Remote Symptom Monitoring of Patients With Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Wahidi, Ryan; Mintz, Rachel; Agabalogun, Temitope; Mayer, Lindsey; Badiyan, Shahed N.; Spraker, Matthew B.

doi:10.7759/cureus.29734

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Remote monitoring tools, wearable devices, and mobile applications also offer personalized health tracking and self-management resources, empowering survivors to actively participate in their care and monitor their progress between medical appointments, especially as they become sparser further out from cancer remission. Minimal research has been conducted on survivorship, although integration of monitoring devices for cancer patients during their radiotherapy course has shown their feasibility, patient engagement, and compliance [ 47 ]. The integration of technology into survivorship care programs will facilitate healthcare delivery of tailored interventions that address the comprehensive needs of head and neck cancer survivors, enhancing physical and psychological well-being whilst also promoting social connectedness, personal empowerment, and resilience in the face of significant adversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative Classification of Late Systemic Symptoms in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

Schoenberg,

Wulff-Burchfield,

Schlundt

et al. 2024

Cancers

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Improved rates of cancer control have increased the head and neck cancer survivor population. Cancer survivorship clinics are not widely available in the USA, and longitudinal supportive care for patients undergoing multimodal therapy has not advanced at a pace commensurate with improvements in cancer control. Consequently, a large head and neck cancer survivor population whose quality of life may be chronically and/or permanently diminished presently exists. This lack of awareness perpetuates under-recognition and under-investigation, leaving survivors’ (mostly detrimental) experiences largely uncharted. We conducted a qualitative exploration of survivors’ experiences, aiming to unpack the profound impact of late systemic symptoms on daily life, encompassing work, relationships, and self-identity in the head and neck cancer survivor community. The study included 15 remitted head and neck survivors, ≥12 months from their final treatment, who participated in semi-structured interviews conducted by a medical oncologist. Data analysis comprised qualitative thematic analysis, specifically inductive hierarchical linear modeling, enriched by a deductive approach of anecdotal clinical reporting. Results highlighted that 43.36% of all quotation material discussed in the interviews pertained to chronic emotion disturbance with significant implications for other domains of life. A central symptom cluster comprised impairments in mood/emotions, daily activity, and significant fatigue. Dysfunction in sleep, other medical conditions, and cognitive deficits comprised a secondary cluster. Physical dysfunctionality, encompassing pain, appetite, and eating, and alterations in experienced body temperature, constituted a tertiary cluster, and perhaps were surprisingly the least discussed symptom burden among head and neck cancer survivors. Symptoms causing heightened long-term survivor burden may be considered epiphenomenal to central physical dysfunctionality, albeit being presently the least represented in cancer survivor care programs. Moving forward, the development of targeted and multi-dimensional treatment programs that encompass physical, psychosocial, and spiritual domains are needed to increase clinical specificity and effective holistic long-term solutions that will foster a more compassionate and informed future of care for the cancer survivorship community.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%