Temporary Stoppages and Burden of Treatment in Patients With Cancer.
Eric Vachon, Barbara Given, Charles Given and 1 others
PMID 31424460WHAT IT FOUND
The study did not show that symptom interference or treatment regimen complexity was linked to temporary stoppages.
Women and patients on kinase inhibitors were more likely to stop oral cancer treatment.
Key findings
01During the 12-week parent trial, 36% of participants experienced at least one temporary stoppage of their cancer treatment regimen.
02Women and participants prescribed kinase inhibitors were more likely to experience a temporary stoppage.
03The study did not show that symptom interference or treatment regimen complexity was linked to temporary stoppages.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a secondary analysis of an RCT, not a test of whether nurse-delivered monitoring or education changes temporary stoppages. Burden of treatment was measured with study variables, not a validated burden-of-treatment scale. Multimorbidities were counted from medication records, which may not capture all conditions or their severity. The sample lacked racial diversity and was highly educated, so it may not represent all patients. Only 12 weeks were observed, so later treatment changes were not captured.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not state author conflicts or funding details. The journal metadata lists non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the weekly symptom assessment with toolkit referral and daily reminder calls reduced temporary stoppages. The study did not show a difference between the experimental and control groups.