Insomnia in adult survivors of childhood cancer: a report from project REACH

Sleep quality and physical fitness as modifiable contributors of fatigue in childhood cancer survivors

PURPOSE

Advances in cancer treatment have increased childhood cancer patient's survival rates. However, many childhood cancer survivors (CCS) face long-term effects such as fatigue. This study assessed fatigue in CCS and healthy controls (HCs), its contributors, and associated outcomes.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 90 CCS and 55 age and sex-matched HCs. Fatigue was measured using the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and modifiable contributors included sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and physical fitness (VO2 peak during a treadmill test). Quality of life (QoL) and emotional and cognitive functioning were evaluated using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory II, Cognitive Failure Questionnaire, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Stepwise linear regressions identified predictors of general, sleep/rest, cognitive, and total fatigue.

RESULTS

General, cognitive, and total fatigue were significantly higher in CCS compared to HCs (44.7% vs. 23%, p < .001; cognitive: 64.7% vs. 29.3%, p < .001; total fatigue: 56.5% vs. 25%, p < .001). Sex, PSQI, PSQI × sex, and PSQI × VO₂ were significant predictors for general fatigue, PSQI and PSQI × VO₂ for cognitive fatigue, and PSQI for sleep/rest and total fatigue. Cognitive and total fatigue correlated most strongly with cognitive and work-related functioning, whereas general and sleep/rest fatigue were more related to psychosocial functioning.

CONCLUSION

Fatigue is highly prevalent among CCS, with distinct factors influencing general, sleep/rest, cognitive, and total fatigue. Female survivors, those with poorer sleep quality and lower physical fitness, are at risk.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

This study underscores the need for tailored interventions for each type of fatigue. Improving sleep quality, physical fitness, and psychological well-being may contribute to reducing fatigue and enhancing overall quality of life in CCS.

Development of a Voice-Activated Virtual Assistant to Improve Insomnia Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study

BACKGROUND

Up to 75% of young adult cancer survivors (YACS) experience chronic insomnia, negatively affecting physical and emotional health and overall quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a gold-standard intervention to address insomnia. To improve CBT-I access and treatment adherence, screen-based digital CBT-I platforms have been developed. However, even with these digital products, widespread uptake of CBT-I remains limited, and new strategies for CBT-I delivery are warranted.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to understand how YACS experience insomnia and how they might incorporate technology-delivered CBT-I into a daily routine and test the feasibility and acceptability of a novel screen-free voice-activated virtual assistant-delivered CBT-I prototype.

METHODS

Eligible participants-ages 18-39, living with a history of cancer (any type, any stage), self-reporting on average less sleep than National Sleep Foundation recommendations, and English-speaking-were recruited from a major urban cancer center, 2 regional oncology clinics, and 2 cancer survivorship support groups. We conducted 4 focus groups to understand the YACS experience of insomnia, their routine use of technology at home, particularly voice-activated virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa, and input on how CBT-I might be delivered at home through a smart speaker system. We developed a prototype device to deliver key elements of CBT-I at home along with circadian lighting and monitoring of post-bedtime device use, collected YACS user perspectives on this prototype, and then conducted a single-arm feasibility and acceptability study.

RESULTS

In total, 26 YACS (6-7 participants per group) experiencing insomnia participated in focus groups to share experiences of insomnia during cancer survivorship and to provide input regarding a CBT-I prototype. Common triggers of insomnia included worry about disease management and progression, disease-related pain and other symptoms, choices regarding personal device use, and worry about the impact of poor sleep on daily functioning. In total, 12 participants completed device prototype testing, engaging with the prototype 94% of the assigned times (twice daily for 14 days; meeting predetermined feasibility cutoff of engagement ≥70% of assigned times) and rating the prototype with an overall mean score of 5.43 on the Satisfaction subscale of the Usability, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use scale (range 4.42-7; exceeding the predetermined cutoff score for acceptability of 5.0). All participants completing the study reported they would be interested in using the prototype again and would recommend it to someone else with insomnia.

CONCLUSIONS

YACS were highly engaged with our voice-activated virtual assistant-delivered CBT-I prototype and found it acceptable to use. Following final device development, future studies should evaluate the efficacy of this intervention among YACS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05875129; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05875129.

Sleep Treatment Education Program for Cancer Survivors: Protocol for an Efficacy Trial

BACKGROUND

Cancer survivors are at increased risk for chronic insomnia, even years after treatment completion. As insomnia is associated with a variety of long-term health consequences, access to insomnia treatment is critically important for the survivor population. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is the recommended first-line treatment for insomnia but remains largely unavailable to survivors. Treatment barriers include geographic limitations, a shortage of trained providers, and demanding treatment regimens. Designed with these limitations in mind, the Sleep Treatment Education Program (STEP-1) delivers components of CBTI in a low-intensity educational intervention delivered online.

OBJECTIVE

This is a phase II pilot randomized controlled trial. The primary aims are to test the efficacy of STEP-1 to improve (1) insomnia symptoms and (2) mood in cancer survivors compared to a control condition. The secondary aims will (1) explore participant factors associated with clinically significant response, (2) evaluate acceptability of the control intervention, (3) explore feasibility of delivering individualized coaching sessions for participants who do not have a significant response to STEP-1, and (4) describe participants' satisfaction with STEP-1 and suggestions for improvement.

METHODS

This 2-arm randomized controlled trial enrolled 70 off-treatment cancer survivors aged 40-89 years with clinically significant insomnia. Participants are randomized to receive either the STEP-1 intervention or control condition (relaxation education); interventions are delivered in one-on-one, synchronous, virtual videoconference sessions by trained interventionists. The STEP-1 intervention presents educational information on the development of insomnia after cancer and offers suggestions for improving insomnia symptoms based on the CBTI elements of sleep hygiene, stimulus control, and cognitive restructuring. With the interventionist, participants review the suggestions and develop a personalized sleep action plan for implementation. The relaxation education session provides information on the potential benefits of relaxation and how to independently access online relaxation exercises. The Insomnia Severity Index is used to measure insomnia symptoms, and the Profile of Mood States Short Form is used to measure mood at baseline and 4 and 8 weeks after intervention. The primary end point is change in the Insomnia Severity Index score at 8 weeks, and the secondary end point is change in mood symptoms (Profile of Mood States Short Form) at 8 weeks.

RESULTS

This trial was funded in July 2022. Enrollment and data collection began in February 2023 and concluded in October 2024, with 70 participants enrolled. The analysis will begin in fall 2024, and the results are expected in winter 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

Trial results will determine if STEP-1 effects go beyond those that could be attributed to placebo and other nonspecific treatment factors. Should results support the efficacy of STEP-1 to improve mood and insomnia symptoms, we anticipate developing efficacy and implementation trials of STEP-1 in larger and more diverse samples.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05519982; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05519982.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/60762.

Sleep interventions in pediatric oncology: A systematic review of the evidence

Sleep concerns are common during pediatric cancer treatment and can last into survivorship. The current systematic review sought to identify intervention studies that addressed sleep as a primary or secondary outcome during pediatric cancer treatment up to 5 years after completing treatment. Quality assessment was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The review identified 16 studies with a total of 943 participants that tested a wide range of interventions including psycho-educational, stress management techniques, medications, and physical activity. Most studies included tested interventions in small samples. None of the included studies had a high risk of bias for all domains, but all included studies had a high risk of bias for at least two risk domains. Several feasible pilot studies were identified that warrant further research to test efficacy. Implications for future research and clinical practice to manage sleep concerns are discussed.

When Cancer Centers Snooze, Patients Lose: It is Time to Make Insomnia a Priority for Survivors

Insomnia is a big problem for cancer survivors. Prioritizing evaluation and treatment is essential!

