Patient‐reported experience and outcome measures during treatment for gastroesophageal cancer

Abstract

Objective Gastroesophageal cancer has high mortality, and continuous assessment of patient‐reported data is salient for optimisation of supportive care. We aimed to evaluate our multidisciplinary concept with respect to patient‐reported variables. Methods At diagnosis and later during the treatment, three areas of patient‐reported measures were evaluated: the given information and care, fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory [MFI‐20]), dysphagia (Ogilvie dysphagia score) and weight loss. Results Of 130 outpatients, planned for a surgical procedure and given a contact nurse (CN), 106 responded. During treatment, 81% of the patients were satisfied with their CN. The given information was considered very good or good by >90% and easily understood. Half of the patients reported need for supportive care, which was rated good by 85%. All dimensions of the MFI‐20 test, except mental fatigue, worsened during the treatment period. At diagnosis, 61% of the patients experienced eating problems, leading to 7% weight loss. Although dysphagia improved, weight loss reached 13% at the end of treatment. Conclusion A multidisciplinary concept can be of value in giving appropriate and understandable information, leading to high satisfaction with the provided care. However, as fatigue and weight loss increased during the treatment period, patients need structured multidisciplinary support.

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“…As to information our participants perceived as unsatisfactory, rehabilitation programs (D'Ugo et al 2020;Engel et al 2022) and individualized nutritional support (Mortensen et al 2014) together may enrich the information oncologists and family doctors may give to GCPs and CGs for facing treatment sequela (Sundbom et al 2020). Contextually, all the HPs should be trained on the first level of nutritional counseling within the care pathway by focusing on what matters to GCPs and CGs (Holdoway et al 2022) after surgery.…”

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“…In this context, it is also important to remember that many of the patients with esophageal cancer are frail because of their rather advanced age and significant weight loss due to progressive dysphagia. Furthermore, both fatigue and weight loss are known to increase during oncological and surgical treatment ( 15 ).…”