Sy Chiu

The impact of cancer and its treatment on physical activity levels and quality of life among young Hong Kong Chinese cancer patients

PURPOSE Despite the evidence that regular physical activity can have beneficial effects on the physical and psychological well-being of cancer patients, a review of the literature reveals that a majority of young cancer patients fail to attain the same levels of physical activity that they had before contracting the disease. This study is to examine the impact of cancer and its treatment on the physical activity levels and quality of life of young Hong Kong Chinese cancer patients. METHOD A cross-sectional study was conducted, with 76 young cancer patients admitted for treatment to a pediatric oncology unit, and another similar age group of 148 healthy counterparts from the two integrated child and youth service centers were invited to join the study. RESULTS The study found that the current physical activity levels of young cancer patients were markedly reduced when compared with their pre-cancer situation. Moreover, they were significantly less active in performing physical exercise, and reported lower levels of self-efficacy and quality of life than their healthy counterparts. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that physical activity is an important indicator of quality of life among young cancer patients. CONCLUSION The results provide further evidence that cancer and its treatment have negative effects on physical and psychological well-being and quality of life among young cancer patients. There is an imperative need for healthcare professionals to promote the adoption of regular physical activity among such patients, even during the treatment itself.

Efficacy of Musical Training on Psychological Outcomes and Quality of Life in Chinese Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

Evidence has shown that survivors of pediatric brain tumors have more negative psychological sequela, particularly depression, than do survivors of other childhood cancers. This study examined the efficacy of a musical training program in reducing depressive symptoms and enhancing self‐esteem and quality of life in Hong Kong Chinese pediatric brain tumor survivors.

An integrated experiential training programme with coaching to promote physical activity, and reduce fatigue among children with cancer: A randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE This study examined the effectiveness of an integrated programme in promoting physical activity, reducing fatigue, enhancing physical activity self-efficacy, muscle strength and quality of life among Chinese children with cancer. METHODS A randomised controlled trial was conducted in a Hong Kong public hospital. Seventy eligible children were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 37) or a control group (n = 33). The experimental group received an integrated programme with 28 home visits from coaches over a 6-month period. The control group received a placebo intervention. The primary outcome was fatigue at 9 months (3 months after intervention completion). Secondary outcomes were physical activity levels, physical activity self-efficacy, muscle strength and quality of life at 9 months, assessed at baseline, and 6 and 9 months after starting the intervention. RESULTS The experimental group reported significantly lower levels of cancer-related fatigue, higher levels of physical activity and physical activity self-efficacy, greater right- and left-hand grip strength and better quality of life than the control group at 9 months. CONCLUSION The programme is effective and feasible to implement among children with cancer and offers an alternative means of ameliorating the healthcare burden. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Healthcare professionals should build multidisciplinary partnerships to sustain such programmes.

Treatment of children with drug-resistant Graft-Versus-Host-Disease by extracorporeal photopheresis

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THROUGH HOME-BASED EXERCISE-GAMING AFTER CHILDHOOD BRAIN TUMOUR TREATMENT- A FEASABILITY STUDYCONTENTS: Oral presentations (O + number) Poster presentations (P + number) O-0001 O-0004 Neuroblastoma I P-0001 P-0071 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia O-0005 O-0008 Epidemiology P-0072 P-0102 Myeloid leukemias O-0009 O-0012 Rare Tumours I P-0103 P-0132 Lymphomas O-0013 O-0018 Leukemia I P-0133 P-0162 Bone tumours O-0019 O-0024 Psychosocial I P-0163 P-0182 Soft tissue sarcomas O-0025 O-0030 Rare Tumours II P-0183 P-0201 Renal tumours O-0031 O-0036 Leukemia II P-0202 P-0208 Germ cell tumours O-0037 O-0042 Late Effects P-0209 P-0225 Rare tumours O-0043 O-0048 Brain Tumours I P-0226 P-0238 Liver tumours O-0049 O-0054 SIOP Award Session P-0239 P-0287 Neuroblastoma O-0055 O-0058 Germ Cell Tumours P-0288 P-0303 Surgery (IPSO) O-0059 O-0062 Liver Tumours P-0304 P-0305 Radiation Oncology (PROS) O-0063 O-0066 Rare Tumours II P-0306 P-0322 Retinoblastoma O-0066 O-0072 Brain Tumours II P-0323 P-0377 Brain tumours O-0073 O-0078 Psychosocial II P-0378 P-0418 Others O-0079 O-0084 Renal and Sarcomas I P-0419 P-0426 Hystiocytosis O-0085 O-0090 Neuroblastoma II P-0427 P-0448 New drugs/experimental therapeutics O-0091 O-0096 Bone tumours P-0449 P-0458 Epidemiology O-0097 O-0102 Supportive Care P-0459 P-0486 Late effects O-0103 O-0107 Leukemia III P-0487 P-0529 Supportive care/Palliative care O-0108 O-0113 Neuroblastoma III P-0530 P-0548 Psychosocial O-0114 O-0119 Renal and Sarcomas II P-0549 P-0574 Nursing O-0120 O-0125 Lymphoma O-0126 O-0131 Brain tumours III O-0132 O-0137 Renal and Sarcomas III O-0138 O-0163 Nurses Publications (Pub + number) O-0164 O-0196 IPSO O-0197 O-0212 ICCCPOParents/Survivors Pub-0001 Pub-0269 Publication Only 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. DOI 10.1002/pbc.24719 Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com.). 45 CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF PAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY (SIOP) 2013 HONG KONG, CHINA, 25–28 SEPTEMBER, 2013 SIOP ABSTRACTS FREE PAPER SESSION: FREE PAPER SESSION 01 NEUROBLASTOMA I