Sleep Treatment Education Program for Young Adult Cancer Survivors (STEP-YA): Protocol for an Efficacy Trial

BACKGROUND

Young adult cancer survivors (YACS) are at elevated risk for chronic insomnia, even years after completing treatment. In addition to potential health consequences, insomnia can interrupt social, educational, and vocational development just as they are trying to "make up" for time lost to cancer. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is recommended as first-line treatment for insomnia but remains largely unavailable to YACS due to several barriers (ie, shortage of trained providers, geographic limitations, financial limitations). Traditional CBTI has not been adapted to meet YACS' unique developmental and circadian challenges. To improve availability of effective behavioral insomnia treatment for this population, we developed the Sleep Treatment Education Program for Young Adult Cancer Survivors (STEP-YA), a low-intensity educational intervention delivered virtually online.

OBJECTIVE

In this phase 2 "proof of concept" trial, primary aims are to test the efficacy of STEP-YA to improve insomnia symptoms and mood in YACS and assess the utility of individualized coaching to improve treatment effects. A secondary aim will explore participant variables associated with clinically significant response to STEP-YA.

METHODS

This 2-arm randomized prospective trial will enroll 74 off-treatment YACS aged 20 years to 39 years with clinically significant insomnia. Each participant completes the STEP-YA intervention in a 1-on-1 synchronous online session led by a trained interventionist following a structured outline. The 90-minute intervention presents educational information on the development of insomnia after cancer and offers specific suggestions for improving insomnia symptoms. During the session, participants review the suggestions and develop a personalized sleep action plan for implementing them. After the session, participants are randomized to either the coaching condition, in which they receive 2 telephone coaching sessions, or the no-coaching condition, which offers no subsequent coaching. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Profile of Mood States: Short Form (POMS-SF) are assessed at baseline and 4 and 8 weeks postintervention.

RESULTS

Enrollment began in November 2022, with 28 participants currently enrolled. We anticipate recruitment will be completed in 2024. The primary endpoint is a change in ISI score from baseline to 8 weeks postintervention. The secondary endpoint is change in mood symptoms (POMS-SF) from baseline to 8 weeks postintervention. Change scores will be treated as continuous variables. Primary analyses will use ANOVA methods. A within-subjects analysis will examine if the STEP-YA intervention is associated with significant changes in insomnia and mood over time. A 2-way ANOVA will be used to evaluate the utility of coaching sessions to improve treatment effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic insomnia has significant negative effects on YACS' medical, educational, and psychological functioning. STEP-YA aims to address their needs; study results will determine if the intervention warrants future effectiveness and dissemination studies and if individualized coaching is necessary for adequate treatment response.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05358951: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05358951.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/52315.

The effect of pediatric central nervous system tumors on identity in young adult survivors: a project REACH study

PURPOSE

Of all childhood cancers, adult survivors of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors are at the highest risk for late mortality as well as neurocognitive, physical, and psychosocial late effects. Their identity with cancer survivorship, the relationship of their identity to health outcomes, and how their identity differs from other childhood cancer survivors is poorly understood.

METHODS

A total of 127 young adults previously treated for pediatric CNS tumors enrolled in Project REACH, a locally-treated childhood cancer survivor cohort. Participants completed self-report measures on the effects of cancer on identity, someone who had cancer, victim and survivor identity, frequency of thoughts of diagnosis, and health outcomes.

RESULTS

The majority of participants identified as a survivor (83%). Survivor identity was linked to diagnosis and treatment but not health outcomes. A minority (9%) endorsed a victim identity, and they were more likely to have poorer mental health (p = 0.03) and depression (p = 0.04) than non-victims. Participants who reported a stronger effect of cancer on their identity also had poorer mental health (p = 0.005). A higher frequency of diagnosis-related thoughts was associated with significantly poorer mental health (p < 0.001), more severe anxiety (p = 0.008), depression (p < 0.001), and neurocognitive impairments (p < 0.01). Those who experienced relapse, radiation, and/or chemotherapy were more likely to identify as someone who had cancer, independent of diagnosis.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Our findings suggest the relationships previously reported between identity and sociodemographic, treatment, and health outcomes after adult and pediatric non-CNS cancers cannot be generalized to pediatric CNS tumors. Understanding the unique features of how this population identifies is important for patient-centered care.

Understanding sleep quality in a national cohort of young adult cancer survivors: Results from the YACPRIME study

PURPOSE

A cancer diagnosis in young adulthood can negatively impact sleep quality. The present study describes sleep issues in young adults (YAs) and analyzes potential demographic and clinical characteristics related to sleep quality.

METHODS

Canadian YAs (n = 359) diagnosed with cancer between ages 15-39 participated in the study. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) items were examined to identify specific sleep issues that occurred 3+ times per week. Logistic regression was used to examine demographic, clinical, and symptom-related variables associated with poor sleep quality (defined as a PSQI global score >8) and sleep medication use.

RESULTS

Participants were predominantly female (87.5%) with an average age of 32 years. Of the sample, 52% had poor sleep quality, 55.5% took >30 min to fall asleep, 32.9% slept <7 h, and 54.6% reported a habitual sleep efficiency of <85%. YAs with poor sleep quality were 5.7 times more likely to report severe distress (p=<.001), as well as 1.8 times more likely to report poorer mental (p = .03) and physical functioning (p = .05). Nearly half (44%) of YAs used sleep medication to help them sleep. YAs who reported severe psychological distress were 2.4 times more likely to use sleeping medication (p = .01), whereas those with a household income ≥$100,000/year were half as likely to use medication to help with sleep (p = .04).

CONCLUSION

Psychological distress is associated with worse sleep quality and sleep medication use in YA cancer survivors. Sleep quality may be a possible target for future research and intervention to promote long-term function and recovery.

Childhood health conditions and insomnia among adults in mid-life

Background

Little is known regarding the influence of childhood health broadly and childhood health conditions specifically on insomnia throughout adulthood.

Methods

Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Baby Boomers born 1954-1965 were investigated. We fitted regression models predicting self-reported insomnia based on twenty-three retrospectively reported specific childhood health conditions (e.g., measles) and general childhood health measures and adjusted for demographics, childhood socioeconomic status, and adult socioeconomic status.

Results

Nearly all the measures of childhood health significantly increased insomnia symptoms in adulthood. In a model where all measures were included, we found that respiratory disorders, headaches, stomach problems, and concussions were particularly strong predictors of insomnia.

Conclusions

Our findings extend past work illustrating the "long arm" of childhood conditions for health, showing that specific health conditions in childhood may indelibly imprint insomnia risk.

An exploratory study of sleep habits in school-aged survivors of retinoblastoma

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

Retinoblastoma is an ocular cancer diagnosed in early childhood. Previous research has indicated the impact of cancer treatment on sleep, but little is known about how sleep is impacted among survivors of retinoblastoma. The current study aimed to describe sleep habits of school-age survivors of retinoblastoma, to examine associations between sleep and quality of life, and to examine concordance between parent and child reports of sleep habits.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Sixty-nine survivors of retinoblastoma (Mage = 10.89, SD = 1.07, 50.7% female; 56.5% unilateral disease) and their caregivers participated, providing information on both self- and parent-reported sleep habits, quality of life, and demographic data.

RESULTS

Greater sleep concerns than national norms were reported by parents (bedtime resistance (t(58) = 2.69, p = .009), greater sleep onset delay (t(66) = 2.46, p = .017), shorter sleep duration (t(57) = 2.12, p = .038), increased daytime sleepiness (t(53) = 6.45, p= <.001)) and children (sleep location (t(61) = 2.39, p = .02), restless legs syndrome (t(62) = -2.21, p = .03), parasomnias (t(64) = 19.19, p=<.001)) . Both children and parents of children who received enucleation endorsed greater sleep concerns across several domains (e.g., electronic use before bed, sleep-disordered breathing). Child- and parent-reported sleep concerns were generally associated with decreased quality of life. Finally, child- and parent-report of sleep habits appeared generally consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Survivors of retinoblastoma experience sleep difficulties. As such, assessment and targeted intervention is important to mitigate any effects on quality of life. Future research should examine sleep habits of survivors of retinoblastoma across cultures and developmental periods.

