RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Survivorship After HNC: A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Patient Care and Adherence to Follow-up

This study is for people who have recently finished treatment for head and neck cancer. We want to see if giving patients a personalised care plan and a one-on-one chat with a specialist nurse, designed to help with their recovery journey, leads to better follow-up care and a better quality of life compared to their usual care. This plan and chat are called a 'survivorship care plan' and 'motivational interviewing'. We are building on a smaller study that showed this approach could be very helpful. The aim is to make sure people get the best possible ongoing support after their cancer treatment.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Western University, Canada

Enrolment target

176

Start

01 May 2025

Estimated completion

01 Jul 2027

Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship

What is this study about?

When you finish treatment for head and neck cancer, it's a big step. But often, people have many questions and new challenges as they move into recovery. This study is all about finding the best way to support you during this time, often called ‘survivorship’.

Researchers are testing a special programme called a 'survivorship care plan' (TSSP). This plan is like a personalised guide that summarises your cancer treatment and outlines what follow-up care you might need. It also includes a one-on-one meeting with a specialist nurse. During this meeting, the nurse will talk with you about your needs and help you feel more confident about following your care recommendations. They call this 'motivational interviewing'. The main goal is to see if this special programme helps doctors and patients better follow up on care advice, compared to just receiving the usual care after treatment.

Ultimately, the study wants to find out if this extra support helps improve your quality of life in the year after treatment, and if you feel more satisfied with your care. They will also ask your local doctor for their thoughts on how useful the care plan is. This research is important because it could lead to better ways of caring for people like you after head and neck cancer, making sure you get the support you need for a good recovery.

Key takeaways

This study explores better support after head and neck cancer.
It tests a personalised care plan and a nurse conversation.
The aim is to improve follow-up care and quality of life.
Participation involves answering questionnaires over 12 months.
There are no new medications involved in the study.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be an adult (18 years or older) who has been diagnosed with a certain type of head and neck cancer (specifically for the mouth, throat, or voice box). You also need to have finished your main cancer treatment (like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy) about 3 to 6 months ago. It's important that you can understand, speak, and write in English, as this will help you take part in the study activities.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have another type of cancer at the same time (not including certain skin cancers), or if your cancer has spread to other parts of your body, you wouldn't be able to participate. Also, if there are concerns about your memory or thinking abilities, or if the doctors think there might still be some cancer left after your treatment, you would not be eligible for this study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 or older?
Do you have head and neck cancer (mouth, throat, or voice box)?
Did you finish your main cancer treatment 3 to 6 months ago?
Can you speak, read, and write in English?
Do you have any other cancers or has your cancer spread?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will be randomly placed into one of two groups. This means it's like flipping a coin – you'll either receive the new support programme or continue with your usual follow-up care.

If you're in the new support programme group, you'll have a special meeting with a specialist nurse who will go over your personalised care plan. This plan will summarise your treatment and suggest future steps. You'll also have a chat with the nurse who will help you feel more confident about your recovery. Regardless of your group, you'll be asked to answer some questionnaires at four different times over a year: once at the beginning (when you join, 3-6 months after your cancer treatment), and then again after 3, 6, and 12 months. These questionnaires will help the researchers understand how you're feeling and how your care is going. There are no new medications involved in this study.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study means you'll be helping researchers understand the best ways to support people after head and neck cancer, which could improve care for others in the future. If you are in the intervention group, you might also find the personalised care plan and nurse sessions helpful for your own recovery. There are no major physical risks expected. You might find answering the questionnaires or discussing your health a little time-consuming or emotional, but you can stop at any time if you feel uncomfortable. Remember, your participation is completely voluntary, and you are free to withdraw from the study at any point without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Victoria Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre
Verified postcode
London, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'motivational interviewing'?

It's a special type of chat with a nurse that helps you explore your feelings and build confidence in managing your health and recovery journey.

What is a 'survivorship care plan'?

It's a personalised document that summarises your cancer treatment and outlines important next steps for your ongoing care and recovery.

Will I have to take new medicines?

No, this study does not involve any new medicines. It's about providing different types of support and information.

How long will I be in the study?

You will be part of the study for about 12 months, during which you'll complete questionnaires at four different times.

What does 'randomly assigned' mean?

It means you'll be put into one study group or another by chance, like drawing names out of a hat, to make sure the study is fair.

How to find out more

Agnieszka Dzioba, PhD

agnieszka.dzioba@lhsc.on.ca 519-685-8500 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.