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Extensive evidence underscores the pivotal role of socioeconomic status (SES) in shaping cancer-related outcomes. However, synthesizing definitive and actionable insights from the expansive body of literature remains a significant challenge. To elucidate the associations between SES, cancer outcomes, and the overall cancer burden, we conducted a comprehensive burden estimation coupled with an umbrella review of relevant meta-analyses. Our findings reveal that robust or highly suggestive meta-analytic evidence supports only a limited number of these associations. Individuals with lower SES, compared to those with higher SES, are disproportionately disadvantaged by reduced access to immunotherapy, KRAS testing for colorectal cancer, targeted cancer therapies, and precision treatments for melanoma. Additionally, they exhibit lower rates of breast cancer screening and higher incidence rates of lung cancer. Furthermore, countries with a higher Human Development Index demonstrate a substantially greater burden related cancer incidence, with this disparity being more pronounced among men than women., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment have substantially improved patient outcomes and survival in recent years. However, up to 75% of cancer patients and survivors, including those with non-central nervous system (non-CNS) cancers, suffer from "brain fog" or impairments in cognitive functions such as attention, memory, learning, and decision-making. While we recognize the impact of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), we have not fully investigated and understood the causes, mechanisms and interplays of various involving factors. Consequently, there are unmet needs in clinical oncology in assessing the risk of CRCI and managing patients and survivors with this condition in order to make informed treatment decisions and ensure the quality of life for cancer survivors. The state-of-the-art neuroimaging technologies, particularly clinical imaging modalities like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), have been widely used to study neuroscience questions, including CRCI. However, in-depth applications of these functional and molecular imaging methods in CRCI and their clinical implementation for CRCI management are largely limited. This scoping review provides the current understanding of contributing neurological factors to CRCI and applications of the state-of-the-art multi-modal neuroimaging methods in investigating the functional and structural alterations related to CRCI. Findings from these studies and potential imaging-biomarkers of CRCI that can be used to improve the assessment and characterization of CRCI as well as to predict the risk of CRCI are also highlighted. Emerging issues and perspectives on future development and applications of neuroimaging tools to better understand CRCI and incorporate neuroimaging-based approaches to treatment decisions and patient management are discussed., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Ethics approval for human subject research and consent to participate are not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Solution-focused therapy (SFT) as a psychoeducational support intervention has gained an increasing attention for alleviating complications associated with cancer. The aim of this review was to integrate and synthesize scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of SFT in the management of cancer-related symptoms., Methods: A systematic review was conducted, encompassing the exploration of five online databases-Web of Science, PubMed (including MEDLINE), CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus. Articles published from inception to December 2023 were retrieved. The review included all clinical trials and similar interventional studies assessing the impact of SFT on cancer-related symptoms. Relevant data were extracted from eligible studies following quality appraisals using appropriate methodological tools. The review results were presented in a narrative format due to the impossibility of conducting a meta-analysis., Results: A total of 239 studies were identified during the search process, of which eight articles met the inclusion criteria. The overall sample size comprised 555 patients with cancer that were mostly female (n = 386). Four studies employed randomized controlled trials (RCT), while the remaining four utilized the non-RCT method. SFT-based interventions demonstrated effectiveness in addressing stress, anxiety, depression, somatization, cancer-related fatigue, pain catastrophizing, and negative coping. Additionally, they improved psychological well-being, hope, positive coping, self-efficacy, quality of life, and sexual quality of life among cancer patients., Conclusions: Various SFT-based interventions have been shown to be effective in managing cancer-related symptoms and can be considered valuable additions to routine care, complementing medication therapy and other therapeutic measures to alleviate patients' suffering associated with cancer. Systematic review registration number (PROSPERO): CRD42023413910., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval Not applicable. Consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Incurable cancer is a major contributor to societal suffering and disability, and palliative rehabilitation is recommended to be integrated within and between cancer services at all healthcare levels. However, little knowledge exists on how integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer is understood and achieved in clinical practice. INSPIRE (Integrated short-term palliative rehabilitation to improve quality of life and equitable care access in incurable cancer) is a large European-funded project that aims to promote quality of life through a novel rehabilitation model for people disabled by advanced cancer., Aim: To compare the existing integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer within official documents and in clinical practice across five European countries including United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Norway, and Italy., Methods: Mixed methods study with a concurrent research design, comprising a document analysis (N = 23), stakeholder interviews (N = 22), and an online survey (N = 225). Data from each sub-study were analysed separately before results were merged., Results: There was limited integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer in official documents and in clinical practice, though some indicators of integration, including participation in multidisciplinary teams and adherence to standardised pathways, were identified in the survey. Notably, integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer in clinical practice was observed within limited organisations in secondary healthcare systems, without widespread adoption. Although palliative rehabilitation in cancer as a concept was sparingly used by stakeholders, they recognised the need for a comprehensive approach including multidisciplinary teams that aligns with the individual patient's needs and goals. Moreover, the ambiguous distinction between the terms 'palliative rehabilitation' and 'palliative care', insufficient funding, lack of well-defined care pathways and competence gaps among healthcare professionals represented barriers to integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer into clinical practice., Conclusion: Integration of palliative rehabilitation in cancer was limited in the five EU partnership countries investigated. Clarifying the concept of palliative rehabilitation, including adoption of the concept into official documents and delineating it from palliative care, is essential for more successful integration. This can possibly be achieved by addressing the barriers identified and fostering close collaboration across disciplines., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate All data handling adhered to EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 and the University of Bergen regulations for GDPR and safe data handling. According to the national regulations for medical and health research (the Health Research Act of 2008-06-20 no. 44; •• 4a and 4d), ethical approval was deemed unnecessary by the Regional Ethics Committee (REC West). However, approval from the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research was required, as the interviews were recorded (reference number 414708). The study was registered in University of Bergen’s System for Risk and Compliance (ID F2402). Written and/or oral informed consent was provided by all participants in the interviews and cross-sectional survey. Consent for publication All authors have provided their consent for publication. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: End-of-life decision-making, particularly relating to withholding life-sustaining treatment (LST), is a complex and emotionally charged process involving healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers., Methods: This qualitative study explored the decision-making process in South Korea, where cultural norms and ethical considerations influence the dynamics of shared decision-making (SDM). In-depth interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers using a grounded theory approach to elucidate the themes and processes underlying SDM for LST. This study used the "6C" framework, which could reflect the intricacies of the SDM process., Results: The results suggest that healthcare professionals face emotional challenges and an ethical dilemma in disclosing prognoses and discussing LST withholding, often deferring such discussions until the condition of patients worsens. Cultural factors, such as collectivist values and societal taboos surrounding death, influence decision-making dynamics, highlighting the need for tailored interventions and cultural competence in healthcare settings., Conclusion: The proposed "6C" framework provides insights into addressing current challenges in SDM and emphasizes the importance of cultural norms and ethical obligations in end-of-life decision-making. Further research is warranted to examine the SDM process in diverse cultural contexts and develop interventions to enhance patient and family involvement in the decision-making process for LST., Competing Interests: Declarations Institutional review board statement This qualitative study’s ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Review Boards: National Evidence-based Health Care Collaborating Agency (No.19–005-7) and Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital (IRB# DUIH 2019–03-004). Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: To explore distributed characteristics and identify research focus and emerging trends related to cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in the nursing field., Methods: Data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database between January 2012 and December 2021 using an advanced search strategy. Data were extracted and analyzed using CiteSpace and Microsoft Excel., Results: A total of 967 articles were included in this study. The number of published nursing studies on CRF has increased with slight fluctuations. Keyword co-occurrence analysis and timeline view indicated that CRF is closely related to quality of life, and there is a correlation between CRF and other symptoms. Moreover, increasing attention has been paid to CRF nursing interventions. The assessment tools and their different language versions, risk factors and reviews of CRF were the research frontiers in recent years with citation bursts., Conclusions: In the field of nursing, the focus of CRF research is still on risk factors, adverse outcomes and nursing management. Assessment tools will continue to be developed and additional risk factors will be studied in the future., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The relationship between serum urea concentration and cancer in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum urea concentration and 16 site-specific cancers, overall cancer incidence, and cancer mortality in individuals with MetS., Methods: We analysed the data of 108,284 individuals with MetS obtained from the UK Biobank. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the association between serum urea concentration at recruitment and cancer. The Benjamini-Hochberg correction was used to account for multiple comparisons., Results: Over the median follow-up period of 11.86 years, 18,548 new incident cases of cancer were documented. There were inverse associations of urea concentration with overall cancer incidence, and the incidence of oesophageal and lung cancers, with respective hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) [HR (95% CI)] for the highest (Q4) vs lowest (Q1) urea quartiles of 0.95 (0.91-0.99), 0.68 (0.50-0.92), and 0.76 (0.64-0.90). However, high serum urea concentrations increased the male prostate cancer risk (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.02-1.30). Although the Cox model indicated a protective effect of higher urea levels against stomach (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.45-0.98; p = 0.040; FDR 0.120) and colorectal cancer (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.74-0.99; p = 0.048; FDR 0.123), no strong evidence of association was found after applying the Benjamin-Hochberg correction. Moreover, across the median follow-up period of 13.77 years for cancer mortality outcome, 5034 cancer deaths were detected. An "L-shaped" nonlinear dose-response relationship between urea concentration and cancer mortality was discovered (p-nonlinear < 0.001), and the HR (95% CI) for urea concentration Q4 vs Q1 was 0.83 (0.77-0.91)., Conclusions: Serum urea concentration can be considered as a valuable biomarker for evaluating cancer risk in individuals with MetS, potentially contributing to personalised cancer screening and management strategies., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The UK Biobank was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of the Northwest Multi-Centre (reference no. 16/NW/0274). All the study participants signed an informed consent form. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Ethical decision making is a complex issue because it strongly depends on the religion, beliefs, traditional laws and moral views of each society. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of Iranian family caregivers of end stage cancer patients about ethical decision making., Methods: This qualitative study is based on van Manen's method of hermeneutic phenomenology. In-depth interviews were carried out to collect data. Participants were 12 caregiver. Audiotapes were transcribed and analyzed for common themes that represented the participants' experiences. Trustworthiness of the findings was established using the Lincoln and Guba's criteria., Results: Three themes reflected the essence of caregivers' lived experience including; fluctuating between hope and despair, wandering dilemma, and ethical decision making. Each of these themes consisted of several subthemes., Conclusion: The present study revealed that, the caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients need different information about prognosis and end of life decision making process. Our perception of how families negotiate ethical issues in their decision-making is still developing. Opportunities should be created to empowering caregivers to talk about their uncertainties and concerns., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate To comply with ethical considerations, after explaining the objectives and method of the study to the participants, informed written consent was obtained from them. It should be noted that the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, including free entry into the research project, no harm to the participants, preservation of the right to withdraw from the study, and confidentiality of information have been observed in this research. In addition, the researchers committed themselves to adhere to the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) established for the publication of the results. This study was approved by the ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences with the ethics code IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1396.4580. Consent for publication Not required. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Financial toxicity, cancer-treatment-related financial harm, is associated with expensive treatments like immunotherapy. The purpose of this study was to explore financial toxicity among advanced cancer patients receiving immunotherapies and their caregivers and, secondarily, to study how recent inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic impacted these experiences., Methods: Advanced cancer patients receiving immunotherapies and their caregivers were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews about supportive care needs from 2022 to 2023. The Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity was collected. Guided by Jones et al.'s cancer financial toxicity model, the content analysis was conducted by two trained coders using NVIVO R1., Results: Sixteen patients and 10 caregivers (including 7 dyads) across 5 states participated in interviews in 2022-2023. Participants averaged 63.43 years (SD = 12.75), and patients received an average of 14.6 months of immunotherapy (SD = 9.415). The majority lived in non-metropolitan areas (67%) and were white (95%). Three theory-driven themes were developed: (1) Sources of Financial Toxicity, (2) Buffers of Financial Toxicity, and (3) Consequences of Financial Toxicity. Inflation was added to financial toxicity for non-metropolitan dwelling participants due to increased prices of gas and accommodation. Social support systems buffered the impact of financial toxicity. Material and psychological impacts of financial toxicity disproportionately affected younger and privately insured participants., Conclusion: While immunotherapy patients face high medical costs of treatment, the burdens of accessing treatment for people living at a distance from the cancer center can exacerbate financial toxicity. Clinicians and researchers should also consider external financial pressures such as national economic impacts that compound the financial toxicity of treatment., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval Approval of this study was granted by the University of Utah’s Institutional Review Board (IRB: 00146759, 10/21/2021). Consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Competing interests Dr. Tay has received a Flatiron Health Equity Award for unrelated work. The award was to the institution and not to the author and does not pose a conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aims: Cancer and its treatments may cause neurocognitive impairments in preschool children, but there is limited research on the neurocognitive outcomes of this population. This study, which assessed the neurocognitive function of preschool children with cancer and analyzed various influencing factors of neurocognitive functioning, is of significant importance. We aimed to investigate neurocognitive function and related risk factors in preschool children with cancer to inform preventive and intervention strategies., Methods: From September 2023 to May 2024, we recruited 100 preschool children with cancer. The Chinese version of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires, the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale Chinese Version, and the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children were used to collected data. Binary logistic stepwise regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of neurocognitive function in preschool children with cancer., Results: 49% of the preschool children with cancer had abnormalities in at least one neurocognitive dimension. The majority of children had abnormalities in gross motor dimension, accounting for 30%, which was related to age and frequency of participation in neurocognitive activities. Communication dimension was related to father's education level, dietary habit, and frequency of participation in activities. Fine motor dimension was associated with age, sex, and father's education level. Problem-solving dimension was associated with age and dietary habit. Personal-social dimension was related to age and radiotherapy., Conclusions: Nearly half of preschool children with cancer experienced neurocognitive impairment. The Chinese version of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires is a simple and effective tool for screening children with possible neurocognitive impairment. It was found that children's neurocognitive function was significantly influenced by family environment, dietary habit, cognitive activities, and cancer treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen family and social support, and to formulate personalized intervention such as cognitive therapy and dietary adjustment based on children's age and family background, which are important for promoting neurocognitive recovery., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Chen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Introduction: Effective communication between doctors and patients is crucial for the well-being of individuals diagnosed with cancer. This study aimed to develop and validate a cancer-specific Doctor-Patient Communication Satisfaction Scale (DPCSS-Cancer) from the patients' perspective., Methods: Initial items were generated through literature review. Content validity was assessed via feedback from five experts, while face validity was determined through cognitive interviews with 13 patients. The revised DPCSS-Cancer was subsequently tested in a sample of 200 cancer patients to assess test-retest stability, internal consistency, factor structure, and criterion-related validity., Results: The development process resulted in a 15-item DPCSS-Cancer across two dimensions, using a 4-point rating scale (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree). The item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) ranged from 0.8 to 1.0, with a scale-level CVI of 0.96. Following expert and patient feedback, no items were eliminated, but modifications were made to item wording. In formal testing, the overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.96, with 0.89 for the first dimension and 0.95 for the second. Test-retest reliability was established at 0.82. The two-dimensional structure was partially confirmed. Criterion-related validity was supported through a significant positive correlation with a measure of trust in the physician (r = 0.86). Factors contributing to higher DPCSS-Cancer scores were identified., Conclusion: The DPCSS-Cancer shows satisfactory reliability and validity, making it a viable patient-reported outcome measure for assessing cancer patients' satisfaction with doctor-patient communication., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval The study was approved by The Chang Gung Memorial Hospital's Human Research Ethics Committee (Case number: 202001084B0). Consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Conflict of interest The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Osteosarcopenia is frequent, and the relative risk of fracture is higher among patients with sarcopenia. It is a strong predictor of poor outcomes in older adults undergoing cancer treatment, suggesting that osteosarcopenia is important in an aging society. This study aimed to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with cancer with and without osteosarcopenia., Methods: Five electronic databases-Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL-were searched for relevant articles published before February 2024. Studies that met the criteria were used to evaluate the OS and DFS of patients with cancer with and without osteosarcopenia. From the 603 initially identified articles, 8 involving 1608 participants were included in the meta-analysis., Results: We observed that patients with cancer diagnosed with osteopenia, sarcopenia, or osteosarcopenia had worse DFS than those without these conditions. Specifically, osteopenia (pooled hazard ratio [HR] = 1.70, P = .01) and osteosarcopenia (pooled HR = 2.17, P = .0001) emerged as independent predictors of DFS. However, sarcopenia was significantly associated with DFS. The quality of the included studies was generally good, and no publication bias was detected among them for either OS or DFS., Conclusion: These meta-analysis results suggest that osteopenia and osteosarcopenia are associated with worse DFS among patients with cancer. The use of different case definitions appeared to be a major source of heterogeneity among studies. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings, especially those regarding OS and DFS., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Cancer remains a global health concern, with nearly 20 million new cancer cases and approximately 10 million cancer-related deaths reported in 2020.An increasing number of individuals with advanced-stage cancer are likely to confront the reality of mortality.In China, cancer-related deaths hold the top position among factors contributing to resident mortality, accounting for nearly a quarter of all deaths. Patients with advanced-stage cancer contend with both physical challenges such as pain, physical decline, and functional impairments, as well as psychological issues including death anxiety, fear of death, and feelings of meaninglessness and hopelessness during disease treatment. Death education serves as a method to educate patients on coping with death, alleviating death-related anxieties and fears, and approaching death calmly, thereby facilitating a peaceful end-of-life experience. Currently, there is a dearth of death education content tailored to patients'specific circumstances in China. Consequently, this study aims to explore the content of death education needs among patients with advanced-stage cancer in China., Methods: A qualitative research based on phenomenology was used to select 19 patients with advanced cancer from November 2022 to June 2023. Semi-structured interviews were used to interview, and Colaizzi 7-step analysis method was used to organize and analyze the data., Results: Six themes were extracted: 1. Death cognition and education; 2. Life review; 3. Ethics of death; 4. End-of-life decision-making; 5. Social support; 6. Disease treatment., Conclusions: Patients with advanced-stage cancer face significant distress caused by their illness and the prospect of death. This distress can impact their quality of life and even influence treatment decisions. It's essential to comprehensively assess the current state and needs of patients, engaging in ongoing interventions tailored to individual patient circumstances. This approach involves implementing targeted death education content and methods. When executing death education, it's imperative to consider the patient's knowledge framework and their level of acceptance. Integrating the patient's disease progression and treatment, as well as addressing their negative emotional states, becomes crucial for enhancing the patient's overall well-being and quality of life., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Informal caregivers play a pivotal role in providing support to cancer survivors, yet have reported challenges with communicating with health providers to get all the information they need to provide optimal care. We aimed to adapt and pilot test a brief communication skills training program (COMFORT) to improve caregiver-provider communication in an Australian cancer setting., Methods: Module adaptation was guided by the cultural adaptation model. A working group completed the module and provided feedback for adaptation. The adapted module underwent pilot testing with cancer caregivers to examine module impact on communication confidence, preparedness for caregiving, health literacy, and psychological outcomes. Semi-structured interviews and survey data provided evidence of acceptability, usability, and preliminary efficacy., Results: Eight working group members provided mostly positive feedback on module language, content, and images. Module modifications reflected Australian services and terminology. Nineteen caregivers provided pre-post-pilot data and participated in semi-structured interviews. Following module exposure, repeated measures t-test analyses showed significant improvements in communication confidence, preparedness for caregiving, health literacy, and depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). Survey and interview data supported the acceptability and utility of the program., Conclusion: The findings support the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the brief module in improving communication confidence, caregiving preparedness, health literacy, and depressive symptoms in Australian cancer caregivers., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Patients receiving treatment for solid tumours and haematological malignancies, among other acute and chronic health conditions, are highly dependent upon central venous access devices (CVADs) for administering chemotherapy and other complex therapies; thus, CVADs can meaningfully impact their health outcomes and experiences. This systematic review aimed to identify and critique patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) and patient-reported experience measure (PREM) instruments related to CVADs., Methods: A systematic review was undertaken, commencing with an electronic search of health databases (April 2022). Studies were eligible if they used a self-reporting instrument (questionnaire) to quantitatively measure patient-reported outcomes and experiences related to CVADs (English only). Using a piloted data-extraction tool, two authors independently identified studies for full review, data extraction, and quality assessment. Data were synthesised narratively., Results: The search yielded 875 titles, of which 41 met the inclusion and no exclusion criteria. Of these, 31 reported results of purpose-built questionnaires; a further six reported results of generic measures used for CVADs; four included both purpose-built and generic measures. Overall study quality was low; only two studies evaluated both content validity and internal consistency. In total, 155 unique PROM items (across 27 studies) were extracted which encompassed five domains (e.g., 'Instrumental activities of daily living'; 'Pain and discomfort'). Similarly, 184 unique PREMs (from 31 studies) included 13 domains (e.g., 'Shared decision-making'; 'Education')., Conclusion: Increasingly, research and quality improvement studies about CVADs are incorporating PROM and PREM. These measures are largely purpose-built, however, and their validity and reliability have not been sufficiently established for use., Review Registration: Prospectively submitted to the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) 05 July 2020., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: We developed a self-directed Leg And Walking Self-exercise (LAWS) program informed by the Exercise is Medicine initiative and evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of this program in older adults with cancer., Methods: Over a 1-year period, we prospectively enrolled 40 older adults who received a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) at a geriatric oncology service and initiated a new line of systemic therapy for advanced cancer as inpatients. LAWS is a tailored, self-directed exercise program consisting of leg resistance training and walking. Exercise adherence was recorded using an exercise diary to assess feasibility. Patient perspectives on this program were evaluated using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM) and Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), with a score range of 1-5, higher being better., Results: Overall, 28% of patients were fit, 53% pre-frail, and 20% frail based on the CGA. During hospitalization (average 12 days), 63% of the patients adhered to exercises at lowest intensity during more than 50% of their inpatient stay: on average, 2.8 leg exercises, 23 repetitions a day, 5.6 days/week, and 19 min of walking a day, 4.9 days/week. Patients rated their perceived exertion at 3.0 for leg exercise and 3.0 for walking on a 1-10 Likert scale. During the period between discharge and their first outpatient appointment (average 11 days), 71% of patients adhered to the LAWS program. Mean scores of FIM and AIM were 4.2 (SD = 0.5) and 4.2 (SD = 0.7), respectively., Conclusions: For older adults undergoing cancer treatment, LAWS is a feasible and acceptable self-directed exercise program., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Anxiety and fatigue are symptoms typically experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. In dealing with these symptoms, listening to music may help patients., Methods: The randomized controlled study was conducted between May 1, 2022 and November 10, 2022 with 60 patients treated in the outpatient chemotherapy unit. The data were gathered using a patient information form, Brief Fatigue Inventory, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. In addition to standard treatment and care, 30-minute music was played with a passive listening method in a total of three cycles of chemotherapy in the intervention group patients who completed the first cycle and visited for the second cycle of chemotherapy., Results: According to the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) findings, the group variable significantly affected the post-test state anxiety scores when an adjustment was made for pre-test state anxiety scores (F=240.398, P <0.001, η²=0.808). In addition, pre-test state anxiety scores affected post-test results (F=7.925, P =0.007, η²=0.122). According to the ANCOVA findings, the group variable significantly affected the post-test trait anxiety scores (F=235.243, P <0.001, η²=0.805). In addition, pre-test trait anxiety scores affected post-test results (F=34.977, P <0.001, η²=0.380). According to ANCOVA results, the group variable significantly affected post-test fatigue scores (F=79.201, P <0.001, η²=0.582). In addition, pre-test scores affected post-test scores (F=11.082, P =0.002, η²=0.163)., Conclusion: We observed that music had positive effects on fatigue and anxiety levels in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It may be recommended to include music intervention in nursing practices for cancer patients during chemotherapy. The study results demonstrated that music intervention can be used in nursing practices for cancer patients during chemotherapy. Its low-cost and non-invasive nature also provide ease of application. Therefore, we can recommend the application of music intervention in outpatient chemotherapy units., (© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Background: The number of people living with or beyond cancer are expected to rise. General practice-led cancer survivorship plans have been proposed as a way to address ongoing healthcare needs (including physical and psychosocial care) and care coordination, as well as the prevention and management of other chronic illnesses., Objective: The aim of this paper is to discuss the role of general practice in the long-term care of cancer survivors and provide a summary of recommendations for comprehensive cancer survivorship care planning in general practice., Discussion: General practice provides cancer survivors with ongoing support within their community from pre-diagnosis onwards. It is recommended that comprehensive cancer survivorship care plans include the cancer treatment summary and follow-up care planning; the management of other comorbid chronic conditions; health promotion and disease prevention with tailoring to shared goals; and the cancer survivor's unique situation.

