Mind-Body Sexual Well-Being Program for Female GI Cancer Survivors

Mass General Brigham

Status: Begins enrollment this month

Conditions: Anal Cancer; Colorectal Cancer (Diagnosis); Sexual Dysfunction Female

Treatments: Behavioral: Enhanced Usual Care Control (EUCC); Behavioral: Mind-Body Group Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07795801

CSDG-23-1152971-01-CSCT (Other Grant/Funding Number)

26-077

Details and patient eligibility

About

This record describes two distinct study phases: 1) A small open pilot trial including up to 10 participants, intended to generate descriptive feedback on regarding perceived benefits and areas for improvement for a group-based mind-body sexual well-being program for women treated for colorectal and anal cancers and 2) A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) including up to 100 participants, intended to provide information about feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the group-based mind-body sexual well-being program compared to enhanced usual care control (EUCC).

Given the early-stage, open-pilot nature of the first study phase, which is not intended to produce interpretable results for feasibility, acceptability, or efficacy, this record will only report results from the second study phase (pilot RCT).

Full description

The primary objective of this protocol is to iteratively refine and pilot test a novel mind-body sexual well-being intervention that investigators have developed in previous research (DF-HCC protocols #22-586, #24-009, and #24-281). This protocol will include 2 study phases, including a small open pilot trial (Phase 1) and a subsequent larger randomized pilot trial (Phase 2). This protocol builds on previous work conducted by the investigators to develop a 6-week, group-based, mind-body sexual well-being program for female survivors of colorectal and anal cancer.

For Phase 1 (Open Pilot Trial), participants will complete electronic informed consent (including HIPAA authorization for access to relevant medical information in the EHR) prior to initiation of study procedures. Participants will then be invited to attend approximately 6 weeks of group-based sessions, lasting for approximately 90 minutes and including content related to mind-body medicine and complementary medical resources relevant to survivors' sexual well-being. To help investigators further refine the sexual well-being program for the next phase of the study, investigators will ask participants to complete brief (approximately 30 minute) survey batteries via REDCap at baseline and after the 6-session program, including assessments of intervention feasibility and acceptability as well as relevant psychosocial outcomes.

For Phase 2 (Randomized Pilot Trial), participants will complete electronic informed consent (including HIPAA authorization for access to relevant medical information in the EHR) prior to initiation of study procedures. Participants will then be randomized into groups (mind-body intervention groups vs. enhanced usual care control (EUCC)).

Participants randomized to EUCC will not receive any components of the mind-body group intervention. As part of this condition, participants will receive the current standard of care for patients at MGH and additionally receive a standard resource sheet to ensure that all participants receive a basic level of information specific to sexuality in cancer survivorship. As part of routine study assessments, investigators will measure EUCC participants' level of engagement with the Sexual Health Clinic and other supportive resources.

Participants in the mind-body group intervention arm will receive the same educational information about available sexual health resources as the EUCC participants to ensure equal familiarity with supportive resources within and outside of MGH. Participants randomized to receive the mind-body group intervention will also participate in a similar approximately 6-week group-based mind-body sexual well-being program as is described for Aim 1.

Just as for Aim 1, to inform ongoing intervention refinement, investigators will ask all participants to complete brief (approximately 30 minute) survey batteries via REDCap at baseline and after the 6-session program, including items related to feasibility, acceptability, and relevant psychosocial outcomes. Investigators will only randomize participants after receiving a completed baseline survey; participants who do not complete the baseline survey will not be counted towards the total number enrolled in the study. To capture symptom change over a longer period, investigators will also ask participants to complete survey batteries at 3-month post-intervention follow-up.

Approximately 20 participants randomized to receive the novel mind-body group study intervention will also be invited to complete a brief qualitative exit interview with a member of the study team, regarding perceived benefit of the intervention as well as and strengths and weaknesses of program content and delivery format to inform ongoing intervention refinement.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Female sex
2. Able to speak and read English
3. Aged 18 or older
4. Receive any cancer care at any MGH-CC site (Boston, Waltham, Danvers, Newton Wellesley Hospital)
5. Completed initial active treatment (i.e., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy) for colorectal or anal cancer approximately 3 months or more prior to enrollment (for curvivors/individuals treated for cancer with curative intent) or were diagnosed at least 3 months ago (for metavivors/individuals living with chronic cancer)
6. Verbally endorse experiencing distressing changes to sexual health or intimate relationships, including changes that may be related to cancer diagnosis and treatment
7. Access to an internet-connected device with video

Exclusion criteria

• Active psychiatric or cognitive comorbidity that prohibits the capacity to provide informed consent as determined by the study PI, a licensed psychologist, in collaboration with the patient's medical team
• Adults unable to complete study procedures in English
• Participated in an earlier phase of the study (DF-HCC protocols #22-586, #24-009, #24-281).

In addition, individuals who participate in Phase 1 of this protocol (open pilot trial) will not be eligible to participate in Phase 2 (pilot RCT). Investigators will not enroll the following special populations: adults unable to consent, individuals who are not yet adults (i.e., < age 18), pregnant women, and prisoners.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Mind-Body Sexual Well-Being Group Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the mind-body sexual well-being group intervention arm will participate in 6 weekly group sessions, delivered via videoconferencing, following enrollment. Group sessions will include content related to mind-body medicine (e.g., relaxation, mindfulness, self-compassion) applied to sexual well-being as well as educational information related to women's sexual well-being in cancer survivorship. Before and after completing the group program, participants will also complete brief self-assessment questionnaires. Participants in the mind-body group intervention arm will also receive the same educational information about available sexual health resources as the EUCC participants, to ensure equal familiarity with high-quality educational and supportive resources related to women's sexual well-being and cancer.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mind-Body Group Intervention

Enhanced Usual Care Control (EUCC)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants randomized to EUCC will not receive any components of the mind-body group intervention. After randomization, the study CRC will offer participants a handout listing information about several high-quality sexual health resources currently available to them.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Enhanced Usual Care Control (EUCC)