Therapy-related symptom checklist use during treatments at a cancer center

Abstract

Background: Cancer treatment efficacy has improved with therapies at high or sustained dosages. However, there is increasing concern about symptom management and patients' quality of life.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess whether use of a Therapy-Related Symptom Checklist (TRSC) with oncology outpatients increases the number of symptoms documented and managed and whether this improves patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: This was a sequential cohort trial. Fifty-five oncology outpatients in treatment received standard of care (group 1, G1). Afterward, another 58 patients (group 2, G2) received standard of care at the same clinic; however, these patients additionally answered the TRSC immediately prior to each consultation. The TRSC results were then shared with clinicians. Repeated measures (2-11 visits) were obtained of the number of patient treatment symptoms documented (medical records G1 and TRSC G2), HRQOL, and Karnofsky scores, n = 696 observations (328 G1 and 368 G2). The number of symptoms reported and HRQOL were covariate adjusted using population averaged generalized estimating equations.

Results: G2 patients had a 7.2% higher population averaged covariate-adjusted HRQOL than G1 patients (3.3 more points on HRQOL, P = .012). One hundred sixteen percent more covariate- and non-covariate-adjusted symptoms were documented/managed in G2 than G1 (6.14 symptoms vs 2.84, P < .0001). The HRQOL, TRSC, and Karnofsky scores correlated r > 0.40.

Conclusion: Use of patient-reported TRSC improves symptom documentation/management and patient HRQOL.

Implications for practice: Study findings were consistent with recent research that has shown that use of checklists can have powerful influences on both quality and safety of healthcare services and patient outcomes.