Objective: Many cancer patients are raising young children while suffering from the seriousness of the illness, and it is challenging for parents to talk to their children about their parents' advanced cancer. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing evidence on parents' and children's experiences of communicating about parental advanced cancer., Methods: Seven databases including Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase (OVID), PROQUEST health and medical, CINAL Complete (EMBSO), Medline (OVID), Cochrane Library were systematically searched. A total of 3480 articles were retrieved. Finally, 21 articles were appraised and synthesized., Results: Three synthesized findings were identified, including open communication with children, concerns about communication, and factors influencing ongoing communication. Most parents appreciated open communication, but struggled with the words, timing and amount of information, and were concerned about causing additional worry to their children. Talking openly about a parent's advanced cancer provided an opportunity for both parents and their children to support each other emotionally, although some parents reported distress in their children., Conclusions: This systematic review showed the current evidence on parent-child communication when a parent was diagnosed with advanced cancer. Future studies should be conducted to explore how parent-child communication about a parent's advanced cancer affects children's physical and psychological health, and explore children's experiences more directly. Interventions should be developed to help parents with advanced cancer and their children of different ages., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Patients with terminal-stage cancer frequently experience multiple symptoms simultaneously. Little is known about how core symptom clusters differ in advanced-cancer patients with different survival expectancies receiving hospice care. To identify the core symptom clusters of hospice-care cancer patients with different survival expectancies and compare the features of their symptom networks., Methods: In this retrospective study, secondary data analysis was conducted. Records of 6946 patients with advanced cancer who received home-based hospice care service in a hospice center from April 2001 to December 2020 were collected and analyzed using network analysis., Results: This analysis included 6946 patients with advanced cancer receiving hospice care. In patients with survival expectancies of 0-6 months, loss of appetite was identified as the core symptom (rs = 4.03, rb = 5.21, rc = 2.63), and five symptom clusters were identified. Malnutrition was the core symptom in patients with survival expectancies of 6-12 months (rs = 2.83, rb = 2.43, rc = 0.93), and nine symptom clusters were identified. Wasting syndrome was the core symptom cluster in two groups. The network density of symptoms in patients with < 6 months of survival expectancy (91.99) was higher than in patients with 6-12 months (28.39)., Conclusions: Nutrition impact symptoms are the core symptoms for home-hospice care cancer patients with a survival period of 1 year or below. Moreover, hospice cancer patients with short survival expectancies have greater inter-symptom impact., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: Approximately one-third of Americans use healthcare approaches including herbs and botanicals, such as St. John's wort (SJW), to improve overall well-being, gain control over their health, and manage the adverse reactions of conventional therapies. This article examines the use of SJW in cancer care, discussing its pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and potential interactions with cancer treatments while emphasizing the importance of patient education and collaboration between oncology nurses and pharmacists to ensure safe and effective care., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Existential distress is a common phenomenon in palliative care cancer patients. Developing a reliable and easy-to-use assessment scale for existential distress of palliative care cancer patients is crucial. The aim of this study was to develop a measurement of existential distress for palliative care cancer patients and test its properties., Methods: The guidelines for developing a scale proposed by DeVellis were followed. Palliative care cancer patients were invited to test the draft scale. Two-hundred and nineteen valid questionnaires were included for the item analysis and exploratory factor analysis. Three-hundred and two valid questionnaires were included for confirmatory factor, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability analyses. Twenty repeated data were measured for test-retest reliability analysis., Results: The Existential Distress Scale for Palliative Care Cancer Patients was developed with nine items and three dimensions, including meaninglessness, alienation, and death anxiety. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the developed scale had a stable factor structure. The Cronbach's α for the whole scale was 0.81, and that for each dimension was 0.76, 0.67, and 0.70, respectively. The test-retest reliability of the scale was 0.79, and that of each dimension was 0.58-0.64., Conclusions: The Existential Distress Scale for Palliative Care Cancer Patients is a simple but reliable and valid tool., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study aims to describe patterns, sources, and reasons for cannabis use among cancer patients during active treatment (+CDTX) compared to no-use during active treatment (-CDTX)., Methods: Data are from 385 surveys collected via REDCap during phase I of an ongoing study among adult cancer patients seen at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center within the last 5 years of treatment. A harmonized survey was created with 11 other NCI centers to assess cannabis use patterns, sources, and reasons for use. Sociodemographics and cancer details were also collected via self-report. Descriptive statistics were calculated and stratified by +/-CDTX. Chi-squared tests were conducted to compare proportions between groups., Results: Among the sample [49.5 years (SD 15.9); 53.0% male; and 41.6% Hispanic/Latino], 41.0% + CDTX and 59.0% -CDTX. A majority (71.8%) of +CDTX initiated use before diagnosis versus 44.1% in -CDTX (p < 0.0001); patients diagnosed with stage 4 cancer had a statistically significant higher prevalence of +CDTX (60.0%; p = 0.003); 53.3% in radiation reported +CDTX compared to 42.8% in chemotherapy, and 36.4% in immunotherapy. Dispensaries and local dealers were the top sources of cannabis in both groups. Among +CDTX, 44.3% consumed cannabis at least once a day DTX, dominant cannabinoids used were CBD (35.2%), Delta-8-THC (18.3%), and CBD + THC ratio (14.1%); 12.7% were unsure what they consumed. Joints were the most common inhalation method (61.5%), and store-bought candy was the most common edible (39.2%). Depression/mood, pain, and enjoyment were the top three reasons for +CDTX compared to enjoyment, depression/mood, and nausea/upset stomach in -CDTX (p = 0.02)., Conclusions: Patterns, sources, and reasons for cannabis use varied between +CDTX and -CDTX. Future studies should examine the impacts of cannabis and specific cannabinoids on cancer treatment, drug interactions, survival outcomes, and quality of life., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Pain management in patients with cancer is a critical aspect of oncological care, yet remains challenging with current pharmacological therapies. Non-pharmacological interventions, offering potential benefits without the adverse effects of drugs, have gained attention. However, the effectiveness of these diverse non-pharmacological interventions is not well understood, creating a gap in clinical practice. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the efficacy of various non-pharmacological interventions for pain management in patients with cancer, providing evidence-based guidance for clinicians and patients., Methods and Analysis: A systematic review and Bayesian NMA will be performed. To assess the efficacy of interventions for cancer pain, we will search six electronic databases: Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, focusing on identifying randomised controlled trials. Literature screening should be independently performed by two reviewers. A NMA will evaluate the efficacy of various non-pharmacological interventions for cancer pain. A second NMA will compare the efficacy of different non-pharmacological interventions in relieving pain interference in patients with cancer pain. Bayesian 95% credible intervals will be used to estimate the pooled mean effect size for each treatment, and the surface under the cumulative ranking area will be employed to rank the effectiveness of the treatments., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review of the published data. Findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42024483025., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Risk perception with respect to death is a prerequisite for patients with advanced cancer when the time comes to make medical decisions. However, the nature of death risk perception remains unclear., Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 patients with advanced cancer who were recruited from two hospitals and one home-based hospice in Fujian, China. Interviews were transcribed and directed content analysis applied. The Tripartite Model of Risk Perception was used as a theoretical framework., Results: Patients with advanced cancer perceived their risk of death in different ways. Professional communication about death risk and data-driven risk perception were common in clinical settings. Affective influences, inherent cognition, and comparisons to others or oneself also contributed to the subjects' self-perceived death risk., Conclusion: This theory-informed qualitative study clarifies the nature of the perceived risk of death among patients with advanced cancer. The study findings offer healthcare providers a more nuanced understanding of the perceived risk of death among patients with advanced cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Fatigue and sleep disorders are prevalent in cancer patients. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) commonly causes excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and fatigue. We hypothesize that treating cancer patients with OSA using positive airway pressure (PAP) will improve EDS and fatigue., Methods: A retrospective chart review of sleep clinic visits of cancer patients with newly diagnosed OSA was performed. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and fatigue reported at baseline and within 6 months of starting PAP therapy were compared between PAP-adherent and PAP-non-adherent patients., Results: 65 cancer patients with OSA and ESS >10 were recommended PAP therapy, including 45 patients with fatigue. 29 patients pursued PAP therapy with 79% (n = 23) adherent at follow-up. The median baseline apnea hypopnea index (AHI) for OSA was 24.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 14.3, 32.3) and 23.8 (IQR 10.1, 42.8) events/hour among PAP-adherent and PAP-non-adherent patients, respectively (p = 0.90). Median baseline ESS was 14.0 (IQR 12.0, 17.0) among adherent and 17.0 (IQR 11.0, 17.3) among non-adherent patients (p = 0.73). The median ESS at follow-up of the adherent and non-adherent groups was 8.0 (IQR 6.0, 10.0) and 11.0 (IQR 8.0, 15.8), respectively (p = 0.08). Median ESS change was -5.0 (IQR -7.0, -4.0) in PAP adherent patients and -2.5 (IQR -5.25, -1.50) in PAP-non-adherent patients (p = 0.07). When the groups are examined separately, the median change in the PAP-adherent group was highly significant (p = 0.001), while the ESS median change in the PAP-non-adherent group was considerably less (p = 0.04). 17 out of the 21 PAP-adherent patients reporting fatigue at baseline indicated improvement at follow-up., Conclusions: PAP therapy for OSA in cancer patients improves EDS and fatigue. Larger studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of PAP in improving fatigue in this population., (© 2024 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Cancer patients generally have high stress levels, which often leads to depression, anxiety and other psychological problems. Laughter therapy has been used to relieve stress, depression and anxiety in cancer patients, but its efficacy is uncertain. The study aims to summarize evidence on the efficacy of laughter therapy on psychological symptoms of people with cancer., Methods: A search was conducted in 10 electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported before May 2023. This systematic review was reported based on the PRISMA 2020 statement. The evaluation of methodological quality and risk of biases were conducted by the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool version 2, and evidence evaluation was conducted using the GRADE pro online assessment tool. Statistical analysis adopted the Review Manager version 5.4 software., Results: A total of eight studies were included involving 543 participants. Meta-analysis showed that laughter therapy plus routine nursing produced more positive effects than routine nursing in relieving stress (SMD = -1.18, 95% CI -1.73, -0.62, p < 0.0001), depression (SMD = -1.05, 95% CI -1.30, -0.81, p < 0.00001) and anxiety (SMD = -0.81, 95% CI -1.20, -0.43, p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Laughter therapy could effectively relieve stress, depression and anxiety of cancer patients. Future studies should improve the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials, conduct appropriate follow-up, and report details of follow-up. Additionally, it should perform multi-center and large-sample studies, and combine both subjective and objective outcome indications to enhance the persuasiveness of evidence supporting the effectiveness of laughter therapy., Trial Registration: PROSPERO register: CRD 42023452739., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in various cellular processes, including a novel form of regulated cell death known as disulfidptosis, characterized by accumulating protein disulfide bonds and severe endoplasmic reticulum stress. This review highlights the therapeutic potential of lncRNAs in regulating disulfidptosis for cancer treatment, emphasizing their influence on key pathway components such as GPX4, SLC7A11, and PDIA family members. Recent studies have demonstrated that targeting specific lncRNAs can sensitize cancer cells to disulfidptosis, offering a promising approach to cancer therapy. The regulation of disulfidptosis by lncRNAs involves various signaling pathways, including oxidative stress, ER stress, and calcium signaling. This review also discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying lncRNA regulation of disulfidptosis, the challenges of developing lncRNA-based therapies, and the future potential of this rapidly advancing field in cancer research., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: A child's cancer diagnosis and treatment are stressful for family caregivers, who may experience anxiety, depressive symptoms, and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) related to the care they provide., Objective: This study assessed the prevalence of anxiety, depressive symptoms, HRQoL, and associated factors among caregivers of children with cancer., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 167 caregivers of children with cancer in Malawi. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify the determinants of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and HRQoL., Results: All 167 caregivers who consented to participate in this study completed all the questionnaires. Severe anxiety and severe depressive symptoms accounted for 17.5% and 10.2%, respectively. Being Muslim (B = 7.800, P < .001) and Pentecostal (B = 3.067, P = .023) by religious denominations was more likely to be anxious, whereas Catholic caregivers (B = 3.702, P = .033) were more likely to be depressed. Being unemployed was more likely to result in lower anxiety (B = -4.080, P = .016). Furthermore, caregivers demonstrated a lower mental health component (mean, 39.33 [SD, 6.35]), whereas being a female and aged between 31 and 40 years was more likely to result in better physical health (B = 3.962 [P = .031] and B = 3.415 [P = .020], respectively)., Conclusion: This study supports evidence that caregivers of children experience moderate and severe anxiety and depressive symptoms and poor HRQoL in Malawi., Implication for Practice: Nurses need to include psychological interventions for caregivers of children with cancer during childcare., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the highly reactive superoxide anion to form hydrogen peroxide, which facilitates cell proliferation and death. We investigated whether red cell SOD (R-SOD) activity is associated with an increased risk of cancer in a Japanese general population. We prospectively analyzed data from 1,921 participants (800 men and 1,121 women; age, 58.7 ± 14.7 years) in a Hidaka cohort study. After a median follow-up period of 10.9 years, 160 participants had developed cancer. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate quartile-specific HRs and 95% confidential intervals (CI) for cancer risk. After adjustment for potential cancer risk factors including age, sex, current smoking habit, alcohol use, physical activities, body mass index, plasma immunoreactive insulin, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, we found a significant association between R-SOD activity and an increased risk of cancer (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.03-2.52; P = 0.037). In analyses conducted separately by sex, a significant association was found in men (HR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.35-4.59; P = 0.003) but not women (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.70-3.05; P = 0.320). After excluding participants who developed cancer within 5 years of the baseline survey, the association was more evident in men (HR, 4.64; 95% CI, 1.88-11.45; P = 0.001). We found no association with cancer risk in women (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.39-2.65; P = 0.983). Increased R-SOD activities were associated with an increased risk of cancer, particularly in men in this population., Significance: Our study is the first to show that increased R-SOD activity is associated with a significantly higher cancer risk in men but not in women. Antioxidative enzymes such as SOD are essential for maintaining cellular redox balance. Their roles in cancer development and prevention are yet to be fully elucidated., (©2024 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background: Malnutrition screening is not widely practiced in outpatient cancer centers. This review aims to determine the validity of malnutrition screening tools and provide recommendations for clinical use., Methods: Studies identified by a systematic review assessed the general validity of screening tools in adult oncology outpatients from five databases through 2022. The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) convened a working group of members from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators, American Cancer Society, American Society for Clinical Oncology, American Society for Nutrition, American Society for Radiation Oncology, Association of Cancer Care Centers, and Oncology Nursing Society to answer the following questions: (1) should clinicians screen for malnutrition, (2) which malnutrition screening tools are recommended, and (3) what are the clinical applications for malnutrition risk screening in adult oncology outpatients?, Results: Twenty of 738 studies met the criteria and were reviewed. Six screening tools with specific cut-points demonstrated validity and are recommended, including the Mini Nutritional Assessment (≤23.5), Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST; MST ≥ 2 and patient-led MST ≥ 2), Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST; MUST ≥ 1 and MUST ≥ 2), Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002; NRS-2002 ≥ 2 and NRS-2002 ≥ 3), NUTRISCORE ≥ 5, and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment Short Form (PG-SGA SF; PG-SGA SF ≥ 7 and PG-SGA SF ≥ 8)., Conclusion: Six screening tools are valid for malnutrition risk identification in oncology ambulatory settings and recommended before treatment initiation and regularly thereafter, depending on treatment course. Research is needed to understand to what extent early diagnosis and management of malnutrition improves the clinical care of oncology patients., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background and Purpose: Hypnotherapy has shown promise in cancer care for alleviating pain, managing nausea, reducing anxiety and fatigue, and improving overall quality of life. Despite its potential benefits, there remains a significant gap between evidence and clinical practice. One way to bridge this gap is to assess healthcare professionals' perceptions and address them accordingly. While survey tools assessing perceptions in healthcare exist, they often are outdated, lack contemporary focus and specificity to complementary therapies like hypnotherapy, particularly in the context of cancer care. This study aimed to develop, psychometrically evaluate, and pilot a survey designed to assess Australian healthcare professionals' (psychologists, counselors, medical practitioners, and nurses) perceptions of hypnotherapy in cancer care., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was developed to assess healthcare professionals' perceptions of hypnosis/hypnotherapy in cancer care. The survey, informed by a comprehensive literature review, consisted of three sections: (1) demographics, 2) interest, experience and knowledge of hypnosis, and (3) attitudes towards its integration in cancer care. Instrument validation involved an expert panel (n = 5) review for content validity and a pilot study with 89 healthcare professionals for reliability. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis., Results: Psychometric analysis demonstrated high internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.850. Factor analysis revealed two distinct factors: perceived benefits of hypnotherapy in cancer care (explaining 49.23 % of variance) and concerns/misconceptions about hypnosis (explaining 19.50 % of variance). These factors showed strong item loadings (0.692-0.889 and 0.529-0.850, respectively) and a moderate correlation (r = 0.464). The survey tool proved feasible and applicable with a high completion rate among participants. The survey pilot results highlighted significant knowledge gaps and varying levels of acceptance of hypnotherapy, underscoring the necessity for targeted education and training initiatives. Despite these gaps, there was a notable interest in learning more about hypnotherapy's potential benefits in cancer care. However, limitations to sample diversity and generalizability should be noted, as the vast majority of respondents were female nurses., Conclusion: A novel survey tool to evaluate healthcare professionals' perceptions of hypnotherapy in cancer care was developed and tested for its validity and reliability. Results of this study revealed significant knowledge gaps and varied acceptance levels by healthcare professionals to using hypnotherapy in cancer care. We identified respondents have a strong interest in hypnotherapy's potential benefits, highlighting the need for targeted education and suggesting a promising foundation for its future integration into holistic and patient-centered cancer care., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Germline genomic sequencing is increasingly integrated into pediatric cancer care, with pathogenic cancer-predisposing variants identified among 5-18% of affected children and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in up to 70%. Given the potential medical implications for children and their families, parents' psychosocial responses to learning results are important to understand. Parents of children with cancer who learned their children's germline pathogenic or VUS results following paired tumor and germline genomic sequencing described their cognitive and affective responses to results in an open-ended write-in question after disclosure (M = 10 months post-disclosure; range = 1-28). Responses were coded and categorized using content analysis, then compared across results using chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Parents of children with pathogenic (n = 9), VUS (n = 52), and pathogenic plus VUS results (n = 9) described negative emotions, positive reactions, mixed emotions (i.e., positive and negative emotions), and neutral reactions. Negative emotions were described significantly more frequently with pathogenic results than VUS only (χ 2  = 5.19; p = .02), with peace of mind and empowerment only described for those with VUS. Parents also described approach(es) to coping (e.g., faith, plan of action) and reactions specific to the uncertainty of VUS (e.g., disappointment at no explanation for cancer etiology). A subset with VUS described decreasing worry/distress with increased understanding of results, whereas others displayed misconceptions regarding VUS. Screening for emotional adjustment is warranted for parents of children with cancer receiving pathogenic germline results, and screening for understanding is warranted with VUS. Findings highlight the importance of pre-and posttest genetic counseling., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) play a crucial role in cancer clinical trials. Despite the availability of validated PRO measures (PROMs), challenges related to low completion rates and missing data remain, potentially affecting the trial results' validity. This review explored strategies to improve and maintain high PROM completion rates in cancer clinical trials., Methodology: A scoping review was performed across Medline, Embase and Scopus and regulatory guidelines. Key recommendations were synthesized into categories such as stakeholder involvement, study design, PRO assessment, mode of assessment, participant support, and monitoring., Results: The review identified 114 recommendations from 18 papers (16 peer-reviewed articles and 2 policy documents). The recommendations included integrating comprehensive PRO information into the study protocol, enhancing patient involvement during the protocol development phase and in education, and collecting relevant PRO data at clinically meaningful time points. Electronic data collection, effective monitoring systems, and sufficient time, capacity, workforce and financial resources were highlighted., Discussion: Further research needs to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies in various context and to tailor these recommendations into practical and effective strategies. This will enhance PRO completion rates and patient-centred care. However, obstacles such as patient burden, low health literacy, and conflicting recommendations may present challenges in application., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The mutual regulation between hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and microRNA (miRNA) is involved in the development of many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disease, and high-risk pregnancy. Abnormal expressions of endogenous H 2 S-producing enzyme and miRNA in tissues and cells often indicate the occurrence of diseases, so the maintenance of their normal levels in the body can mitigate damages caused by various factors. Many studies have found that H 2 S can promote the migration, invasion, and proliferation of cancer cells by regulating the expression of miRNA, while many H 2 S donors can inhibit cancer progression by interfering with the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, metastasis, and angiogenesis of cancer cells. Furthermore, the mutual regulation between H 2 S and miRNA can also prevent cell injury in cardiovascular disease and inflammatory disease through anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-apoptosis, and pro-autophagy. In addition, H 2 S can promote angiogenesis and relieve vasoconstriction by regulating the expression of miRNA, thereby improving fetal growth in high-risk pregnancy. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of mutual regulation between H 2 S and miRNA in various diseases, which may provide reliable therapeutic targets for these diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to explore the effects of meaning-in-life intervention on meaning in life, quality of life, spiritual well-being, anxiety, and depression in advanced cancer patients. Databases, including Ovid Medline, Cochrane, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase, were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials based on predefined criteria. Seven studies were included. Meta-analysis was performed for five studies, involving 718 patients with advanced cancer. The meta-analysis revealed no significant effects of the meaning-in-life intervention on spiritual well-being, depression, and anxiety of advanced cancer patients. The insufficient number of studies and risk of bias limit the strength of the conclusions. Therefore, further studies with larger sample sizes and methodologically rigorous designs are required to evaluate the effects of meaning-in-life interventions for advanced cancer patients. Our findings can support a better understanding of the need to study meaning-in-life interventions in advanced cancer patients and foster sustained attention to recognize meaning-in-life interventions as an effective method in healthcare., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Coping with cancer presents a multitude of challenges that encompass every aspect of a patient's life. These challenges not only strain the body but also weigh heavily on the mind, often culminating in profound psychological distress for cancer patients. The cumulative burden of these experiences can heighten the risk of developing psychiatric disorders, exacerbating the already daunting landscape of cancer care. Therefore, this study reviewed the available research with the aim of investigating the effects of traditional Chinese medicine on psychological conditions in elderly cancer patients. In this scoping review, we applied specific criteria to select studies that focused on elderly patients with cancer. We performed an extensive search across electronic databases, including Embase, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. In our investigation, we identified a total of 3870 articles related to the topic under review. Following a meticulous screening process that involved evaluating titles, abstracts, and full texts, we ultimately selected five articles deemed relevant for inclusion in this review. Among these articles, three were randomised studies, while the remaining two were review articles. The outcomes of our analysis revealed that herbal decoctions, nutritional counselling, Tai Chi and acupressure, can effectively improve various psychological outcomes in elderly cancer patients. These interventions reduce fatigue, depression, anxiety, and stress, while also enhancing sleep quality and overall mental health. The present study highlights the importance of traditional Chinese medicine in addressing the needs of elderly patients with cancer. As a result, it is recommended that further extensive research be conducted to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in managing cancer in the elderly., (© 2024 The Author(s). Psychogeriatrics published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.)

