Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Apr 28, 2025
Date Accepted: Nov 5, 2025
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Using a Heuristic Tool to Improve Symptom Self-Management in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer experience multiple distressing symptoms during treatment, yet few developmental relevant resources have been developed to help them self-manage their symptoms. Empowering patients to have a more active role in self-management during cancer treatment may lessen their symptom severity and distress.
Objective:
This project will test an intervention designed to improve symptom self-management, the Computerized Symptom Capture Tool (C-SCAT) by helping AYAs understand their unique symptom experience and discuss it with their health care providers.
Methods:
We are conducting a multi-site, two-group randomized control trial (RCT) to evaluate the effects of the C-SCAT for improving symptom self-management versus usual care in 126 AYAs who are within the first three months of a diagnosis of cancer and who are receiving chemotherapy. Participants are randomly assigned to either the C-SCAT intervention group or usual care group. The primary aim is to determine the effects of the C-SCAT versus usual care on the primary outcomes of self-efficacy for symptom management and symptom self-management behaviors. The secondary aim is to examine the effects of the C-SCAT versus usual care on distal outcomes including symptoms and quality of life. Participants complete measures of self-efficacy for symptom management, symptom self-management behaviors, symptom severity and distress, quality of life social function, and quality of life satisfaction of social function at baseline, immediately post intervention, and at follow-up one month later.
Results:
Recruitment started on January 4, 2024, at the first site, and all sites were open by May 1, 2024. To date, we have enrolled 35 (28%) out of 126 participants and anticipate the final participant will complete the study by December 2026. Linear mixed effects models will be used to test for group differences across time for the primary and secondary aims.
Conclusions:
This RCT is evaluating an innovative, point-of-care intervention designed to be used at a clinic visit with the provider to improve symptom self-management for AYAs with cancer. Designing behavioral intervention studies that that accrue and retain AYAs can be challenging. Other researchers who engage with this population may find this protocol useful. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05958316 https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05958316
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