Table 1 Characteristics of the included studies
Study | Population | Design | Participants | Outcome measures | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | Age (mean & SD) | Sex (female %) | ||||
Absolom [23] UK | Adult patients initiating chemotherapy for colorectal, breast, or gynecological cancers | Two-arm parallel RCT | Txt: 256 Ctrl: 252 | Txt: 55.9 (12.2) Ctrl: 56.0 (11.3) | Txt: 80.1% Ctrl: 79.8% | FACT-PWB, Hospital services and cost-effectiveness using EHR data, Self-Efficacy Scale for managing chronic disease questionnaire, EQ-5D-5, EQ-5D-VAS, QLU-C10D, FACT-G, EORTC QLQ-C30 |
Anderson [24] USA | Low-income African American and Latina breast cancer patients | RCT | Txt: 31 Ctrl: 29 | Txt: 49.6 (9.9) Ctrl: 50.5 (11.0) | Txt: 100% Ctrl: 100% | MDASI, BQ-II, Pain management index |
Basch [25] USA | Adult patients initiating chemotherapy | RCT | Txt: 441 Ctrl: 325 | All: median: 61 (26 – 91) | All: 58% | EuroQol EQ-5D Index, 1-year OS, number of ED visits |
Bryant [26] USA | Oncology adult patients scheduled inpatient care following bone marrow transplant | RCT | Txt: 38 Ctrl: 38 | Txt: 51.3 (13.6) Ctrl: 51.1 (13.7) | Txt: 78.9% Ctrl: 68.4% | PRO-CTCAE survey, HCT-CI |
Cleeland [27] USA | Adult patients receiving thoracotomy for lung cancer or lung metastasis | RCT | Txt: 50 Ctrl: 50 | Txt: 59.2 (13.6) Ctrl: 60.9 (11.8) | Txt: 44.7% Ctrl: 48.8% | MDASI, satisfaction with postoperative symptom control |
Denis [28] France | Adult patients with advanced lung cancer | Multi-center RCT | Txt: 66 Ctrl: 67 | Median (range) Txt: 65 (36 – 87) Ctrl: 64 (43 – 88) | Txt: 31.7% Ctrl: 34.4% | OS, PFS, FACT-L, number of unscheduled visits |
Detmar [29] The Netherlands | Adult patients receiving palliative chemotherapy | Cluster RCT | Txt: 114 Ctrl: 200 | Txt: 58 (NR) Txt: 55 (NR) | Txt: 73% Ctrl: 81% | COOP, WONCA, 5-item Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, SF-36 |
Fann [30] USA | Adult patients initiating cancer therapy | RCT | Txt: 289 Ctrl: 292 | Median (range) Txt: 56 (33–86) Ctrl: 59 (19–88) | Txt: 50% Ctrl: 46% | PHQ-9, QLQ-C30 |
Girgis [31] Australia | Adult patients with nonlocalized breast or colorectal cancer within 6 months of diagnosis | RCT | Txt 1: 119 Txt 2: 120 Ctrl: 117 | Txt 1: 58.3 Txt 2: 57.8 Ctrl: 57.4 | Txt 1: 72.3% Txt 2: 72.5% Ctrl: 71.8 | HADS, EORCT, 34-item Supportive Needs Survey – Short Form, 10 items from the Needs Assessment for Advanced Cancer Patient Questionnaire, One question for perceived improvement in patient-physician communication |
Hoekstra [32] The Netherlands | Adult patients with cancer in the palliative phase | Cluster RCT | Txt: 69 Ctrl: 77 | Txt: 64.1 (NR) Ctrl: 64.6 (NR) | Txt: 53.6% Ctrl: 58.4% | Symptom Monitor (assessing 10 symptoms) self-report instrument |
Kornblith [33] USA | Older adult patients with advanced breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers | RCT | Txt: 69 Ctrl: 62 | Txt: 73 (5.7) Ctrl: 74 (6.8) | Txt: 48% Ctrl: 47% | EORTC QLQ-30, GDS short form, HADS, MOS Social Support Survey, the Older American Resources and Services Questionnaire Physical Health subscale |
Kuo [34] Canada | Adult patients with incurable NSCLC | RCT | Txt: 33 Ctrl: 51 | Median (range) Txt: 63 (43 – 80) Ctrl: 67 (39 – 80) | Txt: 43% Ctrl: 45% | Palliative referral rate, number of first-line chemotherapy cycles administered, referral to and use of other supportive interventions, changes in HRQL |
Lugtenberg [48] The Netherlands | Adult patients with early-stage breast cancer (stage I-III) receiving chemotherapy | RCT | Txt: 60 Ctrl: 53 | Txt: 51 (10.9) Ctrl: 52.1 (9.6) | Txt: 100% Ctrl: 100% | EORTC-QLQ C30, BIPQ, PEPPI, MCQ-C, NCCD DT, HADS |
McLachlan [35] Australia | Adult oncology patients from ambulatory clinics | RCT | Txt: 296 Ctrl: 154 | Median (range) 61 (18–92) | 49% | Changes in CNQ, EORTC QLQ-C30, and BDI-SF |
Moore [36] Australia | Adult patients with a new diagnosis of multiple myeloma | Parallel RCT | 32 | Median (range) Txt: 66 (59 – 76) Ctrl: 69 (62 – 71) | NR | Myeloma Patient Outcome Scale |
