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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00710658

Internet Support for Cancer Patients

Cancer patients often experience multiple physical, functional and psychosocial symptoms, but have limited support while being at home between treatments and during rehabilitation. WebChoice is a novel Internet support system that extends traditional health services into patients' homes. The system allows patients to monitor symptoms over time, and provides access to evidence-based self-management options tailored to their reported symptoms as well as a communication area where patients can ask questions to a clinical nurse specialist in cancer care and exchange experiences with other cancer patients.

This randomized clinical trial:

1. Tests the effects of WebChoice on primary outcomes of symptom distress, quality of life, depression and health service use, and secondary outcomes of self-efficacy, social support . We will also analyze: 2. Relationships between primary and secondary outcomes; 3. How patients' symptom distress varies over time; 4. Patients' preferences for participation in decision making about symptom management 5. How patients use WebChoice, such as frequency of use, duration, most used components; 6. How patients' experience WebChoice's usefulness and ease of use; 7. Patterns and content of patients' communication with the cancer nurse and other patients.

325 cancer patients (189 breast cancer and 136 prostate cancer patients) were recruited from throughout Norway through advertisements and invitation letters and the Norwegian Cancer Registry. Patients were randomly assigned to WebChoice or the control group that received usual care. Patients are being followed with 5 repeated measures over 12 months. Data are being collected through questionnaires, from system logs, and from interviews that were conducted in subset of experimental group patients. The primary hypothesis will be tested with Repeated Measures ANCOVA techniques. The other research questions will be answered using various inferential and descriptive techniques and through content analysis of messages and transcripts of patient interviews. This study can make a significant contribution to reduce unnecessary suffering and improve the quality of life for a large group of cancer patients.

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Breast Cancer Breast Diseases Breast Neoplasms Genital Diseases Genital Diseases, Male Genital Neoplasms, Male Male Urogenital Diseases Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Prostate Cancer Prostatic Diseases Prostatic Neoplasms Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Urogenital Diseases Urogenital Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet

Oslo, 0027, Norway

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Above 18 years
  • Starting or currently undergoing treatment for breast or prostate cancer
  • Internet access at home

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients who had received radiation on the brain as this may have affected their abilities to reliably report their symptoms.

Treatment and study plan

WebChoice

Behavioral

Patients in the experimental group had over the study period access to the Internet support system WebChoice that allowed them to monitor symptoms over time, and provided access to evidence-based self-management options tailored to their reported symptoms as well as a communication area where patients could ask questions to a clinical nurse specialist in cancer care and exchange experiences with other cancer patients.

Patients in the control group received usual care

Other names: Internet support

Primary outcomes

  1. Symptom distress

    Time frame: prospective, one year, repeated measures

  2. Quality of life

    Time frame: prospective, one year, repeated measures

  3. Depression

    Time frame: prospective, one year, repeated measures

Secondary outcomes

  1. Self-efficacy

    Time frame: prospective, one year, repeated measures

  2. Social support

    Time frame: prospective, one year, repeated measures

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oslo University Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • Norwegian Cancer Society

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized Clincial Trial to Evaluate the Effects of an Internett-based Support System for Cancer Patients on Symptom Distress, Depression, and Quality of Life.

Acronym: WebChoice

Important dates

Study start
2006
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2008
First posted
Jul 4, 2008
Registry last updated
May 23, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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