Insomnia Symptoms and Daytime Fatigue Co-Occurrence in Adolescent and Young Adult Childhood Cancer Patients in Follow-Up after Treatment: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue commonly occur in pediatric oncology, which significantly impact physical and psychosocial health. This study evaluated the prevalence of insomnia only, daytime fatigue only, the co-occurrence of insomnia−daytime fatigue symptoms, and associated risk factors. Childhood cancer patients (n = 565, 12−26 years old, ≥6 months after treatment) participated in a national, cross-sectional questionnaire study, measuring insomnia symptoms (ISI; Insomnia Severity Index) and daytime fatigue (single item). Prevalence rates of insomnia and/or daytime fatigue subgroups and ISI severity ranges were calculated. Multinomial regression models were applied to assess risk factors. Most patients reported no insomnia symptoms or daytime fatigue (61.8%). In the 38.2% of patients who had symptoms, 48.1% reported insomnia and daytime fatigue, 34.7% insomnia only, and 17.1% daytime fatigue only. Insomnia scores were higher in patients with insomnia−daytime fatigue compared to insomnia only (p < 0.001). Risk factors that emerged were: female sex and co-morbidities (all), shorter time after treatment and bedtime gaming (insomnia only), young adulthood (insomnia−fatigue/fatigue only), needing someone else to fall asleep and inconsistent wake times (both insomnia groups), lower educational level and consistent bedtimes (insomnia−fatigue). Insomnia symptoms and daytime fatigue are common and often co-occur. While current fatigue guidelines do not include insomnia symptoms, healthcare providers should inquire about insomnia as this potentially provides additional options for treatment and prevention.

Sleep Disturbance and Its Association With Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Attention in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

Background

Pediatric brain tumor (PBT) survivors are at risk for developing sleep disturbances. While in other pediatric populations sleep disturbance has been associated with worse cognitive functioning, it is unclear to what extent this relationship generalizes to PBT survivors. The aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between sleep disturbance and aspects of cognition, including sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) as well as attention and working memory.

Materials and Methods

Eighty-three PBT survivors 6–18 years of age who were at least 3 months post-treatment were included in the present cross-sectional study. Level of sleep disturbance was measured as a composite score reflecting various sleep problems as rated by caregivers. Cognitive measures included caregiver-ratings of sluggish cognitive tempo and attention problems, as well as performance-based cognitive measures assessing attention and executive functioning. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to assess associations between sleep and cognition.

Results

Of all caregivers, 32.5% reported one or more sleep disturbances as “very/often true” and over 68% of caregivers rated at least one sleep-related item as “somewhat true.” Of all cognitive variables, scores were most frequently impaired for SCT (30%). A higher level of sleep disturbance was associated with worse SCT and parent-rated attention problems. Associations between sleep and performance-based cognitive measures assessing attention and working memory were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Findings of the current study highlight the importance of further investigation into the relationship between sleep and cognition in PBT survivors, which may assist efforts to maximize cognitive outcome and health-related quality of life in PBT survivors. The current study additionally suggests further investigation of SCT in this population is warranted, as it may be more sensitive to detecting possible associations with sleep disturbance relative to discrete measures that assess cognitive performance under ideal circumstances.

Association between fatigue and sleep disturbances during treatment for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and posttreatment neurocognitive performance

BACKGROUND

Survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at increased risk of neurocognitive weakness in the areas of attention, executive function, and processing speed. Although fatigue and sleep disturbances are frequent complications of ALL therapy and associated with cognitive functions, the impact of fatigue and sleep profiles during active ALL treatment on posttreatment neurocognitive performance has received limited attention.

METHODS

Pediatric patients (n = 120) with ALL (diagnosed 2011-2016) who completed fatigue and sleep questionnaires at four time points during active treatment were enrolled in a study of neurocognitive performance. Latent class growth analysis identified subgroups of patients with similar sleep and fatigue profiles during treatment. Neurocognitive performance collected >6 months post treatment on 40 participants was compared between latent classes using multivariable linear regression models.

RESULTS

Participants (57.5% male and 79.1% Hispanic or non-Hispanic White) were classified into one of two fatigue and sleep profiles: Class 1 characterized by mild fatigue and sleep disturbances during treatment (50.8%), and Class 2 characterized by higher levels of fatigue and sleep disturbances (49.2%). Posttreatment cognitive performance was in the normal range for most measures, but significantly below normative means for executive function, verbal short-term memory, attention, and distractability measures. Compared to Class 1, Class 2 demonstrated significantly (p < .05) poorer posttreatment neurocognitive performance, particularly in measures of attention.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that fatigue and sleep disturbances during the first year of pediatric ALL therapy may impact long-term neurocognitive performance. Sleep and fatigue may be targets for intervention to preserve cognitive functioning in survivors.

Evaluating the Sleep Treatment Education Program (STEP-1): A single-session educational workshop addressing insomnia in cancer survivors

Insomnia is a common late effect of cancer, affecting as many as 27% of cancer survivors. Although cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is highly effective, treatment-associated burdens and limited availability of providers result in few survivors receiving this treatment. To address this gap, we developed the Sleep Treatment Education Program-1 (STEP-1), a single-session intervention addressing insomnia after cancer. As a preliminary evaluation of STEP-1's potential to improve survivors' insomnia, STEP-1 was delivered to a convenience sample of 34 cancer survivors as an educational workshop in person or by videoconference. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) at the workshop and at 1-month follow-up; items assessing participants' intentions to implement program suggestions and satisfaction were also collected. At 1-month follow-up, mean insomnia symptoms on the ISI were significantly lower compared to baseline (9.73 vs 15.73; d = 1.38, P < .001); the reduction in mean ISI scores did not significantly differ between in-person and videoconference participants (5.82 vs 6.33; P = .78). These results, along with positive indicators of program engagement and satisfaction, support the potential efficacy of STEP-1 to meet survivors' needs for insomnia care. Particularly when delivered by videoconference, STEP-1 has the potential to dramatically improve access and uptake for insomnia treatment in cancer survivors. Results also more generally support development of low-intensity, self-management insomnia interventions for cancer survivors and potentially other populations.

Concordance between self-reported sleep and actigraphy-assessed sleep in adult survivors of childhood cancer: the impact of psychological and neurocognitive late effects

PURPOSE

To examine self-reported (30-day) sleep versus nightly actigraphy-assessed sleep concordance in long-term survivors of childhood cancer.

METHODS

Four hundred seventy-seven participants enrolled in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (53.5% female, median (range) age 34.3 (19.3-61.6) years, 25.4 (10.9-49.3) years from diagnosis) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and ≥ 3 nights of actigraphy. Participants had neurocognitive impairment and/or a self-reported prolonged sleep onset latency (SOL). Self-reported 30-day sleep and nightly actigraphic sleep measures for sleep duration, SOL, and sleep efficiency (SE) were converted into ordinal categories for calculation of weighted kappa coefficients. General linear models estimated associations between measurement concordance and late effects.

RESULTS

Agreements between self-reported and actigraphic measures were slight to fair for sleep duration and SOL measures (kw = 0.20 and kw = 0.22, respectively; p < 0.0001) and poor for SE measures (kw = 0.00, p = 0.79). In multivariable models, severe fatigue and poor sleep quality were significantly associated with greater absolute differences between self-reported and actigraphy-assessed sleep durations (B = 26.6 [p < 0.001] and B = 26.8 [p = 0.01], respectively). Survivors with (versus without) memory impairment had a 44-min higher absolute difference in sleep duration (B = 44.4, p < 0.001). Survivors with, versus without, depression and poor sleep quality had higher absolute discrepancies of SOL (B = 24.5 [p = 0.01] and B = 16.4 [p < 0.0001], respectively). Poor sleep quality was associated with a 12% higher absolute difference in SE (B = 12.32, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported sleep and actigraphic sleep demonstrated discordance in our sample. Several prevalent late effects were statistically significantly associated with increased measurement discrepancy. Future studies should consider the impacts of late effects on sleep assessment in adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Sleep disruption and its contributing factors in Chinese survivors of childhood cancer: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study provided information about sleep disruption, particularly its prevalence and severity among Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors. Additionally, we identified the factors influencing sleep disruption and explored how fatigue, depressive symptoms and physical activity (PA) affect sleep disruption.