Nimako [37] UK | Adult patients receiving cancer treatment | RCT | Txt: 45 Ctrl 1: 47 Ctrl 2: 46 | Median (range) Txt: 66 (32—80) Ctrl 1: 66 (19—83) Ctrl 2: 64 (35 – 85) | Txt: 44% Ctrl 1: 45% Ctrl 2: 46% | EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-LC13, the number of QoL issues identified, the number of management actions, the number of contacts outside of clinics |
Nipp [38] USA | Adult patients with a diagnosis of advanced cancer receiving inpatient oncology services | RCT | Txt: 75 Ctrl: 75 | Txt: 60.4 (14.6) Ctrl: 64.9 (12.4) | Txt: 40.0% Ctrl: 41.3% | ESAS, PHQ-4, hospital length of stay, unplanned readmission within 30 and 90 days of hospital discharge |
Nipp [52] USA | Adult patients with a diagnosis of advanced cancer | RCT | Txt: 160 Ctrl: 161 | Txt: 64.5 (12.4) Ctrl: 62.7 (13.1) | Txt: 43.8% Ctrl: 44.1% | ESAS, PHQ-4, hospital length of stay, unplanned readmission within 30 and 90 days of hospital discharge |
Rosenbloom [39] USA | Adult patients with metastatic breast, lung, or colorectal cancers | Cluster RCT | Txt 1: 73 Txt 2: 69 Ctrl: 71 | Txt 1: 60.2 (11.0) Txt 2: 57.3 (11.8) Ctrl: 60.6 (9.3) | Txt 1: 30% Txt 2: 33% Ctrl: 36% | FLIC, Brief POMS-17, PSQ-III, author-developed clinical treatment change assessment tool |
Ruland (2003) Norway | Adult oncology patients receiving treatment in outpatient clinics | Cluster RCT | Txt: 27 Ctrl: 25 | 56.3 (11.3) | 59% | CHOICE, time requirement to complete the assessment, Ease of Use scale, 12-item Patient Satisfaction with Decision Making questionnaire |
Ruland [40] USA | Adult patients initiating treatment for leukemia or lymphoma | RCT | Txt: 75 Ctrl: 70 | Txt: 50 (15) Ctrl: 49 (15) | Txt: 40% Ctrl: 36% | Changes in symptom distress and changes in patients’ needs using an author-developed assessment tool |
Strasser [42] Switzerland | Adult patients initiating outpatient chemotherapy with palliative intentions for incurable, symptomatic solid tumors | Cluster RCT | Txt: 119 Ctrl: 145 | Median (range) Txt: 65 (40—84) Ctrl: 67 (35—84) | Txt: 51% Ctrl: 47% | EORTC-QLQ-C30, ESAS, patient-physician communication using a validated scale, KPS |
Tolstrup [43] Denmark | Adult patients initiating immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments for unresectable stage III or IV disease | RCT | Txt: 73 Ctrl: 73 | Median (range) Txt: 66 (34 – 87) Ctrl: 66 (32 – 83) | Txt: 52% Ctrl: 41% | CTCAE for changes in adverse event frequency and severity, number of extra outpatient visits |
Trowbridge [44] USA | Adult cancer patients with oncologic pain | RCT | Txt: 260 Ctrl: 250 | Median (range) Txt: 65.6 (18 – 92) Ctrl: 65.8 (21 – 91) | Txt: 57% Ctrl: 46% | Pain management index |
Velikova [15] UK | Adult cancer patients | RCT | Txt: 144 Ctrl 1: 70 Ctrl 2: 72 | Txt: 55.1 (13.0) Ctrl 1: 54.8 (12.5) Ctrl 2: 54.7 (11.7) | Txt: 75% Ctrl 1: 70% Ctrl 2: 73% | FACT-G |
van der Hout [45] The Netherlands | Adult patients with a diagnosis of lymphoma, and head and neck, colorectal, and breast cancers | RCT | Txt: 320 Ctrl: 305 | Median (range) Txt: 65 (56 – 71) Ctrl: 65 (57 – 71) | Txt: 49% Ctrl: 52% | Patient activation measure, EORTC QLQ-C30, supportive care needs, general self-efficacy scale, Pearlin and Schooler mastery scale, perceived efficacy patient-physician interactions scale |
Wheelock [46] USA | Adult patients with TNM stage I to III breast cancer | RCT | Txt: 59 Ctrl: 41 | Txt: 54.8 (8.7) Ctrl: 53.3 (10.8) | Txt: 100% Ctrl: 100% | Time in days between symptom reporting and remote valuation of symptoms, number of breast cancer-related visits, medical appointments, lab and image studies |
Wolfe [47] USA | Pediatric cancer patients | Parallel RCT | Txt: 51 Ctrl: 53 | Txt: 68% > = 8 years old Ctrl 69% > = 8 years old | Txt: 51% Ctrl: 47% | PQ-MSAS, PedsQL4.0, Sickness scores |
Zhang [51] China | Adult patients receiving cancer immunotherapy | RCT | Txt: 141 Ctrl: 137 | Txt: 57.6 (12.6) Ctrl: 60.1 (12.7) | Txt: 24.8% Ctrl: 27.0% | Rate of occurrence of grade 3 or 4 irAEs, ED visits, rate of treatment discontinuation and death owing to irAEs, QLQ-C30 |