TY - JOUR

T1 - Physical and psychological symptom burden in patients and caregivers during follow-up care after curative surgery for cancers in the pancreas, bile ducts or duodenum

AU - Elberg Dengsø, Kristine

AU - Thomsen, Thordis

AU - Christensen, Bo Marcel

AU - Sørensen, Carina Lund

AU - Galanakis, Michael

AU - Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg

AU - Hillingsø, Jens

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by The Novo Nordisk Foundation; under Grant number [NNF15OC0017022] & [NNF16OC0022680]; and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen. We would like to thank the patients who were so generously to take their time to answer the questionnaires. We also wish to acknowledge outpatient clinic nurses Marianne Melton, Mette Tholstrup Bach, Bettina Nielsen and Nina Spiegelhaur for recruiting patients, and medical student Mette Torbensen for data management. Finally, we thank The Novo Nordisk Foundation and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen for funding the study. Funding Information: We would like to thank the patients who were so generously to take their time to answer the questionnaires. We also wish to acknowledge outpatient clinic nurses Marianne Melton, Mette Tholstrup Bach, Bettina Nielsen and Nina Spiegelhaur for recruiting patients, and medical student Mette Torbensen for data management. Finally, we thank The Novo Nordisk Foundation and Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen for funding the study. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Acta Oncologica Foundation.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background: The primary aim was to assess Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression in patients and caregivers during follow-up care after curative treatment for cancer in the pancreas, duodenum, or bile ducts. The secondary aim was to assess dyadic coping and the burden of being a caregiver. Materials and methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, we included patients and caregivers at first follow-up visit to conduct the following: Demographic characteristics, The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life, the pancreas and bile duct module, EQ5D 3L, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 at baseline, and at six and nine-months follow-up visit. Demographic characteristics, Dyadic Coping Inventory and Zarit Caregiver Burden Questionnaire were conducted at baseline and at nine-months of follow-up visit. Results: The response rate was 42% with 104 of the 248 invited patients completing the questionnaires at baseline: 78 (75% of 104) after six and 69 (66% of 104) after nine months. The median (Q25,75) time for inclusion was 33.6 (13.4, 38) and 29.1 (18.3, 36) weeks after surgery for patients with pancreatic or duodenal cancer, and bile duct cancer, respectively. The response rate of caregivers was 88% with 75 of 85 completing the questionnaires. Fifty percent of patients with pancreatic or duodenal cancer had diarrhea at baseline. After six and nine months, this increased to 75%. Fatigue was the most prominent symptom in patients with bile duct cancer after nine months with 25% of patients scoring this as a clinical symptom. Conclusions: The study highlights the need to systematically screen physical and psychological symptoms in patients and caregivers during follow-up care after treatment for cancer in the pancreas, duodenum and bile ducts. Symptom management during follow-up care should be prioritized by clinicians.

AB - Background: The primary aim was to assess Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression in patients and caregivers during follow-up care after curative treatment for cancer in the pancreas, duodenum, or bile ducts. The secondary aim was to assess dyadic coping and the burden of being a caregiver. Materials and methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, we included patients and caregivers at first follow-up visit to conduct the following: Demographic characteristics, The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life, the pancreas and bile duct module, EQ5D 3L, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 at baseline, and at six and nine-months follow-up visit. Demographic characteristics, Dyadic Coping Inventory and Zarit Caregiver Burden Questionnaire were conducted at baseline and at nine-months of follow-up visit. Results: The response rate was 42% with 104 of the 248 invited patients completing the questionnaires at baseline: 78 (75% of 104) after six and 69 (66% of 104) after nine months. The median (Q25,75) time for inclusion was 33.6 (13.4, 38) and 29.1 (18.3, 36) weeks after surgery for patients with pancreatic or duodenal cancer, and bile duct cancer, respectively. The response rate of caregivers was 88% with 75 of 85 completing the questionnaires. Fifty percent of patients with pancreatic or duodenal cancer had diarrhea at baseline. After six and nine months, this increased to 75%. Fatigue was the most prominent symptom in patients with bile duct cancer after nine months with 25% of patients scoring this as a clinical symptom. Conclusions: The study highlights the need to systematically screen physical and psychological symptoms in patients and caregivers during follow-up care after treatment for cancer in the pancreas, duodenum and bile ducts. Symptom management during follow-up care should be prioritized by clinicians.

KW - anxiety

KW - burden

KW - cancer

KW - caregivers

KW - depression

KW - Follow-up care

KW - QoL

U2 - 10.1080/0284186X.2023.2185541

DO - 10.1080/0284186X.2023.2185541

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36877198

AN - SCOPUS:85150359299

VL - 62

SP - 782

EP - 793

JO - Acta Oncologica

JF - Acta Oncologica

SN - 1100-1704

IS - 7

ER -