METHODS

402 survivors 6-18 years old and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy counterparts were assessed for depressive symptoms, fatigue, PA and subjective sleep quality. Demographic and clinical information were collected. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify any factors contributing to poor sleep.

RESULTS

Mean scores of depressive symptoms, fatigue for children and that for adolescents, and PA in survivors were 16.1 (SD=11.1), 24.6 (SD=10.3), 27.7 (SD=7.8) and 3.08 (SD=2.9), respectively. 44.8% of the survivors were poor sleepers, which was more that in healthy counterparts. The three most common sleep problem were prolonged sleep latency (31.9%), daytime dysfunction (23.4%) and sleep disturbance (22.9%). The time since last treatment (children: AOR=0.54, 95%CI=0.30-0.96, p=.04; adolescents: AOR=0.80, 95%CI=0.70-0.92, p<.01) and PA levels (children: AOR=0.46, 95%CI=0.260-0.82, p=.01; adolescents: AOR=0.70, 95%CI=0.49-0.98, p=.04) were negatively associated with sleep disruption, while depressive symptoms (children: AOR=1.31, 95%CI=1.04-1.64, p=.02; adolescents: AOR=1.07, 95%CI=1.01-1.13, p=.03), fatigue (children: AOR=1.15, 95% CI=1.00-1.31, p=.04; adolescents: AOR=1.08, 95%CI=1.02-1.15, p=.01), number of treatment received (children:AOR=16.56, 95% CI=1.27-216.82, p=.03; adolescents: AOR=7.30, 95%CI=2.36-22.56, p<.01) and co-sleeping (children: AOR=29.19, 95%CI=1.65-511.57, p=.02; adolescents: AOR=4.63, 95%CI=1.22-17.61, p=.02) were positively associated with sleep disruption.

CONCLUSION

PA made the largest contribution to reduce sleep disruption. It is crucial to advocate for the adoption and maintenance of PA in survivorship. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Actigraphy-Based Characteristics of Sleep in Paediatric Cancer Patients in Remission and a Comparison with Their Healthy Peers in the Recovery Stay

BACKGROUND

Previous research has demonstrated that paediatric cancer survivors (PCS) have lower sleep quality than their healthy peers. However, the research to date has focused mainly on self-reported data. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to characterise selected sleep parameters in PCS using objective monitoring techniques and to compare them with a control group (CG) of their healthy peers during a structured recovery stay. A specific objective was to characterise sleep with respect to gender, age, and cancer type.

METHODS

26 PCS and 38 CG aged 7-15 years participated in the study. Selected sleep indicators (time in bed, total sleep time, sleep efficiency) were objectively assessed with an Actigraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer for 12 days during the recovery stay.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between the PCS and CG groups in terms of the selected sleep parameters. The total time in bed was 543.1 min/day in the PCS and 537.2 min/day in the CG (p=0.91). The total sleep time was 455.3 min/day in the PCS and 457.5 min/day in the CG (p=0.57). Sleep efficiency was 85.3% in the PCS and 86.3% in the CG (p=0.36). Sleep efficiency >85% was achieved by 62% of the PCS (n=16) and 68% of the CG (n=26). There were no significant differences in sleep parameters in terms of variables such as gender, age, or cancer type.

CONCLUSION

The results of our study suggest that - under the same conditions - the PCS did not differ from their healthy peers in terms of the indicators of time in bed, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency. No significant differences according to age, gender, or cancer type were found.

Prevalence of Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Cancer Patients and Their Diagnosis and Management

Sleep disturbances represent an understudied yet common source of distress among pediatric cancer patients and survivors, with deleterious effects on quality of life. Sleep issues stem from multiple risk factors, yet individual contributors are difficult to isolate, consequently impeding the identification of targets for intervention. In many pediatric cancer patients, disrupted sleep and its negative impact on quality of life continue into adulthood and may affect various functional domains. This literature review highlights the types and prevalence of sleep disturbances in pediatric cancer patients during active treatment and through survivorship. Potential etiological and risk factors for disturbed sleep are summarized, including the effects of cancer and its treatment, psychosocial and family factors, as well as individual-patient aspects, such as genetics, mood and coping skills. While existing assessment and management strategies are reviewed, the literature is incomplete, and significant gaps emerge in our understanding of sleep disturbances in pediatric cancer patients and survivors. The review concludes with recommendations of areas where further research is needed. The aims of this review include increasing clinicians' awareness of sleep disturbances as a significant source of poor quality of life in pediatric cancer patients and survivors and directing researchers to gaps in our understanding of sleep disturbances in pediatric cancer patients and survivors.

The Effect of Pediatric Cancer on Identity in Young Adult Survivors: Results from Project REACH

Purpose: Living through cancer can have a profound effect on identity. Among those treated for adult-onset cancer, identifying as a cancer survivor is common and has been linked to positive mental and physical health outcomes. Although childhood is a critical period for identity formation, comparatively less is known about identity development after pediatric cancers. Methods: One hundred seventy young adults previously treated for pediatric cancer enrolled in Project REACH, a prospective cohort study, and completed self-report measures on effect of cancer on identity (e.g., cancer victim and survivor identity), frequency of thoughts of cancer, health outcomes (i.e., anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life), and health behaviors (i.e., smoking, sun protection, exercise, and binge drinking). Results: The majority of participants identified as a survivor (n = 146, 85.9%), and survivor identity was linked to significantly higher anxiety (p = 0.01) and worse overall mental health (p = 0.04), but no other health outcomes or behaviors. Only 14 participants (8.2%) endorsed the victim identity, and they were significantly more likely to report binge drinking (p = 0.03) and worse overall mental health (p = 0.02) than nonvictims. Frequency of thoughts of cancer and effect of cancer on identity were also significantly associated with health outcomes (e.g., more frequent thoughts associated with higher anxiety). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that what is known about the relationship between identity and health outcomes after adult-onset cancer cannot be generalized to pediatric cancers, and that clinicians should not assume survivor identity is associated with better health outcomes in this group.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors

Background

Sleep disruption is a prevalent symptom reported by survivors of childhood cancer. However, there is no validated instrument for assessing this symptom in this population group. To bridge the literature gap, this study translated and adapted the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for Hong Kong Chinese cancer survivors and examined its psychometric properties and factor structure.

Methods

A convenience sample of 402 Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors aged 6–18 years were asked to complete the Chinese version of the PSQI, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), Fatigue Scale-Child (FS-C)/Fatigue Scale-Adolescent (FS-A), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). To assess known-group validity, 50 pediatric cancer patients and 50 healthy counterparts were recruited. A sample of 40 children were invited to respond by phone to the PSQI 2 weeks later to assess test–retest reliability. A cutoff score for the translated PSQI used with the survivors was determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

The Chinese version of the PSQI had a Cronbach alpha of 0.71, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90. Childhood cancer survivors showed significantly lower mean PSQI scores than children with cancer, and significantly higher mean scores than healthy counterparts. This reflected that childhood cancer survivors had a better sleep quality than children with cancer, but a poorer sleep quality than healthy counterparts. We observed positive correlations between PSQI and CES-DC scores and between PSQI and FS-A/FS-C scores, but a negative correlation between PSQI and PedsQL scores. The results supported that the Chinese version of the PSQI showed convergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the translated PSQI data best fit a three-factor model. The best cutoff score to detect insomnia was 5, with a sensitivity of 0.81 and specificity of 0.70.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of the PSQI is a reliable and valid instrument to assess subjective sleep quality among Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer survivors. The validated PSQI could be used in clinical settings to provide early assessments for sleep disruption. Appropriate interventions can therefore be provided to minimize its associated long-term healthcare cost.

Trial registration This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the reference number NCT03858218.