Background: With the dramatic rise in the number of older cancer patients, the question of whether or not to tell older patients of bad news becomes an urgent and common challenge. However, existing studies concentrated on the three types of disclosure decisions and their reasons, including full disclosure, partial disclosure, and avoidance of disclosure, and the evolution process and factors influencing family members' disclosure decisions are unclear., Objective: Explore the experience and factors of the shift between disclosure and concealment among family members of older cancer patients., Methods: A qualitative study was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 family members at two general hospitals and one community hospital between December 2022 and June 2023. The interview data were analyzed using a content analysis approach., Results: The treatment plan symbolizes the "hope of survival" and it is the fundamental factor for the shift between concealment and disclosure. There are three themes of family members in making decisions during the diagnostic and therapeutic process: (a) When bad news is approaching: Keep calm in the midst of chaos, (b) when a treatment plan is determined: Hope for survival dictates disclosure decisions, and (c) when the patient's disease deteriorated: Finding hope in hopelessness., Conclusions: Disclosure and concealment are a complex and dynamic process. The factor of the shift lies in the "hope of survival" symbolized by the treatment plan. The key to disclosure by family members is to give patients enough hope to control or cure a patient's disease, or prolong the life of patients and improve their quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest There are no potential conflicts of interest regarding the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Oncogenes and tumor suppressors are well-known to orchestrate several signaling cascades, regulate extracellular and intracellular stimuli, and ultimately control the fate of cancer cells. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed that perturbation of these key modulators by mutations or abnormal protein expressions are closely associated with drug resistance in cancer therapy; however, the inherent drug resistance or compensatory mechanism remains to be clarified for targeted drug discovery. Thus, dual-target drug development has been widely reported to be a promising therapeutic strategy for improving drug efficiency or overcoming resistance mechanisms. In this review, we provide an overview of the therapeutic strategies of dual-target drugs, especially focusing on pharmacological small-molecule compounds in cancer, including small molecules targeting mutation resistance, compensatory mechanisms, synthetic lethality, synergistic effects, and other new emerging strategies. Together, these therapeutic strategies of dual-target drugs would shed light on discovering more novel candidate small-molecule drugs for the future cancer treatment., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This systematic review examines shared care networks (SCNs) in pediatric oncology as a strategic response to the healthcare challenges in low- and middle-income countries. SCNs integrate specialized hubs with local satellite centers to enhance accessibility and quality of care. Our methodology included a search of PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Scopus, selecting peer-reviewed articles from the last 20 years. We analyzed nine studies, focusing on SCN definitions, models, and outcomes. Findings reveal that SCNs improve clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction, while reducing economic and emotional burdens through standardized protocols and efficient referral systems. Despite the benefits, challenges remain in maintaining consistent care quality and communication across centers. The review underscores the need for further research to quantify benefits, examine long-term outcomes, and refine operational practices to optimize SCNs' effectiveness in pediatric oncology., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Cancer rates in rural areas vary by insurance status, socioeconomic status, region, race, and ethnicity., Methods: California Cancer Registry data (2015-2019) were used to investigate the stage of diagnosis by levels of rurality for the five most common cancers. The percentage of residents in rural blocks within census tract aggregation zones was categorized into deciles up to 50%. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate associations with rurality, with separate models by cancer site, sex, race, and ethnicity (non-Hispanic White and Hispanic). Covariates included individual-level and zone-level factors., Results: The percentage of late-stage cancer diagnosis was 28% for female breast, 27% for male prostate, 77% for male lung, 71% for female lung, 60% for male colorectal, 59% for female colorectal, 7.8% for male melanoma, and 5.9% for female melanoma. Increasing rurality was significantly associated with increased odds of late-stage cancer diagnosis for female breast cancer (Ptrend < 0.001), male lung cancer (Ptrend < 0.001), female lung cancer (Ptrend < 0.001), and male melanoma (Ptrend = 0.01), after adjusting for individual-level and zone-level factors. The strength of associations varied by sex and ethnicity. For males with lung cancer, odds of late-stage diagnosis in areas with >50% rural population was 1.24 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.45) for non-Hispanic White patients and 2.14 (95% confidence interval, 0.86-5.31) for Hispanic patients, compared with areas with 0% rural residents., Conclusions: Increasing rurality was associated with increased odds for late-stage diagnosis for breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanoma, with the strength of associations varying across sex and ethnicity., Impact: Our findings will inform cancer outreach to these rural subpopulations., (©2024 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Background: Men exhibit higher prevalence of modifiable risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, leading to greater cancer incidence and lower survival rates. Comprehensive evidence on global cancer burden among men, including disparities by age group and country, is sparse. To address this, the authors analyzed 30 cancer types among men in 2022, with projections estimated for 2050., Methods: The 2022 GLOBOCAN estimates were used to describe cancer statistics for men in 185 countries/territories worldwide. Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) were calculated by dividing age-standardized mortality rates by incidence rates., Results: In 2022, a high MIR (indicating poor survival) was observed among older men (aged 65 years and older; 61%) for rare cancer types (pancreatic cancer, 91%) and in countries with low a Human Development Index (HDI; 74%). Between 2022 and 2050, cancer cases are projected to increase from 10.3 million to 19 million (≥84%). Deaths are projected to increase from 5.4 million to 10.5 million (≥93%), with a greater than two-fold increase among men aged 65 years and older (≥117%) and for low-HDI and medium-HDI countries/territories (≥160%). Cancer cases and deaths are projected to increase among working-age groups (≥39%) and very-high-HDI countries/territories (≥50%)., Conclusions: Substantial disparities in cancer cases and deaths were observed among men in 2022, and these are projected to widen by 2050. Strengthening health infrastructure, enhancing workforce quality and access, fostering national and international collaborations, and promoting universal health coverage are crucial to reducing cancer disparities and ensuring cancer equity among men globally., (© 2024 The Author(s). Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Cancer Society.)

