Study of @neWorld: A Virtual Community for Children With Cancer
Condition: Leukemia; Lymphoma; Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment; Unspecified Childhood Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific
MeSH terms: Lymphoma; Leukemia
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2

Summary: 
      RATIONALE: Using an Internet Web site that enables children with cancer to interact online
      with classmates, participate in classroom activities, get easy-to-read medical information,
      and chat with family members, medical staff, and other children with cancer may help children
      cope with isolation, fear, and decreased self-esteem.

      PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the effectiveness of an Internet Web site in
      providing social support and education to children who are undergoing treatment for cancer.
    

Detailed description: 
      OBJECTIVES:

        -  Develop an Internet-based application that allows pediatric patients with cancer to
           enter a virtual community with the following capabilities:

             -  Interact with classmates and participate in classroom activities via e-mail, chat
                groups, online field trips, art studio, music room, and game room

             -  Identify and interact with a community of peers with similar medical conditions

             -  Access a dictionary to get medical information in understandable terms

             -  Interact with the medical community online

             -  Interact with family members online

        -  Determine the acceptability of this program among groups of these patients and their
           classmates, teachers, family members, and healthcare providers using focus groups.

        -  Determine the effect of this program on self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived social
           support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, and feelings of control over health destiny
           in these patients.

        -  Determine the effect of this program on the performance of these patients in school.

        -  Determine the effect of this program in alleviating psychological distress in these
           patients.

      OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

        -  Phase I: Students, family members, teachers, and health providers participate in focus
           groups to provide system design and implementation input and to assess overall
           acceptability of a prototype Internet-based application for pediatric cancer patients.

        -  Phase II: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups, based on participating center.

             -  Group 1: Patients have access to and utilize the Internet-based application
                @neWorld.

             -  Group 2: Patients do not have access to or utilize @neWorld. In both groups,
                patients complete questionnaires measuring psychological distress, quality of life,
                self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived academic and social competence, perceived
                social support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, feelings of control over health
                destiny, utilization of psychological services, and performance in school at
                baseline and 3 and 6 months.

      PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 94 patients (44 for group 1 and 50 for group 2) will be accrued
      for this study.
    

Intervention name(s): complementary or alternative medicine procedure; management of therapy complications; psychosocial assessment and care
Intervention type(s): Procedure; Procedure; Procedure
Keywords: psychosocial effects of cancer and its treatment; unspecified childhood solid tumor, protocol specific; childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission; childhood acute myeloid leukemia in remission; recurrent childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia; recurrent childhood acute myeloid leukemia; recurrent childhood large cell lymphoma; recurrent childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma; recurrent childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma; stage I childhood Hodgkin lymphoma; stage I childhood large cell lymphoma; stage I childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma; stage I childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma; stage II childhood Hodgkin lymphoma; stage II childhood large cell lymphoma; stage II childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma; stage II childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma; stage III childhood Hodgkin lymphoma; stage III childhood large cell lymphoma; stage III childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma; stage III childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma; stage IV childhood Hodgkin lymphoma; stage IV childhood large cell lymphoma; stage IV childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma; stage IV childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma; recurrent/refractory childhood Hodgkin lymphoma