Feasibility of a Creative Writing Intervention in an Advanced Cancer Population: A Single Arm, Consecutive Cohort Study

NCT02575898 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: D15113
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 23
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

To assess the feasibility of a creative writing intervention in an advanced cancer population. Given it is a relatively simple intervention delivered by a non-clinician, the investigators are interested in better understanding its pattern of effect on patient psychological adjustment. The investigators aim to assess its feasibility in this study in order to inform a future larger study that will utilize a control arm.

Conditions

Primary Malignant Neoplasm of Lung; Primary Malignant Neoplasm of Gastrointestinal Tract

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Feasibility of a creative writing intervention in an advanced cancer population

  Anyone completing the first intervention with the creative writer will be evaluable for the feasibility outcome. If the investigators see 50% of patients completing 3 months of the creative writing intervention then this would indicate the intervention should be examined in a larger pilot study.

  29 months

Study Arms (1)

One

OTHER

Creative writing and questionnaires interventions: First Session, Second Session, Third through Sixth Sessions

Other: First Session; Other: Second Session; Behavioral: Third through Sixth Sessions

Interventions

First Session OTHER

Creative Practice and Positive Re-enforcement

One

Second Session OTHER

Disease Related

One

Third through Sixth Sessions BEHAVIORAL

Life Review and Legacy

One

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Participant must plan to receive follow up care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
• Participant must have a lung or GI primary cancer diagnosed in the last 3 months.
• Participant must have non-curable cancer as judged by the primary oncologist.
• Participant must be comfortable conversing in English (reading and writing in English is not required).
• Participant must be cognitively intact as judged by their responsible clinician.
• Participant must have access to a working telephone and be willing and available to participate by this modality as needed.
• Participants may be on anti-depressants and/or anxiolytics as long as the dosing has remained stable over the preceding 2 weeks.

You may not qualify if:

• Participant is expected to die in 6 months or less as judged by the responsible clinician.
• Participant must not have already worked with the staff writer at Dartmouth Hitchcock prior to enrollment in this study.
• Participant with an activated durable power of attorney for health care or cognitive impairment that interferes with ability to understand prognosis as determined by the primary oncologist.
• Participant must not have uncontrolled physical symptoms.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States

Location

Related Publications (16)

• Temel JS, Greer JA, Muzikansky A, Gallagher ER, Admane S, Jackson VA, Dahlin CM, Blinderman CD, Jacobsen J, Pirl WF, Billings JA, Lynch TJ. Early palliative care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. N Engl J Med. 2010 Aug 19;363(8):733-42. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1000678.

  PMID: 20818875 BACKGROUND

• Temel JS, Greer JA, Admane S, Gallagher ER, Jackson VA, Lynch TJ, Lennes IT, Dahlin CM, Pirl WF. Longitudinal perceptions of prognosis and goals of therapy in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a randomized study of early palliative care. J Clin Oncol. 2011 Jun 10;29(17):2319-26. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2010.32.4459. Epub 2011 May 9.

  PMID: 21555700 BACKGROUND

• Greer JA, Pirl WF, Jackson VA, Muzikansky A, Lennes IT, Heist RS, Gallagher ER, Temel JS. Effect of early palliative care on chemotherapy use and end-of-life care in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Feb 1;30(4):394-400. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.35.7996. Epub 2011 Dec 27.

  PMID: 22203758 BACKGROUND

• Bakitas MA, Tosteson TD, Li Z, Lyons KD, Hull JG, Li Z, Dionne-Odom JN, Frost J, Dragnev KH, Hegel MT, Azuero A, Ahles TA. Early Versus Delayed Initiation of Concurrent Palliative Oncology Care: Patient Outcomes in the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2015 May 1;33(13):1438-45. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2014.58.6362. Epub 2015 Mar 23.

