Special Section on the MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Mucositis - 2019 Update

The MASCC/ISOO Mucositis Guidelines 2019 Update: introduction to the first set of articles

Systematic review of basic oral care for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients and clinical practice guidelines Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to update the clinical practice guidelines for the use of basic oral care (BOC) interventions for the prevention and/or treatment of oral mucositis (OM). Methods A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society for Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO). The body of evidence for each intervention in each cancer treatment setting was assigned an evidence level. The findings were added to the database used to develop the 2013 MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines. Based on the evidence level, one of the following three guideline determinations was possible: Recommendation, Suggestion, No guideline possible. Results A total of 17 new papers across six interventions were examined and merged with a previous database. Based on the literature, the following guidelines were possible. The panel suggests that the implementation of multi-agent combination oral care protocols is beneficial for the prevention of OM during chemotherapy, head and neck (H&N) radiation therapy (RT), and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Level of Evidence III). The panel suggests that chlorhexidine not be used to prevent OM in patients undergoing H&N RT (Level of Evidence III). No guideline was possible for professional oral care, patient education, saline, and sodium bicarbonate, and expert opinion complemented these guidelines. Conclusions The evidence supports the use of multi-agent combination oral care protocols in the specific populations listed above. Additional well-designed research is needed on the other BOC interventions prior to guideline formulation.

Health concerns of cancer survivors after primary anti-cancer treatment Abstract Purpose Cancer survivors experience significant health concerns compared to the general population. Sydney Survivorship Clinic (SSC) is a multi-disciplinary clinic aiming to help survivors treated with curative intent manage side effects, and establish a healthy lifestyle. Here, we determine the health concerns of survivors post-primary treatment. Methods Survivors completed questionnaires assessing symptoms, quality of life (QOL), distress, diet, and exercise before attending SSC, and a satisfaction survey after. Body mass index (BMI), clinical findings and recommendations were reviewed. Descriptive statistical methods were used. Results Overall, 410 new patients attended SSC between September 2013 and April 2018, with 385 survivors included in analysis: median age 57 years (range 18–86); 69% female; 43% breast, 31% colorectal and 19% haematological cancers. Median time from diagnosis, 12 months. Common symptoms of at least moderate severity: fatigue (45%), insomnia (37%), pain (34%), anxiety (31%) and with 56% having > 5 moderate-severe symptoms. Overall, 45% scored distress ≥ 4/10 and 62% were rated by clinical psychologist as having ‘fear of cancer recurrence’. Compared to population mean of 50, mean global QOL T-score was 47.2, with physical and emotional well-being domains most affected. Average BMI was 28.2 kg/m2 (range 17.0–59.1); 61% overweight/obese. Only 31% met aerobic exercise guidelines. Overall, 98% ‘agreed’/‘completely agreed’ attending the SSC was worthwhile, and 99% would recommend it to others. Conclusion Distress, fear of cancer recurrence, fatigue, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are common in cancer survivors attending SSC and may best be addressed in a multi-disciplinary Survivorship Clinic to minimise longer-term effects. This model is well-rated by survivors.

Adherence and quality of life in women with breast cancer being treated with oral hormone therapy Abstract Purpose To evaluate adherence to oral hormone therapy (HT) and which factors impact in incomplete adherence and quality of life. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Setting: Women’s Hospital Prof. Dr. José Aristodemo Pinotti. Participants: women with breast cancer under treatment with oral HT. Main outcome measures: interview and performed an adherence questionnaire (Morisky–Green) and two questionnaires of quality of life (EORTC-QLQ30/BR23). The interviews were done once in a 5-month period. Results Fifty-eight women were interviewed: 42 under treatment with tamoxifen (TX) and 16 under treatment with aromatase inhibitor (AI). Twenty-six women (44%) showed high adherence to the treatment, 31 (54%) medium adherence, and 1 (2%) low adherence. Statistical analysis showed a relation between incomplete adherence and systemic therapy side effects as well as higher stages of disease, with no difference between the two drugs. When treatments were compared, this study showed treatment with AI presented less breast symptoms and better role functioning. Quality of life score was high, compared to the reference value. Conclusions A low percentage of women with breast cancer were highly adherent to HT treatment. Low/medium adherence was associated with higher stages of disease and systemic side effects. Quality of life had high scores, with better role function and less breast symptoms in women being treated with an AI.

Psychostimulants for cancer-related cognitive impairment in adult cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is recognized as a common symptom experienced by cancer survivors which impacts on quality of life (QoL) and day-to-day activities. One of the treatment options is the use of psychostimulants but the evidence supporting its use remains unclear. Objectives To identify the level of evidence of psychostimulants’ effect on the management of cognitive impairment in adult cancer survivors. Methods Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL) and reference lists of relevant reviews were searched from inception to December 2017, with no language restrictions applied. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), evaluating the effect of psychostimulants on cognitive impairment among cancer patients with no primary or secondary brain tumor or brain radiation, were included. The primary outcome was cognitive function changes, whereas secondary outcomes were adverse events (AEs) and QoL. Results Six RCTs were included: three studies investigating methylphenidate and three modafinil, with a total of 244 and 146 patients, respectively. Due to important differences in methodologies between studies, a meta-analysis was assumed inappropriate for the primary outcome. A narrative synthesis was performed. One study using methylphenidate and two using modafinil demonstrated improvements in some cognitive functions as measured by objective cognitive assessment tests. Psychostimulants did not improve QoL and were not associated with more AEs. Conclusion To date, limited evidence is available to estimate the usefulness (or lack) of psychostimulants on cognitive function in this population.

