Health Benefits of Writing Therapy Among Asian American Cancer Survivors

NCT06367959 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 2021-0324NCI-2024-02939
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 192
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

To learn more about participant experience as a Asian American immigrant breast cancer survivor and how writing about participant experiences may affect participant's health.

Conditions

Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Primary Outcome Measure: Incidence of Adverse Events, Graded According to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version (v) 5.0

  Time Frame: through study completion; an average of 1 year

Study Arms (2)

Control condition

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to write about facts regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment in writing sessions.

Behavioral: Esays; Behavioral: Questionnaires

Intervention Condition

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to write about different topics regarding their cancer experience. During session 1, participants will be asked to write about the stress of having cancer and their strategies for coping with stressors associated with their cancer (i.e., stress and coping). During session 2, participants will be asked to write about their deepest feelings regarding their cancer experience (i.e., emotional disclosure). During session 3 and the booster session (at 9-month follow-up), participants will be asked to write about positive thoughts and feelings regarding their experience with cancer.

Behavioral: Esays; Behavioral: Questionnaires

Interventions

Esays BEHAVIORAL

Participants will write about their experiences One (1) time each week for 3 weeks at the beginning of the study and then 1 more time 9 months later. Participants will be asked to write about their experiences with cancer in English or Chinese and to write as much as they can for about 20-30 minutes for each essay.

Control condition; Intervention Condition

Questionnaires BEHAVIORAL

Participants will answer a questionnaire at the beginning of the study and then 3, 6, and 12 months later. Participants will also answer a questionnaire about their thoughts on writing and on the study after they complete the third essay.

Control condition; Intervention Condition

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Adult (aged 18 and older) diagnosed with stage 0-III cancer (or acute leukemia in remission/ chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase).
• Self-identified as Asian, Asian Americans, any Asian or Asian American subgroup (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Korean, etc.) ethnic/cultural background
• Completed primary treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy within the preceding 5 years.
• Comfortable reading in English or in Chinese.

You may not qualify if:

• \- Inability to provide informed consent.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

MD Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

RECRUITING

Related Links

• MD Anderson Cancer Center Website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Interventions

Surveys and Questionnaires

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Qian Lu, MD, PHD

  M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Qian Lu, MD, PHD

CONTACT

(713) 745-8324; qlu@mdanderson.org

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 11, 2024
• First Posted: April 16, 2024
• Study Start: July 27, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Last Updated: December 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

US (1)