Study protocol of KLIMOP: a cohort study on the wellbeing of older cancer patients in Belgium and the Netherlands

Abstract

BackgroundCancer is mainly a disease of older patients. In older cancer patients, additional endpoints such as quality of survival and daily functioning might be considered equally relevant as overall or disease free survival. However, these factors have been understudied using prospective designs focussing on older cancer patients. Therefore, this study will focus on the impact of cancer, ageing, and their interaction on the long-term wellbeing of older cancer patients.Methods/DesignThis study is an observational cohort study. We aim to recruit 720 cancer patients above 70 years with a new diagnosis of breast, prostate, lung or gastrointestinal cancer and two control groups: one control group of 720 patients above 70 years without a previous diagnosis of cancer and one control group of 720 cancer patients between 50 - 69 years newly diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Data collection will take place at inclusion, after six months, after one year and every subsequent year until death or end of the study. Data will be collected through personal interviews (consisting of socio-demographic information, general health information, a comprehensive geriatric assessment, quality of life, health locus of control and a loneliness scale), a handgrip test, assessment of medical records, two buccal swabs and a blood sample from cancer patients (at baseline). As an annex study, caregivers of the participants will be recruited as well. Data collection for caregivers will consist of a self-administered questionnaire examining depression, coping, and burden.DiscussionThis extensive data collection will increase insight on how wellbeing of older cancer patients is affected by cancer (diagnosis and treatment), ageing, and their interaction. Results may provide new insights, which might contribute to the improvement of care for older cancer patients.

Loneliness as a mediator of the relationship of social cognitive variables with depressive symptoms and quality of life in lung cancer patients beginning treatment

“…Consistent with research in mixed cancer samples and study hypotheses, greater loneliness was associated with greater depressive symptoms and worse quality of life . The current study is the first to describe these relationships in lung cancer patients.…”

“…The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship of Consistent with research in mixed cancer samples and study hypotheses, greater loneliness was associated with greater depressive symptoms 7,8,14 and worse quality of life. 9,14 The current study is the first to describe these relationships in lung cancer patients. The significant but moderate correlation between loneliness and depressive symptoms supports the conceptualization of these phenomena as distinct constructs worthy of independent investigation.…”

“…Loneliness, or the subjective negative experience of deficits in social relationships, is a potentially important psychosocial factor that can have detrimental consequences for health. 6 Loneliness has been associated with depression 7,8 and quality of life 9 in cancer samples, but this relationship has not been explored in lung cancer patients, despite evidence that these patients may be particularly vulnerable to loneliness. 2,10 The social cognitive conceptualization of loneliness states that cognitive, behavioral, and social-environmental factors influence one another to shape how an individual perceives, experiences, and evaluates their social relationships.…”

The influence of coping strategies on subsequent well‐being in older patients with cancer: A comparison with 2 control groups

“…This analysis was performed on baseline and 1‐year follow‐up data from the Klimop study, which is an ongoing study in Belgium and the Netherlands on the impact of cancer, aging, and their interaction on well‐being. Full methodological details have been described elsewhere . In short, OCP (≥70 years) are longitudinally compared with MCP (50–69 years) and ONC (≥70 years) for different measures of well‐being.…”

“…The current paper on coping and subsequent well‐being is part of the larger “Klimop” study. The primary aims of this study are to assess the impact of cancer and aging on subsequent well‐being and to identify factors that predict well‐being in older patients with cancer . For this purpose, older patients with cancer (OCP) are compared with 2 control groups: middle‐aged patients with cancer (MCP) and older primary care patients without cancer (ONC).…”