Biological predictors of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): MASCC neurological complications working group overview Abstract Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating condition associated with a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Drugs commonly implicated in the development of CIPN include platinum agents, taxanes, vinca alkaloids, bortezomib, and thalidomide analogues. As a drug response can vary between individuals, it is hypothesized that an individual’s specific genetic variants could impact the regulation of genes involved in drug pharmacokinetics, ion channel functioning, neurotoxicity, and DNA repair, which in turn affect CIPN development and severity. Variations of other molecular markers may also affect the incidence and severity of CIPN. Hence, the objective of this review was to summarize the known biological (molecular and genomic) predictors of CIPN and discuss the means to facilitate progress in this field.

Optimizing antiresorptive treatment in patients with bone metastases: time to initiation, switching strategies, and treatment duration Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal use of antiresorptive therapy in patients with metastatic cancer in terms of time to treatment initiation, switching strategy in case of skeletal-related event (SRE) or skeletal disease progression, and treatment efficacy beyond 2 years. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study including consecutive cancer patients with bone metastases that have received antiresorptive treatment between 2009 and 2015. The outcomes of interest were the time to first and subsequent symptomatic skeletal event (SSE), the skeletal morbidity rate, and the incidence of antiresorptive therapy-specific adverse events depending on the research question. Results In total, 255 patients included in our study cohort. The time to treatment initiation (direct (n = 143 patients) vs. delayed (n = 87 patients) defined as > 3 months after diagnosis of bone metastases) was not found to influence the time to SSE in (hazard ratio (HR) 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65–1.34) with comparable toxicity. Switching strategy after first SRE or due to skeletal disease progression from bisphosphonates to denosumab was independently associated with longer time to SRE (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25–0.88, p value = 0.019) compared with continuation with the same bisphosphonate. Using the landmark approach at 24 months and including 121 patients that survived for more than 2 years, we found that treatment continuation beyond 2 years was associated with longer time to first SSE after 2 years (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.19–0.93). Conclusions Our hypothesis-generating results support a more individualized approach on antiresorptive treatment including the lack of detrimental effect when the treatment is delayed, the potential benefit of switching strategy after skeletal disease progression or SSE, and the benefit of continuing antiresorptive treatment beyond 2 years.

Age-related differences in patient-reported and objective measures of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy among cancer survivors Abstract Purpose While older adults with cancer are more likely to develop chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), the study aimed to determine if patient-reported and objective measures of CIPN differ by age among cancer survivors. Methods Cancer survivors with persistent CIPN after completion of platinum and/or taxane chemotherapy completed CIPN questionnaires (severity, interference with activities, sensory, and motor symptoms) and objective testing (light touch, vibration, pain, cold sensation). CIPN measures were compared by age group (< 65 n = 260 versus ≥ 65 n = 165) using parametric and nonparametric tests. Results Among 425 cancer survivors with CIPN, mean age was 60.9 (SD 10.5). CIPN location did not differ by age (overall 68% hands and feet, 27% only feet, 5% only hands). For patient-reported measures, older survivors reported less severe pain in the hands and feet than younger survivors. In addition, older survivors reported lower interference with general activity, routine activities, normal work, enjoyment of life, sleep, mood, relations with other people, and sexual activity. No age differences in sensory and motor symptom scores were found. In contrast, for objective measures, older survivors had worse light touch and cold sensations in their feet and worse vibration detection in their hands and feet. Conclusions Despite having worse light touch, cold, and vibration sensations, older cancer survivors with CIPN reported less severe pain and interference with activities. This discordance highlights the importance of including both patient-reported and objective measures to assess CIPN in cancer survivors to better evaluate this clinical condition.

A systematic review of body image measures for people diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC) Abstract Purpose Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a relatively common cancer which causes a significant health burden, impacting individuals physically and psychologically. HNC treatment may result in facial disfigurement, eating and communication difficulties, and body image disturbances. We aimed to (1) identify HNC-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used to assess body image, (2) evaluate their conceptual coverage, (3) appraise their development process and psychometric properties, and (4) determine appropriate body image PROM(s) for use in the HNC setting. Methods Online databases were searched (July 2007–July 2017) for studies that assessed body image in patients with HNC. Studies were screened for eligibility. In addition, we searched three PROM databases for relevant PROMs. From available body image frameworks, we compiled a conceptual schema consisting of 18 clinically relevant body image issues important in the HNC setting, against which PROMs were assessed. Selected measures were appraised for psychometric characteristics, content, and readability. Results A total of 245 records were retrieved. 18 studies with PROMs met our inclusion criteria, reporting eight PROMs. The PROM databases searched yielded 62 measures. After screening, eleven measures were short-listed and appraised. The Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS)-59, DAS-24, and body image scale (BIS) cover > 55% of issues within the body image conceptual schema; were developed based on literature, patient interviews, and clinician opinions; and have evidence of internal consistency (Cronbach alpha > 0.7), validity, and responsiveness. Conclusions We recommend the DAS-24 and BIS as having adequate coverage of HNC-related issues, and suitable for use in future research.