Clinical trial NCT04966819: Rectal Cancer Shared Care
Official title: Assessing Current Survivorship Care Needs of Rectal Cancer Patients and Piloting a Dedicated Survivorship Initiative
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Rectal Cancer
Low Anterior Resection Syndrome
Lead sponsor: Jewish General Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-07-19
Enrollment: 80
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: The investigators propose a multifaceted rectal cancer survivorship care program involving oncology specialists, nursing support and primary care physicians. This initiative centers on regular meetings with oncology nursing support, enhanced communication and coordination of care among clinicians including primary care physicians, and an educational platform for patients regarding the late and long-term effects of cancer. Initial efforts will target rectal cancer patients specifically as they have been identified as being at high risk of having unmet needs. Once we have realized measurable, successful implementation in this population, our hope is then to expand our initiative to all colon cancer patients.

Detailed description: Rectal cancer is a life-altering diagnosis that can have long-lasting effects not only on one's physical health, but also their psychological, emotional and financial well-being. With advancements in both disease detection and therapeutic options, there is now a growing cohort of patients who have successfully completed active rectal cancer treatment and transitioned into post-treatment care. Unfortunately, the post-treatment phase has its own set of challenges. Lost in Transition was one of the first major publications to advocate for dedicated survivorship planning, raising awareness of the needs of cancer survivors. Since then, both the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society have released guidelines for survivorship care focused on prevention, surveillance, assessment, intervention, coordination of care and survivorship planning. Despite these efforts to bolster survivorship care, studies have found an average of 2.88 unmet needs among cancer survivors affecting physical, financial, educational, emotional and psychology domains. The investigators propose a multifaceted rectal cancer survivorship care program involving oncology specialists, nursing support and primary care physicians. This initiative centers on regular meetings with oncology nursing support, enhanced communication and coordination of care among clinicians including primary care physicians, and an educational platform for patients regarding the late and long-term effects of cancer. Initial efforts will target rectal cancer patients specifically as they have been identified as being at high risk of having unmet needs. Once the investigators have realized measurable, successful implementation in this population, the hope is then to expand this initiative to all colon cancer patients.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult (\>18 years-old)
* rectal cancer patients who underwent curative intent treatment between 2019-2020 (i.e. in the last 2 years), including those who underwent surgical resection (abdominoperineal resection or restorative proctectomy with or without ileostomy) and those managed non-operatively, with chemoradiotherapy will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Cannot be contacted by telephone
* Unable to read and comprehend English or French;
* Unable to give clear and informed consent.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Short Form-Survivor Unmet Needs Survey (Unmet needs) at 12 months
timeFrame: 12 months after study start
Secondary outcomes:
measure: National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer
timeFrame: Baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after study start
measure: Global Quality of Life (QoL)
timeFrame: Baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after study start
measure: Short Form-Survivor Unmet Needs Survey (Unmet needs)
timeFrame: Baseline, 3, and 6 months after study start
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Montréal
country: Canada
facility: Jewish General Hospital
state: Quebec
Study officials:
References: