Post-chemotherapy Symptom Management SMART

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Cancer

Interventions: Behavioral: Start with SMSH alone
Behavioral: Start with SMSH+TIPC

Registration Number: NCT03494166

Lead Sponsor: University of Arizona

Brief Summary: Survivors of solid tumors (N=451) who completed curative intent chemotherapy for a solid tumor within the past 2 years were interviewed at baseline and stratified as high or low need for symptom management based on comorbidity and depressive symptoms.

High need survivors were randomized initially to the 12-week Symptom Management and Survivorship Handbook (SMSH, N=282) or 12-week SMSH Telephone Interpersonal Counseling (TIPC, N=93) added during weeks 1-8. After 4 weeks of the SMSH alone, non-responders on depression were re-randomized to continue with SMSH alone (N=30) or add TIPC (N=31).

Detailed Description: Nearly 15.5 million Americans have survived cancer and virtually all have experienced symptoms from cancer treatment. Numerous symptom management interventions have been tested during active treatment, yet few have addressed the continuing fatigue, pain, depression, etc. that endure following the end of treatment.

Existing post-treatment symptom management research has targeted survivors months after the end of active treatment, overlooking the immediate post-treatment period. During this period, some survivors have their symptoms resolve naturally (low need for intervention), while others suffer from high symptom burden (high need for intervention), with 30% experiencing depression. Sample: Survivors of solid tumors (N=451) who completed curative intent chemotherapy for a solid tumor within the past 2 years.

Design: The SMART design incorporates two interventions with proven efficacy and addresses heterogeneity of survivors' responses by following the clinical logic of starting with one intervention, assessing its success, and continuing it when effective. High need survivors will be initially randomized to receive 1) weekly symptom assessment with referral for elevated symptoms to a printed Symptom Management and Survivorship Handbook (SMSH) or 2) a more intensive intervention adding Telephone Interpersonal Counselling (TIPC) to the SMSH. After 4 weeks, non-responders to SMSH alone on depression were re-randomized to continue SMSH for 8 more weeks to allow for symptom resolution, or TIPC added for the remaining 8 weeks.

The primary outcome was symptom severity index, secondary outcome was depressive symptoms. The hypotheses tests included comparisons of primary and secondary outcomes according tp first randomization and second randomization for non-responders.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 498

Inclusion Criteria

Survivors must have a new diagnosis or localized recurrence of solid tumor cancer
Be finishing curative intent adjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation, and do not have any subsequent cancer treatments planned, except for radiation therapy, hormonal therapy or trastuzumab for breast cancer.
18 years of age or older
Have access to a telephone
Understand English or Spanish
Are not currently receiving counseling and/or psychotherapy

Exclusion Criteria

Diagnosis of a psychotic disorder in medical record verified by the recruiter
Nursing home resident
Bedridden
Currently receiving counseling and/or psychotherapy.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: SEQUENTIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
High Need A: Start with SMSH alone for 4 weeks	Start with SMSH alone	Participants were mailed the printed Symptom Management and Survivorship Handbook (SMH). The Group A participant was called every week for 4 weeks to ask about symptoms and suggest strategies from the SMH to relieve symptoms. After 4 weeks, participants were re-randomized to continue in SMH for 8 more weeks or to add Telephone Interpersonal Counseling (TIPC) Intervention for the subsequent 8 weeks. If the TIPC was added, the counselor called the participant once per week for about 35-40 minutes to assess and discuss interpersonal relationships, communication, social support, managing symptoms and survivorship. At week 13, the participant completed the second assessment.
High Need B: Start with SMSH+TIPC	Start with SMSH+TIPC	Participants were called every week for the first 8 weeks using a combination of TIP-C and SMH. The counselor called to assess and discuss interpersonal relationships, communication, social support, managing symptoms and survivorship. At the end of 8 weeks, the final 4 calls followed the SMSH alone protocol. At week 13, the second assessment was conducted.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Symptom Severity Index- Comparison of Two Groups Created by First Randomization	Weeks 1-13	Symptoms were measured using the modified General Symptom Distress Scale (GSDS) allowing for a quick assessment of 18 symptoms: fatigue, sleep difficulties, pain, headache, difficulty concentrating, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, numbness or tingling, skin rashes or sores, swelling, weakness, shortness of breath, cough, depression, and anxiety. Respondents indicated the severity of each symptom (0 = not present to 10 = worst possible). A summed symptom severity index for 17 symptoms other than depression was averaged over weeks 1-13 from each weekly contact, baseline, and 13-week interviews. Potential range 0-170, with higher score indicating worse outcome (greater severity). Because the collection of symptoms does not form a scale, internal consistency reliability was not applicable.
Symptom Severity Index- Comparison of Two Groups Created by Second Randomization	Weeks 5-13	Symptoms were measured using the modified General Symptom Distress Scale (GSDS) allowing for a quick assessment of 18 symptoms: fatigue, sleep difficulties, pain, headache, difficulty concentrating, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, numbness or tingling, skin rashes or sores, swelling, weakness, shortness of breath, cough, depression, and anxiety. Respondents indicated severity of each symptom (0 = not present to 10 = worst possible). A summed symptom severity index for 17 symptoms other than depression was averaged over weeks 5-13 from each weekly contact, baseline, and 13-week interviews. Potential range 0-170, higher value reflect worse outcome (greater symptom severity). Because the collection of symptoms does not form a scale, internal consistency reliability was not applicable.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Depressive Symptoms - Comparison of Two Groups Created by Second Randomization	Week 13	Measured using Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) 20-item scale. Potential score range is 0-60. Higher scores indicated worse outcome (higher depressive symptoms).
Depressive Symptoms- Comparison of Two Groups Created by First Randomization.	Week 13	Measured using Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) 20-item scale. Potential score range is 0-60. Higher scores indicated worse outcome (higher depressive symptoms).