Non-pharmacological sleep interventions for pediatric cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbances constitute a common complication in pediatric cancer patients and survivors and are frequently severe enough to warrant treatment. Suboptimal sleep has been associated with decreased emotional well-being and cognitive functioning and increased behavioral problems. Standardized guidelines for non-pharmacological sleep interventions for adults with cancer exist, but no standard of care intervention or standard guidelines are available to guide such intervention in pediatric cancer patients and survivors. Therefore, effective behavioral interventions for improving sleep quality need to be identified. The objective of the review is to evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological sleep interventions on sleep quality in pediatric cancer patients and survivors.

METHODS

The review will consider studies that include children and adolescents between 0 and 18 years diagnosed with cancer or who have a history of cancer who have non-respiratory sleep disturbance. We will include experimental and quasi-experimental studies evaluating non-pharmacological interventions such as psychological interventions, technical/device interventions, interventions targeting physical activity, and complementary and alternative medicine interventions (e.g., yoga, massage, music). Interventions involving medications, ingestible supplements, products purported to work through absorption, and medical devices will be excluded. Primary outcome will be sleep quality as measured by methods including retrospective ratings, daily sleep diary, and validated questionnaires. Secondary outcomes will include total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, daytime sleepiness, and daytime sleep duration (naps) as measured by retrospective ratings, daily sleep diary, validated questionnaires, and/or actigraphy. Databases will include MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane Library, CINAHL (Ebsco), and PsycINFO (Ovid) and will be queried from database inception to present. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and extract data. The study methodological quality will be assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Data will be extracted and findings pooled and synthesized using a meta-aggregation approach via the JBI System for the Unified Management, Assessment, and Review of Information (SUMARI). If feasible, we will conduct random effects meta-analysis. Additional analyses will be conducted to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity (e.g., methodological quality, study design, outcome measures).

DISCUSSION

This systematic review will synthesize and consolidate evidence on existing non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep in pediatric cancer patients and survivors. Findings may help inform practitioners working with pediatric cancer patients and survivors experiencing sleep disturbances and is intended to identify gaps and opportunities to improve methodical quality of further non-pharmacological sleep intervention research in this population toward developing an eventual standard of care.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020200397 .

Supportive care for toxicities in children undergoing radiation therapy

Radiation therapy (RT) is an integral part of the management of many pediatric tumors; however, it is associated with both acute and permanent adverse events that can significantly impact a child's quality of life, lead to treatment delays, and potentially affect outcomes of cancer therapy. Prevention, early detection, and optimal management of these adverse effects will help reduce their impact on the patients' quality of life and overall well-being. Unfortunately, there has not been a coordinated effort to study the etiology, evaluate risk factors, and explore novel treatments for these conditions. Studies of supportive care for children undergoing RT are often small and uncontrolled. This review will focus on the impact of irradiation on the different organ systems and their current management. Further studies are required to improve our understanding of the contributing factors and explore novel treatment options for these adverse effects and to enable children and their families to better cope with some of the unavoidable toxicities following multimodality therapy.

Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for identifying insomnia in young adult cancer survivors: comparison with a structured clinical diagnostic interview of the DSM-5 (SCID-5)

OBJECTIVES

Insomnia is a common problem affecting young adult cancer survivors (YACS) even years after treatment, yet it often goes unidentified and untreated. The Insomnia Severity Index is a widely-used insomnia measure, but has not been studied as an insomnia screener for YACS. The goal of this study was to validate the ISI in YACS by determining its utility in identifying YACS with insomnia disorder diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 (SCID-5).

METHODS

250 YACS completed the ISI and SCID-5 Insomnia Module. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to reflect the ISI's discrimination between YACS with and without SCID-5 insomnia disorder. An ISI cut-off score with sensitivity ≥0.85 and specificity ≥0.75 was deemed acceptable.

RESULTS

Of 250 participants, 52 met criteria for SCID-5 insomnia disorder diagnosis. The ISI had excellent discrimination, with an AUC = 0.91. A cut-off score ≥8 met study clinical screening criteria with sensitivity of 0.85 and specificity of 0.77. A cut-off score ≥7 with a higher sensitivity (0.96) but lower specificity (0.70) was noted as a potential alternative. Cut-off scores ≥12 and ≥ 14 were recommended for applications prioritizing overall accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support validity of the ISI for identifying YACS with insomnia disorder. For clinical screening, data support the use of an ISI cut-off score ≥8 in YACS, and additional cut-off scores were found for research purposes or higher sensitivity. Results of this study and prior studies of the ISI offer important reminders that cut-off scores derived from different populations are not generalizable.

Sleep Quality Among Teenagers and Young Adults With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Teenagers and young adults (TYAs) with cancer are known to suffer poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances; understanding the level of burden is essential to improving patient outcomes via supportive care interventions.

OBJECTIVES

To compare sleep quality and the prevalence of sleep disturbances among TYA cancer patients, TYA survivors, and general population TYAs with no history of cancer.

METHODS

Teenager and young adult patients receiving active cancer treatment (n = 70), TYA cancer survivors (n = 151), and general population TYAs (n = 324) aged between 13 and 24 years completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Analyses of covariance were used to investigate potential group differences. Age at survey diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, and health status were included as covariates.

RESULTS

84.29% of TYA patients, 62.91% of TYA cancer survivors, and 65.12% of general population TYAs reported Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores greater than 5, suggesting clinically significant sleep disorders. Teenager and young adult patients reported significantly poorer global sleep quality compared with TYA survivors (mean difference, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-1.96; P = .044) and general population TYAs (mean difference, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-2.41; P = .009). Teenager and young adult patients and survivors reported significantly poorer sleep latency (P = .003 for TYA patients, P = .035 for TYA survivors off treatment) and habitual sleep efficiency (P < .001 for TYA patients, P = .014 for TYA survivors) than general population controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant differences observed suggest young people with cancer, particularly those on treatment, may benefit from specialized sleep interventions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Efforts to ensure health professionals have the knowledge and skills to provide advice about sleep to young people with cancer are needed.

Does the guided online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia "i-Sleep youth" improve sleep of adolescents and young adults with insomnia after childhood cancer? (MICADO-study): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Adolescents and young adults who had childhood cancer are at increased risk for insomnia, due to being critically ill during an important phase of their life for the development of good sleep habits. Insomnia is disabling and prevalent after childhood cancer (26-29%) and negatively impacts quality of life, fatigue, pain, and general functioning and is often associated with other (mental) health problems. Insomnia and a history of childhood cancer both increase the risk of adverse health outcomes, posing a double burden for adolescents who had childhood cancer. The first-line treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). However, access to this type of care is often limited. The guided online CBT-I treatment "i-Sleep" has been developed to facilitate access via online care. i-Sleep is shown effective in adult (breast cancer) patients, but it is unknown if iCBT-I is effective in pediatric oncology.

METHODS/DESIGN

We developed a youth version of i-Sleep. Our aim is to evaluate its effectiveness in a national randomized-controlled clinical trial comparing iCBT-I to a waiting-list control condition at 3 and 6 months (n = 70). The intervention group will be also assessed at 12 months to see whether the post-test effects are maintained. Adolescents and young adults aged 12-30 years with insomnia, diagnosed with (childhood) cancer, currently at least 6 months since their last cancer treatment will be eligible. Outcomes include sleep efficiency (actigraphic), insomnia severity (self-report), sleep and circadian activity rhythm parameters, fatigue, health-related quality of life, perceived cognitive functioning, chronic distress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and intervention acceptability.

DISCUSSION

Insomnia is prevalent in the pediatric oncology population posing a double health burden for adolescents and young adults who had childhood cancer. If guided iCBT-I is effective, guidelines for insomnia can be installed to treat insomnia and potentially improve quality of life and the health of adolescents and young adults who had childhood cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NL7220 (NTR7419; Netherlands Trial register). Registered on 2 August 2018.

Cancer patient's attitudes of using medicinal cannabis for sleep

PURPOSE

Poor sleep is one of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. One increasingly popular approach to manage side effects of cancer treatment is use of medicinal cannabis (MC).

DESIGN

Cancer patients using MC participated in semi-structured interviews to assess their experiences with MC (n = 24). A multi-stage thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts. Themes related to use of MC for sleep were extracted.

