A Self-management Based Survivorship Intervention for Chinese Cancer Survivors

Sponsor

The University of Hong Kong (Other)

Overall Status

Not yet recruiting

CT.gov ID

NCT05534386

Collaborator

(none)

366

Enrollment

Arms

Anticipated Duration (Months)

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

This study, using a sequential multiple assessment randomized controlled trial (SMART) approach, will evaluate a cancer survivorship care intervention on physical symptom distress, weight management, self-efficacy in managing cancer and health-related quality of life among Chinese patients recently completed curative cancer treatment.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Physical Symptom Distress Weight Management Neoplasms	Behavioral: Cancer survivorship care intervention Behavioral: Step-up targeted personalized intervention Behavioral: First stage control intervention Behavioral: Second stage control intervention	N/A

Detailed Description

This study, using this SMART approach, will assess the effect of a cancer survivorship care intervention on physical symptom distress, self-efficacy in managing cancer, weight management and health-related quality of life among Chinese patients recently completing curative cancer treatment. First, the investigators will test the effect of a one-off, multidisciplinary team face-to-face assessment (namely, the cancer survivorship clinic) with personalized advice on symptom management, lifestyle modification and anxiety management in reducing the case prevalence of symptom distress, increasing the proportion meeting the weight management criteria, and improving self-efficacy and health-related quality of life among cancer survivors in post-treatment survivorship, in comparison to those receiving skills-based pamphlets for symptom management and lifestyle recommendations. Secondly, this study aims to explore if a step-up targeted personalized intervention is more effective for patients who continue to have symptom distress and/or not to meet the weight management criteria if patients have attended cancer survivorship clinic (i.e. the embedded adaptive intervention) in comparison to those receiving skills-based pamphlets.

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Anticipated Enrollment :

366 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Sequential Assignment

Intervention Model Description:

First stage intervention: We will use a block randomization with randomly permuted block sizes of 2,4, and 6 to ensure close balance of the numbers in each arm. Participants will be randomised to the intervention group (i.e. Cancer survivorship care intervention) or control group (i.e. a set of pamphlets explaining symptoms and describing skill-based self-management for symptom management and lifestyle recommendations). Second stage intervention: We will use a block randomization with randomly permuted block sizes of 2,4, and 6 to ensure close balance of the numbers in each arm. Participants will be randomised to continue in the trial as usual (i.e. those in the survivorship clinic arm will be asked to follow the advice given by the multidisciplinary team in the initial visit and for those in the control arm will be asked to follow the advices printed in the skill-based self-management pamphlets) or to attend a step-up targeted personalized intervention.First stage intervention: We will use a block randomization with randomly permuted block sizes of 2,4, and 6 to ensure close balance of the numbers in each arm. Participants will be randomised to the intervention group (i.e. Cancer survivorship care intervention) or control group (i.e. a set of pamphlets explaining symptoms and describing skill-based self-management for symptom management and lifestyle recommendations). Second stage intervention: We will use a block randomization with randomly permuted block sizes of 2,4, and 6 to ensure close balance of the numbers in each arm. Participants will be randomised to continue in the trial as usual (i.e. those in the survivorship clinic arm will be asked to follow the advice given by the multidisciplinary team in the initial visit and for those in the control arm will be asked to follow the advices printed in the skill-based self-management pamphlets) or to attend a step-up targeted personalized intervention.

Masking:

Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking Description:

The investigator, care provider, investigator and outcomes assessor are masked in terms of not knowing to which condition the participants will be randomized until after the completion of the baseline assessment. The outcomes assessor will break the envelope for the next eligible participant indicating if that participant is to be allocated to intervention or control arms. The participants are masked in terms of not knowing that one intervention is hypothesized to yield larger effects than the other.

Primary Purpose:

Treatment

Official Title:

How to Prevent Lost in Transition? - Adaptive Randomised Controlled Trial of a Self-management Based Survivorship Intervention for Chinese Cancer Survivors

Anticipated Study Start Date :

Oct 1, 2022

Anticipated Primary Completion Date :

Oct 31, 2024

Anticipated Study Completion Date :