  PMID: 25800768 BACKGROUND

• Bakitas M, Lyons KD, Hegel MT, Balan S, Brokaw FC, Seville J, Hull JG, Li Z, Tosteson TD, Byock IR, Ahles TA. Effects of a palliative care intervention on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced cancer: the Project ENABLE II randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2009 Aug 19;302(7):741-9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1198.

  PMID: 19690306 BACKGROUND

• Dionne-Odom JN, Azuero A, Lyons KD, Hull JG, Tosteson T, Li Z, Li Z, Frost J, Dragnev KH, Akyar I, Hegel MT, Bakitas MA. Benefits of Early Versus Delayed Palliative Care to Informal Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Cancer: Outcomes From the ENABLE III Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2015 May 1;33(13):1446-52. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2014.58.7824. Epub 2015 Mar 23.

  PMID: 25800762 BACKGROUND

• Bohlmeijer E, Smit F, Cuijpers P. Effects of reminiscence and life review on late-life depression: a meta-analysis. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003 Dec;18(12):1088-94. doi: 10.1002/gps.1018.

  PMID: 14677140 BACKGROUND

• Chochinov HM, Hack T, Hassard T, Kristjanson LJ, McClement S, Harlos M. Dignity therapy: a novel psychotherapeutic intervention for patients near the end of life. J Clin Oncol. 2005 Aug 20;23(24):5520-5. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2005.08.391.

  PMID: 16110012 BACKGROUND

• Ando M, Tsuda A, Morita T. Life review interviews on the spiritual well-being of terminally ill cancer patients. Support Care Cancer. 2007 Feb;15(2):225-31. doi: 10.1007/s00520-006-0121-y. Epub 2006 Sep 12.

  PMID: 16967303 BACKGROUND

• Steinhauser KE, Alexander SC, Byock IR, George LK, Olsen MK, Tulsky JA. Do preparation and life completion discussions improve functioning and quality of life in seriously ill patients? Pilot randomized control trial. J Palliat Med. 2008 Nov;11(9):1234-40. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2008.0078.

  PMID: 19021487 BACKGROUND

• Crogan NL, Evans BC, Bendel R. Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer: part 2--pilot testing. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2008 Mar;35(2):265-72. doi: 10.1188/08.ONF.265-272.

  PMID: 18321839 BACKGROUND

• Chochinov HM, Kristjanson LJ, Breitbart W, McClement S, Hack TF, Hassard T, Harlos M. Effect of dignity therapy on distress and end-of-life experience in terminally ill patients: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet Oncol. 2011 Aug;12(8):753-62. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(11)70153-X. Epub 2011 Jul 6.

  PMID: 21741309 BACKGROUND

• Puetz TW, Morley CA, Herring MP. Effects of creative arts therapies on psychological symptoms and quality of life in patients with cancer. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 Jun 10;173(11):960-9. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.836.

  PMID: 23699646 BACKGROUND

• Korte J, Bohlmeijer ET, Cappeliez P, Smit F, Westerhof GJ. Life review therapy for older adults with moderate depressive symptomatology: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Psychol Med. 2012 Jun;42(6):1163-73. doi: 10.1017/S0033291711002042.

  PMID: 21995889 BACKGROUND

• Juliao M, Oliveira F, Nunes B, Vaz Carneiro A, Barbosa A. Efficacy of dignity therapy on depression and anxiety in Portuguese terminally ill patients: a phase II randomized controlled trial. J Palliat Med. 2014 Jun;17(6):688-95. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2013.0567. Epub 2014 Apr 15.

  PMID: 24735024 BACKGROUND

• Tegner I, Fox J, Philipp R, et al. Evaluating the use of poetry to improve well-being and emotional resilience in cancer patients. J Poetry Ther 2009; 22: 121-131.

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Lung Neoplasms

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

• Max Vergo, MD

  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Staff Physician, Palliative Care

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 8, 2015
• First Posted: October 15, 2015
• Study Start: January 14, 2016
• Primary Completion: July 12, 2018
• Study Completion: September 4, 2018
• Last Updated: November 19, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-11

Locations

US (1)