FINDINGS

The majority reported MC use for sleep. These participants reported that MC improved sleep initiation and continuity, resulted in decreased use of sleep medications, and that improved sleep led to better health. No participant reported MC was ineffectual for sleep or caused undesirable side effects when used for sleep.

CONCLUSIONS

Cancer patients often utilize MC to specifically manage poor sleep. There is a need for rigorous studies assessing prevalence of use for this indication and clinical trials to assess comparative efficacy and safety.

Clinical validity of the PROMIS pediatric sleep short forms in children receiving treatment for cancer

BACKGROUND

Rates of sleep disturbances vary widely across pediatric cancer studies, partly due to differences in measurement tools. Patient-reported outcomes measurement information system (PROMIS) offers a rigorously developed, well-validated pair of pediatric sleep health instruments needed to advance sleep research and clinical practice in pediatric cancer. The current study evaluated the clinical validity of PROMIS pediatric sleep scales (sleep disturbances [SD] and sleep-related impairment [SRI]) among children in active cancer treatment.

PROCEDURE

Caregiver-patient dyads were enrolled during cancer treatment in 2-12 months after diagnosis: 45 children (ages 8-17 years) and 102 caregivers of children (ages 5-17 years) completed PROMIS SD and SRI 8-item short form self-report or caregiver-proxy scales, and caregivers reported the prior week's cancer treatments and blood counts.

RESULTS

Both scales demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability across reporters. SD and SRI were higher than the PROMIS general population calibration sample for caregivers and patients. Oncology caregivers reported lower SD and SRI than sleep clinic caregivers, but oncology patients were similar to sleep clinic patients. Convergent validity was evidenced through moderate correlations between scales by reporter and both scales being significantly higher in patients taking medications for sleep. There were no significant differences in SD or SRI by diagnostic group, receiving radiation, or having low blood counts.

CONCLUSION

The PROMIS SD and SRI short forms are promising measures for pediatric oncology, demonstrating strong internal consistency reliability and multiple indications of clinical validity. Although groups did not differ based on treatment variables, results suggest the need for universal screening for sleep problems during pediatric cancer treatment.

Internet-delivered insomnia intervention improves sleep and quality of life for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is common among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is considered the gold standard treatment. Standard CBT-I was designed for adults and not adapted to the unique medical, psychosocial, and developmental needs of AYA cancer survivors, which can exacerbate their insomnia. Further, the vast majority of cancer centers do not have a behavioral sleep medicine expert on staff. Our study objective was to examine the efficacy of an Internet-delivered CBT-I program that was tailored for AYA cancer survivors (NCT03279055).

PROCEDURE

Twenty-two AYA cancer survivors (mean age 20.4; range 14-25) with insomnia enrolled in an automated CBT-I program modified for AYA cancer survivors following stakeholder feedback. Participants were blood cancer (54.5%) and solid tumor (45.5%) survivors, an average of 9.7 years postdiagnosis. Sleep health, fatigue, and quality of life were assessed at baseline and at two follow up timepoints (8 and 16 weeks postbaseline).

RESULTS

Significant improvements in insomnia severity, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and quality of life were reported at both follow up timepoints. However, most participants (72.7%) did not complete all of the six study sessions, with a mean completion rate of 3.2 sessions. Participants who completed at least two sessions reported better sleep (insomnia severity index total score) than those who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

An Internet-delivered insomnia intervention adapted for AYA cancer survivors was efficacious. This has important implications for access to evidence-based clinical care for this growing population. Future efforts should study stepped care models of care and ways to improve treatment adherence.

Sleep Disturbances in Survivors of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Their Siblings

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disturbances have been identified by patients with cancer as common and distressing; however, conflicting evidence about the prevalence of these outcomes exists for survivors of childhood cancers. Additionally, little is known about how the experience of cancer might impact survivor siblings' sleep. The current study compared the sleep of survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia who were 2-7 years off therapy and their siblings to healthy control/sibling dyads.

METHODS

Participants (survivors, n = 45; survivor siblings, n = 27; controls, n = 45; control siblings, n = 41; 58% male) aged 8-18 (m = 11.64) completed a 7-day sleep diary and seven consecutive days of actigraphy. Parents (n = 90) completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire for each of their children.

RESULTS

No between-group differences were found on measures of sleep diaries or actigraphy. Parents reported that survivor siblings had significantly poorer sleep habits than survivors or controls. For survivors, greater time off treatment and younger age at diagnosis were associated with less total sleep time, more wake after sleep onset, and decreased sleep efficiency via actigraphy.

CONCLUSION

Sleep across all groups was consistent and below national guidelines. Although the survivor group did not have poorer sleep compared to their siblings or matched controls, within the survivor group, those who were diagnosed at an earlier age and those who were further off treatment had more disrupted sleep. Parent reports suggested that survivor siblings may be at risk for sleep problems.

Parental Behaviors, Emotions at Bedtime, and Sleep Disturbances in Children with Cancer

Background

Poor sleep is common for children during cancer treatment, but there is limited understanding of the nature of children’s sleep throughout the treatment trajectory. The current exploratory study used an explanatory sequential mixed method approach to examine quantitative associations among sleep problems in children with cancer, parental behavior, and children’s sleep hygiene, with follow-up qualitative characterizations of children’s sleep across cancer treatment stages.

Procedure

Eighty parents of children with cancer (aged 2–10 years; in active treatment, maintenance treatment, or off treatment) completed an online survey querying the child’s sleep quality (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children—Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep subscale) and behaviors (Child Sleep Hygiene Scale) and sleep-related parenting behaviors (Parental Sleep Strategies). A subsample (n = 17 parents) participated in qualitative interviews to better characterize the processes of children’s sleep and parents’ sleep-related behaviors.

Results

Children’s sleep quality, sleep hygiene, or parental sleep strategies were not significantly different by cancer treatment groups. Greater sleep disturbance in children was associated with their parents’ tendency to accommodate the child’s bedtime requests. Qualitatively, cancer treatment-related anxiety in both children and parents influence the onset of these disruptive sleep behaviors.

Conclusion

Parents’ sleep-related behaviors affect children’s sleep during cancer treatment. Parents’ accommodation may start during active treatment to alleviate cancer-related challenges, and these behaviors may continue into maintenance therapy and off treatment to reinforce sleep disturbance. Behavioral interventions targeting unhelpful parental behaviors may improve sleep in children with cancer during and after cancer treatment.

Insomnia and Neurocognitive Functioning in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Background

In noncancer populations, insomnia is known to affect neurocognitive processes. Although the prevalence of insomnia appears to be elevated in survivors of childhood cancer, relatively little is known about its association with neurocognitive performance in this at-risk population.

Methods

A total of 911 survivors (51.9% female; mean [SD] age, 34 [9.0] years; time since diagnosis, 26 [9.1] years) completed direct assessments of attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functioning and self-reported symptoms of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue), and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). Sex-stratified general linear models were used to examine associations between insomnia and neurocognitive performance, with adjustment for treatment exposures and chronic health conditions. All statistical tests were two-sided.

Results

Insomnia was reported by 22.1% of females and 12.3% of males (P < .001). After adjustment for neurotoxic treatment exposures, insomnia (vs healthy sleepers with no daytime fatigue or sleepiness) was associated with worse neurocognitive performance in the domains of verbal reasoning, memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed (verbal reasoning: males β = −0.34, P = .04, females β = −0.57, P < .001; long-term memory: males β = −0.60, P < .001, females β = −0.36, P = .02; sustained attention: males β = −0.85, P < .001, females β = −0.42, P = .006; cognitive flexibility: males β = −0.70, P = .002, females β = −0.40, P = .02). Self-reported sleep disturbance without daytime fatigue or sleepiness or daytime fatigue or sleepiness alone were not consistently associated with poorer neurocognitive performance.

Conclusions

Insomnia was highly prevalent and contributed to the neurocognitive burden experienced by adult survivors of childhood cancer. Treatment of insomnia may improve neurocognitive problems in survivors.

