Telephone Support for Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients and Caregivers

NCT ID: NCT04010227

Last Updated: 2022-12-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 84 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-09-16
• Study Completion Date: 2021-06-08

Brief Summary

This trial tests telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a type of psychotherapy, to reduce fatigue interference with activities, mood, and cognition in advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients and family caregiver burden. ACT includes mindfulness exercises (e.g., meditations, performing activities with greater awareness), identifying personal values (e.g., family, spirituality), and engaging in activities consistent with these values. A total of 40 patient-caregiver dyads were randomly assigned in equal numbers to either the ACT intervention or an education/support condition. Dyads in both conditions participated in six weekly 50-minute telephone sessions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 2 weeks post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. The investigators hypothesize that ACT will lead to improved primary and secondary outcomes as compared to education/support. Study findings will inform a large-scale trial of intervention efficacy.

Detailed Description

This trial evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of telephone-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on fatigue interference in advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients and family caregiver burden as well as secondary outcomes. The study team recruited advanced GI cancer patients receiving care at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center or Eskenazi Health hospital. Potentially eligible patients were mailed an introductory letter signed by their oncologist and the PI along with a consent form. The letter had a number to call if they did not wish to be contacted further. A research assistant (RA) called all prospective participants who did not opt out approximately 1 to 2 weeks after the letter was mailed. The RA described the study as outlined in the consent form and answered any questions. Then the RA administered an eligibility screening to those who consented to participate. Eligible and consenting patients identified a potentially eligible family caregiver. If the family caregiver was eligible and consented to participate, then the patient and caregiver each completed a baseline phone assessment. Following baseline assessments, patient-caregiver dyads (N = 40 dyads) were randomly assigned in equal numbers to ACT or education/support using a stratified block randomization scheme to balance the groups by patient performance status (patient-reported Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] scores 0 or 1 vs. 2). Dyads in both study conditions completed six weekly 50-minute telephone sessions with the first session occurring one week after baseline. For ACT participants, adherence to home practice during the past week was assessed and recorded during each session. Feasibility will be examined via accrual, attrition, and adherence rates, and acceptability will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). Blind interviewers assessed outcomes during follow-up phone assessments at 2 weeks and 3 months post-intervention.

Conditions

Gastrointestinal Neoplasms

Keywords

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Fatigue; Family Caregivers; Psychotherapy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Patients and caregivers in the ACT arm learn new and more adaptive ways to respond to difficult internal experiences (e.g., fatigue, thoughts, and feelings).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Across six weekly 50-minute sessions, advanced GI cancer patients and caregivers practice various mindfulness exercises, clarify their values, and set specific goals in alignment with their values. Through in-session and home practice of skills, participants learn new and more adaptive ways to respond to unwanted internal experiences (e.g., fatigue, distress). Participants receive handouts on session topics and a compact disc (CD) that we developed to guide mindfulness practices.

Education/Support

Patients and caregivers in the education/support arm discuss their cancer-related concerns and receive education on services available in their medical center and community.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Education/Support

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Across six weekly 50-minute sessions, advanced GI cancer patients and caregivers are directed to resources for practical and health information and contact information for psychosocial services. Sessions include an orientation to the patient's medical center and treatment team, education regarding common quality-of-life concerns experienced by cancer patients and caregivers, and an overview of medical center and community resources for addressing these concerns. The therapist also describes resources for addressing financial concerns and methods of evaluating health information available via the Internet and other modalities. Participants receive handouts summarizing session topics and are asked to review them as homework.

Interventions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Across six weekly 50-minute sessions, advanced GI cancer patients and caregivers practice various mindfulness exercises, clarify their values, and set specific goals in alignment with their values. Through in-session and home practice of skills, participants learn new and more adaptive ways to respond to unwanted internal experiences (e.g., fatigue, distress). Participants receive handouts on session topics and a compact disc (CD) that we developed to guide mindfulness practices.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Education/Support

Across six weekly 50-minute sessions, advanced GI cancer patients and caregivers are directed to resources for practical and health information and contact information for psychosocial services. Sessions include an orientation to the patient's medical center and treatment team, education regarding common quality-of-life concerns experienced by cancer patients and caregivers, and an overview of medical center and community resources for addressing these concerns. The therapist also describes resources for addressing financial concerns and methods of evaluating health information available via the Internet and other modalities. Participants receive handouts summarizing session topics and are asked to review them as homework.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patient is at least 3 weeks post-diagnosis of unresectable stage III or stage IV gastrointestinal cancer (i.e., anal, colon, esophageal, gallbladder, liver, pancreatic, rectal, small intestine, or stomach cancer) and is receiving care at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center or Eskenazi Health.
• Patient is at least 21 years of age.
• Patient can speak and read English.
• Patient has an eligible, consenting family caregiver (see criteria below).
• Patient has moderate to severe fatigue interference with functioning.

• Family caregiver identified by a stage IV gastrointestinal cancer patient who meets the eligibility criteria.
• Caregiver has significant caregiving burden or distress
• Caregiver lives with the patient or has visited the patient in-person at least twice a week for the past month.
• Caregiver is at least 18 years of age.
• Caregiver can speak and read English.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patient shows significant psychiatric or cognitive impairment that would preclude providing informed consent and study participation.
• Patient reports being able to do little activity on a functional status measure.
• Patient is receiving hospice care at screening.
• Patient does not have working phone service.
• Patient has hearing impairment that precludes participation.

• Caregiver shows significant psychiatric or cognitive impairment that would preclude providing informed consent and study participation.
• Caregiver does not have working phone service.
• Caregiver has hearing impairment that precludes participation.
• Patient declines study participation.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Indiana University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Catherine Mosher

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Catherine E Mosher, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Indiana University

Locations

Eskenazi Health

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Countries

United States

References

Mosher CE, Secinti E, Kroenke K, Helft PR, Turk AA, Loehrer PJ Sr, Sehdev A, Al-Hader AA, Champion VL, Johns SA. Acceptance and commitment therapy for fatigue interference in advanced gastrointestinal cancer and caregiver burden: protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2021 Apr 20;7(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s40814-021-00837-9.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33879253 (View on PubMed)

Mosher CE, Secinti E, Wu W, Kashy DA, Kroenke K, Bricker JB, Helft PR, Turk AA, Loehrer PJ, Sehdev A, Al-Hader AA, Champion VL, Johns SA. Acceptance and commitment therapy for patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden in advanced gastrointestinal cancer: Results of a pilot randomized trial. Palliat Med. 2022 Jul;36(7):1104-1117. doi: 10.1177/02692163221099610. Epub 2022 May 30.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 35637615 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form: Consent Form for Patients

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form: Consent Form for Family Caregivers

View Document

Other Identifiers

R21CA235788

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

1904388865

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id