Context: Parent-clinician communication is essential for high-quality end-of-life (EOL) care in children with cancer. However, it is unknown how parent-clinician communication affects parents' experience in the first two years after their child's death., Objectives: To examine the association between communication and prolonged grief among parents whose child died from cancer and to explore the mediation effect of preparation for EOL care., Methods: We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of parents of children who died from cancer in the prior 6-24 months. We used multiple linear regression to examine the association between communication variables and prolonged grief symptoms. We also examined how preparation for EOL mediates these associations., Results: Across N = 124 parents, the mean age was 46 years, 82% were White, and 64% were mothers. The average PG-13 sum score was 32.7 ± 10.6 (range 11-55, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity). Most parents reported "very good/excellent" communication with clinicians (80%), adequate prognostic information (64%), and high levels of trust (90%). Nearly 39% of parents reported feeling "not at all prepared" for their child's EOL. Compared to parents who wanted more prognostic information, parents who perceived prognostic information to be adequate had significantly lower PG-13 sum scores (36.4 ± 10.8 vs. 30.5 ± 10.1, F = 9.26, P = 0.003). Preparation for EOL fully mediated this association., Conclusion: Early bereaved parents report severe prolonged grief symptoms. Interventions focused on providing adequate prognostic information and improving preparation for EOL may mitigate parental prolonged grief symptoms in the first two years of their bereavement., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To describe aggressive treatments at end-of-life among inpatients with cancer and non-cancer diseases and to evaluate factors associated with these treatments using the Japanese national database (NDB). We conducted a retrospective cohort study among inpatients aged ≥ 20 years who died between 2012 and 2015 using a sampling dataset of NDB. The outcome was the proportion of aggressive treatments in the last 14 days of life. We considered the underlying causes of death as cancer, dementia/senility, and heart, cerebrovascular, renal, liver, respiratory, and neurodegenerative diseases. We analyzed 54,105 inpatients, with underlying cause of death distributed as follows: cancer, 24.9%; heart disease, 16.5%; respiratory disease, 12.3%; and cerebrovascular disease, 9.7%. The proportion of intensive care unit (ICU) admission was 9.7%, being the highest in heart disease (20.5%), followed by cerebrovascular diseases (12.6%), and least in dementia/senility (.6%). The proportion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 19.6%, being the highest in heart disease (38.1%), followed by renal diseases (19.5%), and least in cancer (6.2%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that having heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, younger age, less comorbidities, and shorter length of stay were associated with an increasing risk of aggressive treatments in the last 14 days of life. The proportion of aggressive treatments at the end-of-life varies depending on the disease; additionally, these treatments were associated with having heart diseases, younger age, less comorbidity, and shorter length of stay. Our findings may help develop and set benchmarks for quality indicators at the end-of-life for patients with non-cancer diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The cell-surface receptor tyrosine kinase c-mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met) is overexpressed in a wide range of solid tumors, making it an appropriate target antigen for the development of anticancer therapeutics. Various antitumor c-Met-targeting therapies (including monoclonal antibodies [mAbs] and tyrosine kinases) have been developed for the treatment of c-Met-overexpressing tumors, most of which have so far failed to enter the clinic because of their efficacy and complications. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a new emerging class of cancer therapeutic agents that harness the target specificity of mAbs to deliver highly potent small molecules to the tumor with the minimal damage to normal cells, could be an attractive therapeutic approach to circumvent these limitations in patients with c-Met-overexpressing tumors. Of great note, there are currently nine c-Met-targeting ADCs being examined in different phases of clinical studies as well as eight preclinical studies for treating various solid tumors. The purpose of this study is to present a broad overview of clinical- and preclinical-stage c-Met-targeting ADCs., (© 2024. Controlled Release Society.)

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nutritional interventions (i.e. nutritional support, dietary patterns and dietary supplements) on cognitive function in cancer survivors., Design: Systematic review., Methods: A systematic and comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and CINAHL was conducted from the inception until March 10, 2023. The last search was conducted on December 10, 2023., Reporting Method: PRISMA., Results: A total of 59 randomized controlled trials were included for analysis. Nutritional support, dietary patterns and dietary supplements improved cognitive function in cancer survivors with no apparent safety concerns. The anti-inflammatory diet, the fasting-mimicking diet and the web-based diet significantly improved cognitive function. Whereas the ketogenic diet or dietary advice to consume more soluble dietary fibres and less insoluble dietary fibres and lactose could not. There was evidence from dietary supplements to support the beneficial effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements, traditional herbal medicines and other supplements., Conclusions: Nutritional interventions have great promise for improving cognitive function in adult cancer survivors. Further validation of the nutritional interventions supported in this study in other survivors and exploration of more effective nutritional interventions are needed., Implications for the Profession And/or Patient Care: This work can support the construction of nutritional support interventions and dietary guidance programs to prevent cancer-related cognitive decline., Impact: This work filled a gap in preventive strategies for cancer-related cognitive decline from a nutritional perspective. Nutritional support, dietary patterns, and dietary supplements can prevent cancer-related cognitive decline without serious safety concerns. This work highlighted nutritional interventions that have the potential to improve cognitive function in cancer survivors, benefiting the further construction of evidence-based nutritional intervention programs., Protocol Registration: PROSPERO., Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Unpleasant symptoms are common in children with cancer. However, research identifying subgroups of children with cancer who experience similar levels of self-reported symptoms in China is limited., Objectives: This study aimed to classify the symptom profiles of children with cancer and detect the possible predictors of the profiles and their effect on children's quality of life (QoL)., Methods: A total of 272 children aged 8 to 17 years completed the Chinese version of the Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System short form measures, the Pediatric QOL Inventory general core and cancer modules. Latent profile analysis was used to identify symptom profiles, and ordinal logistic regression and analysis of variance were used to examine predictors of symptom profile membership and profile differences on QoL., Results: The best fit was a 3-profile model: low, moderate, and severe symptom distress. Children who had been inpatients in the past 7 days and were currently under treatment are more likely to have severe symptoms. Participants in the low symptom distress profile reported significantly greater QoL than those in the other profiles., Conclusions: Children with cancer are heterogeneous in their experience of symptoms. Children's characteristics, such as inpatient history and treatment status, are predictors of profiles; different symptom profiles are associated with QoL., Implications for Practice: This study identified distinct groups of patients who predictably experience higher symptoms and their predictors, which could help to place children within a profile and perhaps allow nurses to provide targeted supportive care to match children's specific symptom profile., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patient empowerment is receiving increasing attention in cancer care, and its relevance has led to a growing body of literature. Empowerment-related evidence, however, has not been comprehensively reviewed., Objective: The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the available evidence on patient empowerment in cancer care. Specifically, we examined how patient empowerment has been defined and measured and what we have learned., Methods: We searched 6 databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO), adapting key search terms (eg, "neoplasm," "empowerment") to each. Extracted data included author, publication year, country of data collection, main study purpose, study design, sampling method, setting, cancer trajectory, definition of empowerment and its source, measurement of empowerment, correlates, intervention (if applicable), and major results., Results: Of the 2987 articles we initially identified, we included 64 studies (18 quantitative, 9 qualitative, 9 psychometric validation, 8 mixed methods, 6 reviews, and 14 others). Across designs, randomized controlled trials were the most frequent. A comprehensive summary by study designs was provided., Conclusions: The review highlights the importance of defining the empowerment concept, which is generally vague. There is a paucity of research on examining the relationship between empowerment and its related concepts. More nonexperimental studies (eg, cross-sectional, longitudinal, case-control studies) are required., Implications for Practice: Nurses are in an optimal position to engage in the process of empowerment, leading to its benefits. To achieve the best outcomes, nurses need to clarify the definition, select an appropriate measurement, and be trained in empowerment strategies., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)