A controlled study of use of patient-reported outcomes to improve assessment of late effects after treatment for head-and-neck cancer.

A controlled study of use of patient-reported outcomes to improve assessment of late effects after treatment for head-and-neck cancer.

Radiother Oncol. 2016 May 10;

Authors: Kjaer T, Dalton SO, Andersen E, Karlsen R, Nielsen AL, Hansen MK, Frederiksen K, Johansen C

Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To test the effect of longitudinal feedback on late effects reported by survivors of head-and-neck cancer (HNC) to clinicians during regular follow-up.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 266 participants were sequentially assigned to either control or intervention group and filled in electronic versions of the EORTC QLQ C-30, H&N35, HADS and a study-specific list of symptoms at up to two consecutive follow-up visits. Participants' symptoms displayed according to severity were provided to the clinician for the intervention group but not for the control group. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the number of symptoms assessed by clinicians (primary outcome). Multivariate linear regression models examined participants' long-term symptom control and QoL (secondary outcome).
RESULTS: More symptoms were assessed by clinicians in the intervention group at all three visits (P<0.001, <0.001, and P=0.04). No effect was observed on most patient outcomes. When prompted by patient-reported outcomes at consultations, clinicians and patients were in better agreement about the occurrence of severe symptoms at all three visits.
CONCLUSION: Timely patient-reported outcomes to clinicians in routine follow-up of HNC survivors enhanced clinicians' rates of assessment of late symptoms. Giving reports of patient-reported outcome to clinicians had limited impact on participants' QoL or symptom burden.

PMID: 27178143 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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