Browsing by Subject "Metastatic gastrointestinal cancer"

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    Acceptance and commitment therapy for fatigue interference in advanced gastrointestinal cancer and caregiver burden: protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial
    (BMC, 2021-04-20) Mosher, Catherine E.; Secinti, Ekin; Kroenke, Kurt; Helft, Paul R.; Turk, Anita A.; Loehrer, Patrick J., Sr.; Sehdev, Amikar; Al-Hader, Ahmad A.; Champion, Victoria L.; Johns, Shelley A.; Psychology, School of Science
    Background: Fatigue interference with activities, mood, and cognition is one of the most prevalent and bothersome concerns of advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients. As fatigue interferes with patient functioning, family caregivers often report feeling burdened by increasing responsibilities. Evidence-based interventions jointly addressing cancer patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden are lacking. In pilot studies, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown promise for addressing symptom-related suffering in cancer patients. The current pilot trial seeks to test a novel, dyadic ACT intervention for both advanced GI cancer patients with moderate-to-severe fatigue interference and their family caregivers with significant caregiving burden or distress. Methods: A minimum of 40 patient-caregiver dyads will be randomly assigned to either the ACT intervention or an education/support control condition. Dyads in both conditions attend six weekly 50-min telephone sessions. Outcomes are assessed at baseline as well as 2 weeks and 3 months post-intervention. We will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of ACT for improving patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden. Secondary outcomes include patient sleep interference and patient and caregiver engagement in daily activities, psychological flexibility, and quality of life. We will also explore the effects of ACT on patient and caregiver physical and mental health service use. Discussion: Findings will inform a large-scale trial of intervention efficacy. Results will also lay the groundwork for further novel applications of ACT to symptom interference with functioning and caregiver burden in advanced cancer.
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    Impact of acceptance and commitment therapy on physical and psychological symptoms in advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients and caregivers: Secondary results of a pilot randomized trial
    (Elsevier, 2023) Burns, Marcia F.; Secinti, Ekin; Johns, Shelley A.; Wu, Wei; Helft, Paul R.; Turk, Anita A.; Loehrer, Patrick J.; Sehdev, Amikar; Al-Hader, Ahmad A.; Mosher, Catherine E.; Psychology, School of Science
    Patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer often experience high symptom burden, which is associated with heightened distress in both patients and their family caregivers. Few interventions have been tested to jointly address patient and caregiver symptoms in advanced gastrointestinal cancer. In a randomized pilot trial, telephone-based, dyadic acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) was found to be feasible in this population. The present secondary analyses examined the impact of this intervention on patient and caregiver physical and psychological symptoms. Patients and caregivers (N = 40 dyads) were recruited from clinics in Indianapolis, Indiana and randomized to either six weeks of telephone-based ACT or education/support, an attention control condition. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 2 weeks and 3 months post-intervention. Study group differences in outcomes were not statistically significant. However, when examining within-group change, only ACT patients experienced moderate reductions in pain severity and interference at 2 weeks post-intervention (effect size [ES]=−0.47; −0.51) as well as moderate reductions in depressive symptoms at 2 weeks (ES=−0.42) and 3 months (ES=−0.41) post-intervention. ACT caregivers experienced moderate reductions in sleep disturbance (ES=−0.56; −0.49) and cognitive concerns (ES=−0.61; −0.85) across follow-ups. Additionally, caregivers in both conditions experienced moderate reductions in fatigue (ES=−0.38 to −0.70) and anxiety (ES=−0.40 to −0.49) across follow-ups. Findings suggest that ACT may improve certain symptoms in dyads coping with advanced gastrointestinal cancer and warrant replication in a larger trial.