Stepped Collaborative Intervention Improves Quality of Life in Cancer

According to a study published in The Lancet, a stepped collaborative care intervention has been found to improve health-related quality of life for patients with cancer and symptoms of depression, pain, or fatigue. The study, conducted by Jennifer L. Steel, Ph.D., and colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh, involved a randomized phase 3 trial in 29 oncology outpatient clinics.

The trial enrolled a total of 459 patients and 190 family caregivers, with 222 patients assigned to standard of care and 237 patients to stepped collaborative care. The stepped collaborative care intervention included once-weekly cognitive behavioral therapy via telemedicine.

The findings revealed that patients in the stepped collaborative care group experienced significantly greater improvements in health-related quality of life compared to those in the standard-of-care group. This improvement was maintained over the six-month period. Additionally, patients in the stepped collaborative care group reported greater improvements in emotional, functional, and physical well-being compared to the standard-of-care group.

Importantly, no adverse events were reported in either group, and deaths were considered unrelated to the study. The authors noted that the changes in health-related quality of life were both significant and clinically meaningful, based on the observed effect size and score changes.

This study highlights the potential benefits of a stepped collaborative care intervention in improving the quality of life for patients with cancer and associated symptoms. The findings provide valuable insights for the development of integrated screening and care interventions in oncology settings.