Journal Thoracic Oncology

Abstracts Journal of Thoracic Oncology • Volume 12 Issue S1 January 2017
POSTER SESSION 3 – P3.05: PALLIATIVE CARE/ETHICS
QUALITY OF LIFE, OTHERS –
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
P3.05-017 SURVIVOR GUILT: THE SECRET BURDEN OF LUNG
CANCER SURVIVORSHIP
Tara Perloff 1 , Megan Johnson Shen 2 , Kate Abramson 1 , Jennifer King 1 , Kay
Bayne 1
1 Science and Research, Lung Cancer Alliance, Washington/DC/United States of
America, 2 Psychology in Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York/NY/United
States of America
Background: The 5-year observed survival rate for a stage IV non-small cell
lung cancer patient is less than five percent. Such a small survival rate begs
the questions of how these survivors might feel. Many survivors feel a
deep-seated sense of guilt; a phenomenon known as survivor guilt. The goal
of the present study was to identify the prevalence of survivor guilt among
lung cancer patients, while also pinpointing themes among those who are
affected. Methods: A questionnaire containing a subset of the published
IGQ-67 Interpersonal Guilt Questionnaire was completed via Survey Monkey
by 108 respondents. Respondents were also given a definition of survivor
guilt with an open-ended question on their feelings toward surviving lung
cancer when others did not. Qualitative analysis was conducted on openended
text responses for respondents with the most measured survivor
guilt. After key qualitative themes were established from the initial survey,
focus groups were held in survivors who experienced high and low levels of
survivor guilt to further explore the themes. Results: This study indicates
that a significant amount of survivor guilt is experienced among lung cancer
survivors. 55% of respondents identified as having experienced survivor
guilt, yet 63.9% of respondents scored above average on the IGQ-67 Survivor
Guilt Scale. Qualitative analysis established five recurring themes among
25% of respondents with the highest measured survivor guilt. Targeted focus
groups revealed further commonalities among those with high and low levels
of measured survivor guilt. Conclusion: This study identifies the prevalence
of survivor guilt in lung cancer survivors and shows survivor guilt as a major
psychosocial challenge. Further research across all cancer types must be
explored in order to develop effective coping mechanisms for sufferers. This
study develops the basis for future research directions in creating tools to
identify, assess and treat survivor guilt in survivors of all cancers.
= 0.470) nor between sarcopenic (218 days) and non-sarcopenic patients (209
days). Conclusion: Cachexia and sarcopenia were not found to be predictors
of chemotoxicity nor TTP. CT scan is a reliable method for obtaining and
calculating muscle area, easily measurable, reproducible and usable without
expensive software technology in everyday practice.
Keywords: cancer cachexia, sarcopenia, NSCLC, predicitive value
POSTER SESSION 3 – P3.05: PALLIATIVE CARE/ETHICS
QUALITY OF LIFE, OTHERS –
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
P3.05-019 PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED LUNG CANCER: WHAT DO
THEY KNOW, WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT SHOULD
THEY KNOW ABOUT THEIR DISEASE
Annelies Janssens 1 , Sofie Derijcke 2 , Elke Vandenbroucke 3 , Anneke Lefebure 4 ,
Veerle Surmont 5 , Dieter Coeman 6 , Daniëlle Galdermans 7 , Ann-Marie Morel 8 ,
Birgitta Hiddinga 9 , Jan Van Meerbeeck 1
1 Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem/Belgium, 2 Azgroeninge,
Kortrijk/Belgium, 3 Az Monica, Deurne/Belgium, 4 Zna Ster, Borgerhout/Belgium,
5 Ghent University, Ghent/Belgium, 6 Sint Dimpna Ziekenhuis, Geel/Belgium, 7 Zna
Middelheim, Antwerpen/Belgium, 8 Sint-Jozefkliniek Bornem & Willebroek, Bornem/
Belgium, 9 Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem/Belgium
Background: The treating oncologist has to take up the responsibilty fot at
least a part of the EPC process. Communication about the palliative setting
is often a barrier for many physicians. We want to break this taboo by asking
patients what they know and what they want to know about their cancer
(treatment). Methods: In this multicentre study a questionnaire surveyed
three domains of interest : perception of prognosis, presumed treatment goal
and preferences about information regarding prognosis and end-of-life (EoL)
care. Results: 64% of participants (N= 106) know they can’t be cured, only 45%
know their treatment can’t cure them. Comparing treatment goals between
patients who know their treatment cannot cure and patients who are likely to
think that their treatment can cure them the former choose more QoL (39%
versus 9%) and the latter cure (36% versus 13%)(Chi square = 17,7, p = .001). .
Keywords: survivorship, survivor guilt, psychosocial, patient support
POSTER SESSION 3 – P3.05: PALLIATIVE CARE/ETHICS
QUALITY OF LIFE, OTHERS –
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016
P3.05-018 ASSESSMENT OF SKELETAL MUSCLE MASS AS A
PREDICITIVE FACTOR FOR CHEMOTHERAPY TOXICITY AND TTP IN
ADVANCED NSCLC PATIENTS WITH CANCER CACHEXIA
Drazena Srdic 1 , Sanja Plestina 1 , Ana Sverko-Peternac 2 , Nora Nikolac 3 , Ana
Bacelic Gabelica 1 , Olivera Maletic 1 , Marko Jakopovic 1 , Miroslav Samarzija 1
1 Department for Respiratory Diseases “Jordanovac”, University Hospital Centre
Zagreb, Zagreb/Croatia, 2 Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology,
University Hospital Center Sestre Milosrdnice, Zagreb/Croatia, 3 University
Department of Chemistry, Medical School University Hospital Sestre Milosrdnice,
Zagreb/Croatia
Background: Cancer cachexia and sarcopenia are frequently observed in
cancer patients and associated with poor survival. We evaluated prevalence of
cachexia and sarcopenia in NSCLC patients, relation to chemotherapy toxicity
and time to tumor progression (TTP). Methods: In a prospective study we
included 100 Caucasian patients with advanced NSCLC referred consecutively
to our Department before starting 1st line platinum-doublet chemotherapy.
Anthropometric and body composition measurements - total muscle cross
sectional area, lumbar skeletal muscle index (LSMI) were done. Skeletal
muscle cross-sectional area was measured at the third lumbar vertebra by
CT scan, sarcopenia was defined using a previously published cut-off point,
and TTP was specified. Results: Among 100 recruited patients 67 were male,
median age 64 years, BMI 24.5±4.5, weight 68±15 kg, weight loss in previous
6 months 7±6 kg (9.4±7.7%), 55 patients had CT images that met the criteria
for analysis. Median total muscle cross-sectional area at L3 was 142.97±35.64
cm 2 and median skeletal muscle index was 52.03 cm 2 /m 2 . Male patients had
statistically significant higher lumbar skeletal muscle area and LSMI than
female (53.31 vs. 40.95 cm 2 /m 2 , P