Susanne Singer1, Olga Husson2, Iwona M Tomaszewska3, Laura D Locati4, Naomi Kiyota5, Ulrike Scheidemann-Wesp1, Dirk Hofmeister6, Melanie Winterbotham7, Christine Brannan7, Cláudia Araújo8, Eva M Gamper9, Dagmara Kulis10, Harald Rimmele11, Guy Andry12, Lisa Licitra4. 1. 1 Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center Mainz , Mainz, Germany . 2. 2 CoRPS-Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University , Tilburg, The Netherlands . 3. 3 Department of Medical Education, Jagiellonian University Medical College , Krakow, Poland . 4. 4 Head and Neck Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori , Milan, Italy . 5. 5 Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Kobe University Hospital , Kobe, Japan . 6. 6 Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Centre , Leipzig, Germany . 7. 7 Mount Vernon Hospital , Northwood, London, United Kingdom . 8. 8 Service of Surgical Oncology, Instituto Português de Oncologia do Porto Francisco Gentil , Porto, Portugal . 9. 9 Department of Nuclear Medicine and Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck, Austria . 10. 10 Translation Unit, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Headquarters , Brussels, Belgium . 11. 11 National Association of Thyroid Cancer Patients "Bundesverband Schilddrüsenkrebs-Ohne Schilddrüse leben e.V.," Berlin, Germany . 12. 12 Surgery Department, Jules Bordet Institute , Brussels, Belgium .
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine quality of life (QoL) issues that are relevant to thyroid cancer patients cross-culturally, and to identify those with highest relevance to them in addition to the more general issues covered by the core European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). METHODS: A systematic literature search provided a list of potentially relevant QoL issues to supplement the core questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30, which is widely used in research and in care and addresses QoL issues relevant to all groups of cancer patients. A panel of experts revised this list, and thyroid cancer patients rated the issues regarding their relevance for QoL by selecting the 25 issues that they would include in a thyroid cancer-specific QoL module. RESULTS: The literature search and expert discussion provided a list of 71 QoL issues that was rated by thyroid cancer patients (n = 110) from seven countries. All issues were of high priority to at least some of the patients. The most frequently selected issues were sudden attacks of tiredness, exhaustion, quality of sleep, employment, social support, fear of cancer progression, fear of second operation, difficulties swallowing, and globus sensation. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid cancer patients cross-culturally rate fatigue-related issues as highly important for their QoL, calling for increased efforts to find successful treatments for this problem. Vocational rehabilitation is also highly relevant for them and should therefore be an important aim of multidisciplinary care. The third important area of concern is psychological issues, especially fear of progression and of additional treatments.
BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to determine quality of life (QoL) issues that are relevant to thyroid cancerpatients cross-culturally, and to identify those with highest relevance to them in addition to the more general issues covered by the core European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). METHODS: A systematic literature search provided a list of potentially relevant QoL issues to supplement the core questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30, which is widely used in research and in care and addresses QoL issues relevant to all groups of cancerpatients. A panel of experts revised this list, and thyroid cancerpatients rated the issues regarding their relevance for QoL by selecting the 25 issues that they would include in a thyroid cancer-specific QoL module. RESULTS: The literature search and expert discussion provided a list of 71 QoL issues that was rated by thyroid cancerpatients (n = 110) from seven countries. All issues were of high priority to at least some of the patients. The most frequently selected issues were sudden attacks of tiredness, exhaustion, quality of sleep, employment, social support, fear of cancer progression, fear of second operation, difficulties swallowing, and globus sensation. CONCLUSIONS:Thyroid cancerpatients cross-culturally rate fatigue-related issues as highly important for their QoL, calling for increased efforts to find successful treatments for this problem. Vocational rehabilitation is also highly relevant for them and should therefore be an important aim of multidisciplinary care. The third important area of concern is psychological issues, especially fear of progression and of additional treatments.
Authors: Reese W Randle; Norah M Bushman; Jason Orne; Courtney J Balentine; Elizabeth Wendt; Megan Saucke; Susan C Pitt; Cameron L Macdonald; Nadine P Connor; Rebecca S Sippel Journal: Thyroid Date: 2017-06-12 Impact factor: 6.568
Authors: Susan C Pitt; Elizabeth Wendt; Megan C Saucke; Corrine I Voils; Jason Orne; Cameron L Macdonald; Nadine P Connor; Rebecca S Sippel Journal: J Surg Res Date: 2019-07-12 Impact factor: 2.192
Authors: Suzanne E J Kaal; Emma K Lidington; Judith B Prins; Rosemarie Jansen; Eveliene Manten-Horst; Petra Servaes; Winette T A van der Graaf; Olga Husson Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-04-22 Impact factor: 4.241
Authors: Nuria Javaloyes; Aurora Crespo; M Carmen Redal; Antonio Brugarolas; Lara Botella; Vanesa Escudero-Ortiz; Manuel Sureda Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2022-02-25