk test (6MWT) (fatigue reported during the 6MWT and distance walked in six minutes)
• Performance: Modified Borg Scale (fatigue severity during the 6MWT) and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36, version 2, Acute Recall
• Demographic questionnaire
• Modified version of the Comorbidity Questionnaire
• Smoking-Behavioral Risk Factor Survey
• Karnofsky Performance Status Score

Feasibility and acceptability: Recruitment, vulnerable population, adherence, and acceptability goals were exceeded. No adverse events were reported.

Efficacy: At week 6, interval scores for CRF, CRF self-management, walking, balance, and fatigability were significantly different (p < 0.001) between the intervention group and control group. Participants exceeded minimum walking-balance exercise behaviors during the six-week study period. Functional performance decreased postsurgery in both the control and intervention groups. Improvement occurred in weeks 1–6 for both groups but improved more slowly in the control group versus the intervention group.

A home- and Wii-based exercise and balance program for patients with lung cancer postsurgery is a feasible, acceptable, safe, and effective method to improve fatigue and fatigability in this patient population.

• Small sample (< 100)
• Risk of bias (no blinding)

Early rehabilitation exercise and balance interventions for patients undergoing surgery for non-small cell lung cancer are feasible, acceptable, and safe. Additional research is needed to determine factors to enhance adherence to exercise and balance interventions beyond the immediate postsurgical period (six weeks) and to determine their effects on prognosis and functional (physical and mental) capacity.

To explore the efficacy of a virtual reality home-based exercise program for managing fatigue during adjuvant therapy in patients with postthoracotomy lung cancer.

Patients were initially provided self-management education for fatigue and a Nintendo Wii system for walking and balance exercise in the home. Nurses initiated the program in a home visit, performed follow-up at two weeks, and contacted patients via telephone for reinforcement at three and six weeks in the initial study. This report involved extension of the initial study for an additional 10 weeks while patients were receiving adjuvant therapy. Patients wore a pedometer to record the number of steps per day and were to use the program five days per week.

• Seven participants (28.6% male, 71.4% female) were included in the study.
• Mean age was 64.4 years (range 53–73).
• All participants were postthoracotomy for non-small cell lung cancer. 
• Five patients began chemotherapy at five weeks postsurgery.

• Multisite 
• Home 
• Michigan

Patients were undergoing the active antitumor treatment phase of care.

This was a prospective trial.

• Acceptability questionnaire
• Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
• Fatigue Self-Management Instrument
• Self-efficacy for walking instrument
• Walking duration instruments
• Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale
• Daily diary to record fatigue and exercise use

Adherence to the exercise protocol declined slightly from the previous six-week study to an overall adherence of 87.6% (range 59%–100%). All patients reported unmanaged symptoms unrelated to the exercise at some point in the 10 weeks. Fatigue scores increased slightly from weeks 6 to 14 and then declined further. Self-efficacy for walking and self-management were relatively stable. There was high variability in the average walking steps per day from the pedometers.

Results suggested continued feasibility and overall efficacy of the virtual reality home-based exercise and balance program tested. Findings showed that, over longer periods of time, program adherence declined and was more variable. Some of this variability in exercise adherence and fatigue scores may be associated with periods of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

• The study had a small sample size, with less than 30 participants.
• The study had risks of bias due to no control group, no blinding, no random assignment, and no appropriate attentional control condition.
• The intervention was expensive, impractical, or had training needs.
• The Nintendo Wii system had associated costs.

The use of a home virtual reality–based approach to facilitate exercise among patients with cancer is a promising approach for self-management of fatigue.  Larger well-designed research using this approach is warranted.

To evaluate the feasibility, safety, acceptability, and effects of a home-based exercise intervention.

Patients were screened for inclusion, and baseline measures were obtained prior to surgery. Each patient was assigned a primary nurse for the duration of the study to ensure continuity of care. Prior to surgery, participants were taught approaches to increase self-efficacy in self-management of fatigue and were prepared to participate in the exercise intervention after surgery. Within three days of hospital discharge, patients were contacted by telephone and screened for readiness to start exercise. When ready, a home visit was scheduled to set up the exercise equipment (the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus), the particpant was educated in the exercise intervention, and teaching for self-management was reinforced. The exercise intervention provided a virtual reality scenario for walking. After week 2, another home visit was performed, and telephone contacts were made at three and six weeks. Patients completed study tools at the end of six weeks via mail.

• Seven participants (28.6% male, 71.4% female) were included.
• Mean age was 64.4 years (range 53–73).
• All participants had lung cancer and were postthoracotomy.  
• Most participans were employed and had no children living at home. 
• Comorbid conditions included osteoarthritis, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  
• Some patients started chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy within the study period.

• Multisite 
• Home 
• Michigan

Patients were undergoing the active antitumor treatment phase of care.

This was a prospective, single-group, feasibility trial.

• Acceptability questionnaire
• Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)
• Fatigue Self-Management Instrument
• Self-efficacy for walking instrument
• Walking duration instruments
• Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale
• Daily diary to record fatigue and exercise use

Mean adherence to the exercise intervention was 96.6% (range 90%–100%). Participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the exercise intervention.  Overall decline in fatigue was seen from postsurgery to the end of the study. All participants stated that the intervention helped them to manage their fatigue. Fifty percent of those approached for participation consented and completed the study.

Use of the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus sytem for a home-based exercise intervention was shown to be feasible and effective in helping patients self-manage fatigue in this small study.

• The study had a small sample size, with less than 30 participants.
• The study had risks of bias due to no control group, no blinding, no random assignment, and no appropriate attentional control condition.
• Measurements/methods were not described.
• The intervention was expensive, impractical, and had training needs.
• Tools used in the study were not well described. 
• The Nintendo Wii Fit Plus system has associated costs that would need to be met.

Findings suggested that use of home virtual reality exercise programs, such as the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus system, can be a feasible and effective way to promote exercise for the self-management of cancer-related fatigue.