A call to action for expanded sleep research in pediatric oncology: A position paper on behalf of the International Psycho‐Oncology Society Pediatrics Special Interest Group

Sleep and circadian rhythms are closely related to physical and psychosocial well‐being. However, sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions are often overlooked in children with cancer, as they are frequently considered temporary side effects of therapy that resolve when treatment ends. Yet, evidence from adult oncology suggests a bidirectional relationship wherein cancer and its treatment disrupt sleep and circadian rhythms, which are associated with negative health outcomes such as poor immune functioning and lower survival rates. A growing body of research demonstrates that sleep problems are prevalent among children with cancer and can persist into survivorship. However, medical and psychosocial outcomes of poor sleep and circadian rhythmicity have not been explored in this context. It is essential to increase our understanding because sleep and circadian rhythms are vital components of health and quality of life. In children without cancer, sleep and circadian disturbances respond well to intervention, suggesting that they may also be modifiable in children with cancer. We present this paper as a call to (a) incorporate sleep or circadian rhythm assessment into pediatric cancer clinical trials, (b) address gaps in understanding the bidirectional relationship between sleep or circadian rhythms and health throughout the cancer trajectory, and (c) integrate sleep and circadian science into oncologic treatment.

Developing efficient and effective behavioral treatment for insomnia in cancer survivors: Results of a stepped care trial

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is common among cancer survivors. Although behavioral treatments for insomnia are effective, access is limited. Stepped care delivery models may provide insomnia treatment that is more efficient and accessible to cancer survivors.

METHODS

Fifty-one survivors (mean age, 55 years) with elevated Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores (≥12) first participated in Sleep Training Education Program (STEP)-1: a single, sleep education session. Those reporting elevated ISI scores 1 month later were offered STEP-2: a 3-session, group cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia that has been demonstrated to be efficacious. Participants were considered treatment responders if their ISI score improved by ≥6 points and were considered as having remitted if their posttreatment ISI score was <12. Mood was assessed with the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF).

RESULTS

Following STEP-1, ISI scores improved (17.1 to 11.2; P < .001), with 45% responding and 41% remitted. Insomnia remission after STEP-1 was associated with lower insomnia severity and shorter duration of sleep problems at baseline. Of the 30 (59%) survivors with unremitted insomnia after STEP-1, 14 (47%) participated in STEP-2. Following STEP-2, ISI scores improved (16.9 to 8.8; P < .001), with 79% responding and 71% remitted. STEP-2 participation was associated with interest in sleep treatment at baseline, but not demographic/health-related variables. Mood improved significantly following both STEP-1 and STEP-2 (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

A stepped care approach to treating insomnia among cancer survivors has the potential to improve treatment accessibility. A sizable proportion of survivors can benefit from 2 different low-intensity approaches that could be delivered by nonsleep specialists. For individuals who require more intensive care, assessing treatment interest can identify those who are likely to engage.

Sleep, emotional distress, and physical health in survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disorders are associated with psychological and physical health, although reports in long-term survivors of childhood cancer are limited. We characterized the prevalence and risk factors for behaviors consistent with sleep disorders in survivors and examined longitudinal associations with emotional distress and physical health outcomes.

METHODS

Survivors (n = 1933; median [IQR] age = 35 [30, 41]) and siblings (n = 380; age = 33 [27, 40]) from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study completed measures of sleep quality, fatigue, and sleepiness. Emotional distress and physical health outcomes were assessed approximately 5 years before and after the sleep survey. Multivariable logistic or modified Poisson regression models examined associations with cancer diagnosis, treatment exposures, and emotional and physical health outcomes.

RESULTS

Survivors were more likely to report poor sleep efficiency (30.8% vs 24.7%; prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.53), daytime sleepiness (18.7% vs 14.2%; PR = 1.31 [1.01-1.71]), and sleep supplement use (13.5% vs 8.3%; PR = 1.56 [1.09-2.22]) than siblings. Survivors who developed emotional distress were more likely to report poor sleep efficiency (PR = 1.70 [1.40-2.07]), restricted sleep time (PR = 1.35 [1.12-1.62]), fatigue (PR = 2.11 [1.92-2.32]), daytime sleepiness (PR = 2.19 [1.71-2.82]), snoring (PR = 1.85 [1.08-3.16]), and more sleep medication (PR = 2.86 [2.00-4.09]) and supplement use (PR = 1.89[1.33-2.69]). Survivors reporting symptoms of insomnia (PR = 1.46 [1.02-2.08]), fatigue (PR = 1.31 [1.01-1.72]), and using sleep medications (PR = 2.16 [1.13-4.12]) were more likely to develop migraines/headaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Survivors report more sleep difficulties and efforts to manage sleep than siblings. These sleep behaviors are related to worsening or persistently elevated emotional distress and may result in increased risk for migraines. Behavioral interventions targeting sleep may be important for improving health outcomes.

Sleepless from the Get Go: Sleep Problems Prior to Initiating Cancer Treatment

PURPOSE

Cancer patients are likely to experience sleep problems. Understanding their perception of sleep problems is important as subjective symptom experience is associated with treatment-seeking behavior. We explored the prevalence of sleep problems and its correlates in a large sample of cancer patients at an important but understudied stage of their cancer journey: prior to initiating treatment.

METHODS

Cancer patients (5702) (67.5% female; 76.9% White; 23.0% Hispanic), following diagnosis and prior to initiating cancer treatment, completed an electronic screening instrument. Patients across eight different cancer diagnoses (breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, head and neck, hematological, lung, prostate, urinary) rated their sleep problems on a five-point scale, with those reporting "severe" or "very severe" sleep problems classified as having high sleep problems.

RESULTS

Overall, 12.5% of patients reported high sleep problems. Across diagnoses, the proportion of patients reporting high sleep problems ranged from 4.3 to 13.8%, with prostate cancer patients least likely and gastrointestinal cancer patients most likely to report high sleep problems. Older age, having a partner, higher education, and higher household income were associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing sleep problems. Being female, Black, Hispanic, and reporting anxiety or depression was associated with an increased likelihood of sleep problems.

CONCLUSIONS

A sizeable proportion of cancer patients experience significant problems with their sleep before any treatment has occurred. This clinical issue cannot be ignored as treatment is likely to worsen existing sleep problems. Oncology providers should routinely screen for sleep-related problems. Identifying and treating patients for sleep problems during a vulnerable period early in their cancer trajectory should be an essential component of clinical care.

Cancer Survivors' Beliefs About the Causes of Their Insomnia: Associations of Causal Attributions With Survivor Characteristics

Objectives: Insomnia is common among cancer survivors, yet survivors' beliefs about their insomnia following cancer are largely unknown. This study describes cancer survivors' causal attributions of insomnia and whether these beliefs differ by sociodemographic characteristics. Participants: 160 cancer survivors meeting diagnostic criteria for insomnia disorder. Methods: Survivors endorsed how likely they believed 12 different factors were causally related to their insomnia and self-reported sociodemographics. Multinomial logistic regression tested associations between attribution endorsement and sociodemographics. Latent class analysis (LCA) examined patterns of attribution endorsement and whether sociodemographics were associated. Results: One hundred fifty-four survivors (96%) endorsed that at least 1 causal attribution was likely related to their insomnia. Most survivors endorsed that emotions (77%), thinking patterns (76%), sleep-related emotions (65%), and sleep-related thoughts (57%) were related to their insomnia, similar to data previously published among healthy persons with insomnia. Younger participants were more likely to endorse that biochemical factors related to their insomnia (ps < .02); females were more likely to endorse that hormonal factors related to their insomnia (ps < .001). LCA identified three classes (AIC = 3209.50, BIC = 3485.13). Approximately 40% of survivors endorsed most of the causal attributions were likely related to their insomnia; 13% frequently endorsed attributions were neither likely nor unlikely to be related. Older survivors were more likely to belong to the 47% who reported most attributions were unlikely related to their insomnia (p = .03). Conclusions: Cancer survivors with insomnia commonly endorsed that thoughts and emotions contributed to their sleep disturbance. Survivors' sociodemographic characteristics did not meaningfully explain individual differences for most causal attribution beliefs.

