Breast Cancer Patients
Conditions
Brief summary
The use of interventions for cancer-related distress is important to reduce this distress. Distress has a negative impact on quality of life, the recovery during and after treatment and may even adversely affect survival. There is insufficient attention to the systematic approach to psychosocial problems in cancer patients in the Netherlands. A task force discussed and studied which instrument measures psychosocial problems best. The distress thermometer (lastmeter) had the best results. A guideline is written to use the distress thermometer for patients with cancer and will be used in hospitals in the Netherlands. However, it is not clear what the effects are of the use of the distress thermometer on the psychosocial wellbeing of the patient. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether the use of the distress thermometer leads to cost-effective care. The study focuses on the use of the distress thermometer in breast cancer patients. An efficiency study (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate the systematic use of the distress thermometer and its discussion by a nurse as compared to the usual care provided to outpatients who are treated with curative intent for breast cancer by their treating physicians. The clinical and economic impact of the use of the Distress thermometer will be assessed in comparison with usual care.The recruitment of patients will take place in the out-patient clinic of a university hospital. Patients will be followed from diagnose until two years after finishing their treatment.
Interventions
DEVICEdistress thermometer
to apply the distress thermometer as written in the guideline written by 'Vereniging Integrale Kankercentra' title: 'Detecteren behoefte psychosociale zorg. The distress thermometer is collected from the experimental group and then discussed by a trained nurse
Sponsors
Radboud University Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Histologically proven malignancy of the breast * Curative treatment * Dominated the dutch language * Age \> 18 year
Exclusion criteria
* Previously treated for a malignancy * Psychiatric problems that adherence this study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Subscale quality of life of the questionnaire: EORTC QLQ C30 | After each treatment completion, during follow up; first year every 3 months, second year every 6 months | Subscale quality of life of the questionnaire: EORTC QLQ C30 |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Other subscales | After each treatment completion, during follow up; first year every 3 months, second year every 6 months | Other subscales: * HADS : anxiety and depression * EORTC BR23 : breast cancer specific problems * SVL: Impact of Event Scale * ZCL : illness cognition questionnaire with subscales: disease benefits, acceptance and helplessness * EuroQoL6D, * Cost diary |
Countries
Netherlands
Outcome results
None listed