Supportive Care and Unmet Needs in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients: Screening and Related Factors

Abstract

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer treatment can cause physical and psychological distress and may result in unmet needs. The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the levels of gastrointestinal (GI) symptom distress, social support, and supportive care needs; (2) screen the priorities of unmet supportive care needs; and (3) identify the factors associated with supportive care needs among UGI cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. This cross-sectional study examined UGI cancer patients who received treatment from the outpatient chemotherapy department of a single cancer center in northern Taiwan. Questionnaires were used to collect data regarding GI symptom distress, social support, unmet needs, and supportive care needs. The top three unmet needs were “fears about the cancer spreading”, “uncertainty about the future”, and “being informed about things you can do to help yourself to get well”. Descriptive statistics examined the levels of GI symptom distress, social support, supportive care needs, and priorities of unmet supportive care needs. Stepwise regression was conducted to determine significant factors related to supportive care needs. Greater supportive care needs were found to be associated with higher levels of disease-related worries, increased treatment-related symptoms, and a lower level of physical performance. These factors explained 48.0% of the variance in supportive care needs. Disease-related worries and treatment-related symptoms strongly influence overall supportive care needs and each domain of supportive care needs. Symptom management and psychological support for patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy may help patients meet needs.

The longitudinal relationship between self‐compassion and cancer patients' unmet supportive care needs

“…Previous research conducted among Chinese cancer patients has shown that unmet needs at the end of treatment were the lowest, and psychological needs were more prevalent 35 . This is in line with previous research showing that cancer patients did not receive sufficient psychological support in China 35,36 …”

“…35 This is in line with previous research showing that cancer patients did not receive sufficient psychological support in China. 35,36 This study is the first to demonstrate that self-compassion can be a protective factor for unmet needs and can predict their development in cancer patients. Future studies should explore more positive factors related to unmet needs, so as to contribute to reducing the level of unmet needs and improving the patients' quality of life.…”

Factors influencing the supportive care needs of female patients with genital cancer in South Korea

“…This study identified the relationship between disease complexity, quality of life, and supportive care needs in female patients with genital cancer in South Korea and clarified the effects of these variables on the patients' supportive care needs. The level of supportive care needs was found to be 47.44 of 100 points, which is higher than the 34.25 points calculated in a study on patients with gastric cancer in South Korea [34] using an abbreviated version of the tool used in this study. Direct comparison is difficult since there is no earlier study that examined the same disease.…”

Brain cancer patients' levels of distress and supportive care needs over time

“…Importantly, high distress at the time of starting chemoradiotherapy reflected a higher number of unmet needs, demonstrating the strong relationship between distress and unmet needs as seen in other populations during active treatment 32,33 through to survivorship. 34,35 Regular monitoring of patient distress is necessary as distress was prevalent at all three time points.…”