Oct 31, 2024

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: First stage intervention: Cancer survivorship care intervention (CSCI) Patients randomized to the CSCI will attend a 120-minutes survivorship clinic in which each participant will be assessed by members a multidisciplinary team comprising a registered nurse, a dietitian, an exercise physiologist and a psychologist/counsellor. During the visit, participants will receive a personalized (1) treatment summary, (2) assessment and recommendation on managing physical and psychological symptoms, (3) assessment and recommendation on dietary advice, (4) assessment and recommendation on physical activity, and (5) advice on managing potential psychosocial issues. While this is a multidisciplinary clinic, the nurse will be the core facilitator who will give a summary of health assessment report including personalized healthy lifestyle advice and action plan to each participant at the end of the visit.	Behavioral: Cancer survivorship care intervention A one-off face-to-face assessment and personal advice by members of a multidisciplinary team
Active Comparator: First stage intervention: Control intervention Patients randomized to the control group will be given a set of pamphlets explaining symptoms and describing skill-based self-management for symptom management and lifestyle recommendations. Each pamphlet addresses one of the 7 most commonly-reported symptoms (sleep difficulties, fatigue, neuropathy, pain, anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence) observed in Hong Kong cancer survivors, plus two on lifestyle recommendations (physical activity and healthy diet). All pamphlets are developed based on the self-management framework.	Behavioral: First stage control intervention A set of skill-based pamphlets will be given.
Experimental: Second stage intervention: Step-up targeted personalized intervention The step-up targeted personalized intervention will adopt a multi-disciplinary approach but place more emphasis on coaching to enhance patient' skills to manage their symptom burden and weight control.	Behavioral: Step-up targeted personalized intervention To provide a more personalized intervention to the participants, but focusing more on symptom management and weight control.
Active Comparator: Second stage intervention: Control intervention Patients randomized to the control arm at the re-assessment at 4-months post-baseline will continue in the trial as usual (i.e. those in the survivorship clinic arm will be asked to follow the advice given by the multidisciplinary team in the initial visit and for those in the control arm will be asked to follow the advices printed in the skill-based self-management pamphlets).	Behavioral: Second stage control intervention Those in the survivorship clinic arm will be asked to follow the advice given by the multidisciplinary team in the initial visit and for those in the control arm will be asked to follow the advices printed in the skill-based self-management pamphlet

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Proportion of symptom distress caseness (distress prevalence) [4-months post-baseline]
The 13-items Edmonton Symptom Checklist (ESAS) will be used to assess symptom distress. The ESAS assesses 13 common symptoms, including pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties, numbness, worrying, feeling sad, or feeling nervous, using a 10-point Likert scale. Patients rating at least one symptom at =>7 will be categorized as moderate-to-severe symptom distress cases.
Proportion of patients with suboptimal weight control [4-months post-baseline]
Anthropometric measures include weight, height, and body composition, which will be measured in light clothing and without shoes. Weight and body composition including body fat, total body water, muscle mass, bone mass and BMI will be measured using a high-quality segmental body composition monitor (Tanita InnerScan BC545N). Height will be measured to 0.01cm using a portable calibrated stadiometer (SECA Stadiometer). To minimise measurement error, weight and height will be measured twice with accepted values within 0.1kg and 0.3cm, respectively. If either measure falls outside the accepted range, a third measure will be taken. The average of the two acceptable measures will be used in the analysis.
Change in total score of health-related quality of life [Baseline and 4-months post-baseline]
The Standard Chinese version of the European Organization Research Treatment Cancer (EORTC) general quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) will assess health-related quality of life. The EORTC QLQ-C30 includes 30 items that measure five function scales (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social), three symptom scales (fatigue, pain, and nausea/vomiting), a global health QoL subscale, five single symptom items (dyspnea, appetite loss, sleep disturbance, constipation, and diarrhea) and financial difficulty.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change in total scores of self-efficacy [Baseline, 4-months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline]
The process outcome is change in total scores of self-efficacy assessed by Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease scale (SEMCDS) from baseline to 4-months post-baseline, and baseline to 12 months post-baseline. This is a 6-item scale assessing patients' confidence to perform six self-management behaviours. Each item is rated on a 10-point Likert scale. A high score indicates high self-efficacy.
Fear of cancer recurrence [Baseline, 4-months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline]
The 42-items Fear of cancer recurrence inventory comprised of seven subscales will be used to assess the change of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert Scale with a total score ranging from 0 to 168. Higher scores indicate greater FCR. The subscale, Severity will be used as a screening tool for high level of FCR. A score of 13 or higher was optimal for screening.
Illness perception [Baseline, 4-months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline]
Cognitive and emotional representations of illness were measured using the nine-item Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ).
Proportion of symptom distress caseness (distress prevalence) [12-months post-baseline]
The 13-items Edmonton Symptom Checklist (ESAS) will be used to assess symptom distress. The ESAS assesses 13 common symptoms, including pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties, numbness, worrying, feeling sad, or feeling nervous, using a 10-point Likert scale. Patients rating at least one symptom at =>7 will be categorized as moderate-to-severe symptom distress cases.
Proportion of patients with suboptimal weight control [12-months post-baseline]
Anthropometric measures include weight, height, and body composition, which will be measured in light clothing and without shoes. Weight and body composition including body fat, total body water, muscle mass, bone mass and BMI will be measured using a high-quality segmental body composition monitor (Tanita InnerScan BC545N). Height will be measured to 0.01cm using a portable calibrated stadiometer (SECA Stadiometer). To minimise measurement error, weight and height will be measured twice with accepted values within 0.1kg and 0.3cm, respectively. If either measure falls outside the accepted range, a third measure will be taken. The average of the two acceptable measures will be used in the analysis.

Other Outcome Measures

Demographic data [Baseline]
Demographic data including age, gender, marital status, education level, occupation and monthly family income will be assessed by self-reported questionnaire.
Clinical data [Baseline, 4-months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline]
Clinical data will be extracted from medical records.
Lifestyle behavior [Baseline, 4-months post-baseline, and 12 months post-baseline]
Lifestyle behavior e.g. drinking and smoking habit will be assessed using a single item question.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and Older

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Inclusion Criteria:

Cantonese- or Mandarin-speaking Chinese patients diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer, gynaecological cancer, or colorectal cancer
have completed primary and adjuvant treatment within the past six months