Role of Empathy in Curative Treatment Outcomes of Non-metastatic Colorectal Cancer. (EMPACOL)

Caen University Hospital

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Quality of Life; Morality; Empathy; Non-metastatic Colorectal Cancer; Morbidity

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05447611

22-0065

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of project EMPACOL will be to investigate, while taking into consideration the clinical factors known and well described in the literature, among the non-clinical factors, in particular, patient-healthcare personnel (HCP) relationship, a link between HCP's empathy perceived by the patient, and the results of the curative treatment of non-metastatic colorectal cancer, throughout the patient's care.

Full description

EMPACOL will be a multicenter prospective longitudinal study. Over a 2-year period, in two French areas covered by a cancer register, 8 centers will include patients with non-metastatic CRC, uncomplicated at diagnosis Based on the curative treatment strategy, patients will be divided into three groups: group 1 (surgery alone), group 2 (surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy), group 3 (neo-adjuvant therapy, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy).

The relationship between HCP's empathy, perceived by the patient, after 2 years of inclusion, and the quality of life (QoL) at one year after the end of treatment will be investigated. QoL will be investigated using the QLQ C-30 questionnaire. Finally, a link between PHC perception and oncological outcomes will be sought.

Enrollment: 250 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients aged 18 to 75 years, French-speaking, affiliated to a social security system, having received informed information and not having expressed an unfavorable opinion to participate; carriers of non-metastatic and uncomplicated CRC (without occlusion/ perforation/bleeding), requiring elective therapeutic management. The included patients have a cognitive state capable of understanding and completing the questionnaires (autonomous completion).

Exclusion criteria

Patients who were minors or older than 80 years, residing in a department outside Calvados or Manche, presenting a CRC other than adenocarcinoma and all metastatic forms or requiring emergency surgery (perforation, hemorrhage, occlusion), exclusive endoscopic treatment, or a missed-CRC discovered after surgery for non-oncological indications.

Patients with another neoplastic disease under treatment and/or evolving, patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) and/or hereditary disease predisposing to CRC (Lynch syndrome, familial polyposis) or with severe cognitive impairment preventing proper comprehension of the questionnaires. Pregnant women will be excluded.

Trial design

250 participants in 2 patient groups

high score CARE group

Description:

Patient-perceived empathy was assessed using the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) questionnaire that has been validated in cancer care. This is a self-reported ten-point questionnaire with a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from "poor" to "excellent" Likert-type scale. It has excellent psychometric properties with α = 0.92. High scores indicate a higher perception of the health care personnel empathy. The three distinct empathic processes were also assessed with the CARE measure. 'Relationship' was assessed with items 1-3, 'emotional process' with items 4-6, and 'cognitive process' with items 7-10.

lower score CARE group

Description:

In line with the recent literature, we considered differentiating the study population into two groups: those with a high perceived empathy (maximum CARE score) and those without.