Psychosocial, Cognitive, and Physical Impact of Elaborate Consultations and Life Review in Female Patients with Non-Metastasized Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background: Elaborate consultations and life review (ECLR) has been regularly applied in patients of various cancer entities and stages within Anthroposophic-integrative oncology concepts. However, a lack of systematic research in this field has been detected. To close this gap of knowledge, we evaluated the impact of ECLR in patients with non-metastasized breast cancer before, during, and after primary oncological treatment. Methods: Patient-reported outcome measures were evaluated by analyzing European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30) in patients with non-metastasized breast cancer who had received either oncological standard therapy alone or in combination with ECLR. Results: 95 female patients were eligible for questionnaire analysis (median age 58 years). Adjusted multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that ECLR was associated with significant improvements in medium-term global health/quality of life and emotional, social, and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, ECLR was associated with significant reductions of short-term appetite loss burden, pain, and short- and medium-term financial difficulties. Subgroup analyses revealed significant improvements in pivotal quality-of-life aspects including fatigue (p = 0.002) in chemotherapy-treated patients after ECLR. Conclusions: 12 months of surveillance of breast cancer patients reveals medium-term recovery of the global health status/quality of life and cognitive and psychosocial well-being associated with ECLR. In addition, our data indicate a possible association between ECLR and reduced short-term fatigue burden, which has to be re-confirmed prospectively in a larger study cohort. As long-term cancer survivors develop psychological symptoms similar to patients with chronic diseases, prospective studies should evaluate the impact of ECLR on the psychosocial well-being in these patients.

Analysis of Changes in Cancer-Related Fatigue of Breast Cancer Patients Receiving an Integrative Medicine Program

“…Components of the integrative medicine program at the GKH seem to have a favorable outcome on self-reported fatigue of breast cancer patients ( Table 5 ). In line with our previous analyses that ECLR was associated with relevant improvements of HRQL, 23 here we observed that receiving ECLR was also associated with significant improvements of physical and affective fatigue symptoms. In our approach demographic variables were considered and we monitored that the body mass index has a significant influence on the CFS-D scales.…”

“…Primary NO breast cancer patients who were seen at the certified Breast Cancer Centre GKH, Berlin, Germany between June 2012 and April 2019, were screened as previously reported. 23 , 28 , 29 According to the German National Cancer Plan social services and psycho-oncological support were offered to all patients. At first diagnosis during the hospital stay, the patient received standard therapies in conjunction with integrative ones and appointments with NPI therapists were arranged in a personalized manner as described in detail previously.…”

The Internal Coherence of Breast Cancer Patients Is Associated with the Decision‐Making for Chemotherapy and Viscum album L. Treatment

“…We conducted a prospective observational study for primary stage I-III breast cancer patients as reported previously [ 30 , 31 ]. Patients who gave written consent to be registered in the Network Oncology (NO) registry [ 32 ], who were diagnosed between June 2012 and April 2017 at the certified Breast Cancer Centre (Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, Berlin, Germany), and who received a tumor board advice for CTX were included.…”

Impact of Oncological Therapy and Viscum album L Treatment on Cancer-Related Fatigue and Internal Coherence in Nonmetastasized Breast Cancer Patients

“…For the present evaluation, as similarly reported previously, 27,28,30 primary nonmetastasized breast cancer patients of the clinical database NO, who were seen at the certified Breast Cancer Center Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe (GKH), Berlin, Germany, between June 2012 and October 2018, were screened. As the GKH actively supports shared decision-making, the patients have the chance to participate in the tumor board, and a joint recommendation for the therapy of the patient is given.…”