Insomnia in Adolescence

Adolescent insomnia is a common condition that negatively impacts a developing young adult's mental and physical health. While the treatment of adult insomnia has been standardized, the treatment of pediatric insomnia is very practitioner-dependent and few large-scale studies are available to determine a standard recommended practice. There is great hope that as the adolescent medicine and sleep medicine fields flourish, larger cohort analyses will be performed to determine the prevalence and precipitating factors of adolescent insomnia, allowing for standardized treatment recommendations and systematic efforts to make these recommendations available to all adolescents.

Neurocognitive Outcomes and Interventions in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Cancer

Recent research has demonstrated that survivors of childhood cancer are at risk for a myriad of late effects that affect physical and mental quality of life. We discuss the patterns and prevalence of neurocognitive problems commonly experienced by survivors of CNS tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the two most commonly researched cancer diagnoses. Research documenting the direct effects of tumor location and treatment type and intensity is presented, and patient characteristics that moderate outcomes (eg, age at diagnosis and sex) are discussed. Potential biologic mechanisms of neurotoxic treatment exposures, such as cranial irradiation and intrathecal and high-dose antimetabolite chemotherapy, are reviewed. Genetic, brain imaging, and neurochemical biomarkers of neurocognitive impairment are discussed. Long-term survivors of childhood cancer are also at risk for physical morbidity (eg, cardiac, pulmonary, endocrine) and problems with health behaviors (eg, sleep); research is reviewed that demonstrates these health problems contribute to neurocognitive impairment in survivors with or without exposure to neurotoxic therapies. We conclude this review with a discussion of literature supporting specific interventions that may be beneficial in the treatment of survivors who already experience neurocognitive impairment, as well as in the prevention of impairment manifestation.

Adapted Delivery of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study

Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors (AYACS) are at risk for the development of insomnia, though it remains vastly undertreated. Limited research has evaluated cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia (CBT-I) in AYACS. The present study piloted adapted CBT-I designed to improve treatment accessibility by delivering a three-session intervention in person and via videoconference. AYACS with insomnia (N = 12) enrolled in the study. Ten AYACS completed the intervention, with six in person and four via videoconference. Sleep variables improved immediately postintervention and were sustained at two-month follow-up. Within sample effect sizes of the adapted intervention for sleep, variables were large, and there were no noted differences on sleep outcomes between the in-person and videoconference participants. These pilot findings indicate that an adapted CBT-I intervention is feasible and promising in AYACS populations.

Sleep and survival among women with breast cancer: 30 years of follow-up within the Nurses' Health Study

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in women. Sleep has been linked with mortality among cancer-free population; however, its association with survival among women with breast cancer is understudied.

METHODS

Breast cancer patients (N=3682) reported their average sleep duration post diagnosis. Subsamples also provided their pre-diagnosis sleep duration (n=1949) and post-diagnosis sleep difficulties (n=1353). Multivariate Cox models estimated hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI) of all-cause, breast cancer, and non-breast cancer mortality.

RESULTS

At diagnosis, the mean age was 64.9 years and 91.7% were stage I or II. Women sleeping ⩾9 h per night post diagnosis had a strong higher risk of all-cause (multivariate HRs: MV-HR=1.37, CI=1.10-1.71), breast cancer (MV-HR=1.46, CI=1.02-2.07), and non-breast cancer mortality (MV-HR=1.34, CI=1.01-1.79), compared to women sleeping 8 h per night. Increased sleep duration post diagnosis (vs unchanged) and regular sleep difficulties (vs rare/none) were associated with a strong elevated risk of all-cause mortality (MV-HRincreased duration=1.35, CI=1.04-1.74; MV-HRregular difficulties=1.49, CI=1.02-2.19) and a moderate greater risk of breast cancer and non-breast cancer mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Various facets of sleep were associated with higher all-cause mortality risk. If replicated, these findings support evaluation of breast cancer patients' sleep duration and difficulties to identify those at risk for poorer outcomes.

Evaluation and treatment of insomnia in adult cancer survivorship programs

PURPOSE

Insomnia is commonly experienced by cancer survivors. Chronic insomnia is associated with significant physical and psychosocial consequences if not properly treated. Both the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommend the evaluation of sleep disturbances and evidence-based treatment of insomnia during routine survivorship care. To better understand current clinical practices, we conducted a survey of major cancer centers across the United States (US).

METHODS

Adult survivorship programs at the 25 US cancer centers that are both NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers and NCCN member institutions were surveyed about the evaluation and treatment of insomnia in their hospital.

RESULTS

All institutions responded to the survey. Thirteen centers (56 %) reported screening <25 % of survivors for sleep disorders, and few clinicians providing survivorship care were well-prepared to conduct a proper sleep evaluation. Insomnia was most commonly treated with sleep hygiene, or pharmacotherapy, rather than cognitive-behavioral therapy. No program reported that >50 % of their survivors were receiving optimal insomnia-related care. A variety of methods to improve insomnia care were endorsed by respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a clear need to improve the evaluation and treatment of insomnia for cancer survivors at institutions across the country. Cancer centers deemed a number of modalities relevant for improving provider confidence in addressing sleep challenges.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

To improve the quality of insomnia care for survivors, systematic interventions to increase standardized screening for sleep disorders, providing additional sleep medicine training for survivorship clinicians, and optimizing the role of sleep medicine specialists in the oncology setting should be considered.

Sleep Disruption in Pediatric Cancer Survivors: Conceptual Framework and Opportunities for Clinical Assessment and Behavioral Treatment

Sleep disruption is a commonly reported consequence of cancer and its treatment in pediatric patients and survivors. This review summarizes common sleep concerns in this population and introduces a multidimensional framework of risk factors specific to childhood cancer that may interact to develop and maintain disrupted sleep. Based on the extant literature, parameters of the cancer and its treatment, physical and social environmental conditions both during and after treatment, changes to family behavior and norms, psychological factors and traumatic stress, and reduced physical activity are hypothesized to be the most pertinent risk factors for disrupted sleep in this population. Potential clinical assessment strategies and behavioral interventions relevant to these considerations are discussed, with reference to the behavioral model of insomnia. The review concludes by offering directions for research and clinical practice, including developing and testing comprehensive assessment tools, intervention effectiveness studies in both oncology and primary care clinics, and efforts to increase patient-provider communication about sleep in pediatric oncology.

Short Sleep Duration and Its Correlates among Cancer Survivors in Korea: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

BACKGROUND

Though a large proportion of cancer survivors are assumed to be commonly affected by sleep disturbance, few studies have focused on short sleep problems and its correlates among Korean cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of short sleep in adult cancer survivors from a nationwide population-based sample and to identify risk factors for short sleep duration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2007-2012), 1,045 cancer survivors and 33,929 non-cancer controls were analyzed. The prevalence of short sleep was compared between these two groups. Associations between short sleep and its correlates were evaluated using multiple logistic regression among cancer survivors: odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were estimated after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors, psychological conditions, and cancer-related factors.

RESULTS

About 8.1% of cancer survivors slept for less than 5 hours per day (6.2% men and 9.3% women), whereas this was the case for only 3.7% of non-cancer controls. Cancer survivors who had the lowest household income level showed a significantly higher likelihood for short sleep (adjusted OR 2.82, 95%CI 1.06-7.54). Self-reported poor health and depressive symptoms were found to be associated with significantly increased likelihood for short sleep in cancer survivors (adjusted OR 3.60, 95%CI 1.40-9.26 and adjusted OR 2.00, 95%CI 1.17-3.42). Gastric cancer survivors had a 3.97-fold increased risk for short sleep (95%CI 1.60-9.90).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of short sleep occurs at a high rate among the Korean cancer survivors, which may indicate a poorer quality of life and a higher risk of future complications in survivorship. Targeted interventions that can assist cancer survivors to cope with sleep disturbances as well as ensuring psychological stability are warranted to reduce the latent disease burden.