Patient reported outcomes in oncology: changing perspectives—a systematic review

Abstract

In public health context, oncology is associated with severe negative impact on patients and on their relatives’ quality of life. Over the last decades, survival has remained at 50% worldwide for some tumor locations. Patient reported outcomes (PROs) assessment and, the corresponding use in clinical practice, help establishing patient individualized profiling involving caregivers. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine critical success factors for PROs assessment in daily clinical oncology practice. Additionally, we investigated how PROs collection can change oncology perspectives for patients and caregivers. According to PRISMA guidelines, 83 studies were included in this systematic review, whether related with implementation in daily clinical practice or associated with its use in oncology. PROs assessment gathers multi-professional teams, biomedical and clinical expertise, patients, families and caregivers. Institutional involvement, first line for caregiver’s adherence, team continuous formation, encompassing training and support, design of clear workflows, continuous monitoring, and data analysis are crucial for implementation. PROs measures are decisive in oncology. Several items were improved, including caregiver–patient–physician communication, patient risk groups identification, unmet problems and needs detection, disease course and treatment tracking, prognostic markers, cost-effectiveness measurement and comfort/support provision for both patients and caregivers. Routine assessment and implementation of PROs in clinical practice are a major challenge and a paradigm transformation for future.

Oncology nursing on the move: a contemporary issue on Chinese oncology nursing in cancer care

“…Practical oncology nursing also includes research to analyze the most effective methods for incorporating oncology nursing content into national health programs nationwide ( 80 ). Finally, the nursing faculty should prioritize the investigation of oncology nursing to provide appropriate evidence on evidence-based practice and policy ( 81–83 ).…”

Patient‐reported outcome tools in musculoskeletal oncology

“…For this population, quality of life may be of greater importance than functional outcomes. The incorporation of PRO evaluating health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) has been reported by several studies to improve patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and quality of life 9 . In a meta‐analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) between 1986 and 2004, health‐related quality of life measures provided significant prognostic value for survival in cancer patients 32 .…”

“…To truly evaluate patient outcomes, PRO are vital to informing both researchers and clinicians of subjective measures that are important to the patient. With the growing emphasis on patient‐centered care and value‐based care, PROM have been increasingly utilized in a variety of subspecialties including musculoskeletal oncology 8–10 …”

“…With the growing emphasis on patientcentered care and value-based care, PROM have been increasingly utilized in a variety of subspecialties including musculoskeletal oncology. [8][9][10]…”

The Effects of Patient-Reported Outcome Screening on the Survival of People with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…PRO measures (PROMs) are derived from the patient self-assessment of a variety of health and wellbeing indices, including measures for health-related quality of life (HRQoL), symptom reporting, satisfaction with care or treatment, economic impacts and the specific dimensions of patient experience, such as depression and anxiety [ 2 , 3 ]. PRO measures are multidimensional and subjective, grounded on patient perceptions and objectively quantified [ 4 ]. As PROs can provide crucial information about unique patient experiences during cancer trajectories, their use in clinical practice is becoming increasingly advocated.…”