The use of patient-reported outcome assessment through active nurse monitoring could lead to better tolerance of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, according to a poster presented at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting.
Andrea Sbrana, of Service of Pneumo-Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy, and colleagues presented results of a nationwide, open-label study conducted in 29 Italian centers.
In the study, 223 patients with solid tumors receiving targeted therapies (TT) or immunotherapies (IT) were randomly assigned to receive weekly nurse monitoring calls with an educational leaflet with some practical advice about toxicities, or only the educational leaflet.
In the intervention arm, patients received their call before treatment initiation, then every week for up to 16 weeks.
Adherence to the project – completion of every expected call – was 62.1% in patients receiving TT and 66.9% in patients receiving IT. Among patients receiving TT assigned the intervention, there was a higher number of patients without pain (P=.047) and a trend for lower fatigue (P=.067). In those receiving IT assigned the intervention, a higher number of patients did not report fatigue (P=.043), shortness of breath (P=.002), or dry skin (P=.004).
The researchers said these results indicate that the intervention could have implications for patients’ quality of life and ultimately, treatment outcome.
Sbrana A, et al. Efficacy of a nurse monitoring service at preventing disease- or therapy-related symptoms in patients receiving targeted therapy or immunotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr 12118)
