Group Therapy for Primary Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Multicenter Trial of Group Therapy for Breast Cancer

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00220792
• Other study ID #: CA61309
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: September 15, 2005
• Last updated: September 15, 2005
• Start date: June 1993
• Est. completion date: June 1998

Study information

• Verified date: September 2005
• Source: Stanford University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether women with primary breast cancer who were randomly assigned to receive a brief group therapy would show a greater reduction in mood disturbance over time compared to those randomized to the control condition. We also hypothesized that women who were highly distressed at baseline would show the greatest benefit from participating in a support group, and that therapists with more training and experience would be most effective in reducing distress.

Description:

Breast cancer patients often experience significant psychological distress after diagnosis and during initial treatment. Group interventions for cancer patients have been shown to improve psychological adjustment. The tests of efficacy for these interventions have typically taken place in university settings using highly developed models of intervention. Our aim was to test our supportive-expressive model in community oncology practices utilizing personnel already working with these populations. To conduct this study of group therapy for primary breast cancer patients, we developed a brief version of the supportive-expressive model (Classen et al., 1993). Our first aim was to test the efficacy of this intervention for reducing mood disturbance for women who received the intervention compared to a control group. A second aim was to examine who was most likely to benefit from the intervention. A third aim was to see if this method could be taught efficiently and effectively to oncology nurses and mental health professionals.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 480
• Est. completion date: June 1998
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• : 1) diagnosis of primary, biopsy-proven breast cancer, stages I through IIIA; 2) diagnosis occurred no more than 12 months prior to recruitment; 3) completion of initial surgical treatment; and 4) no detectable disease present.

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1) evidence of metastases beyond adjacent lymph nodes, including chest wall involvement, bone or viscera; 2) recurrence of the cancer prior to randomization; 3) diagnosis of other cancers (except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer) within the past 10 years; 4) any other major medical problems likely to limit life expectancy to less than 10 years; 5) a history of major psychiatric illness for which the patient was hospitalized or medicated, except for a diagnosis of depression or anxiety treated for a period of less than one year; and 6) attendance at a cancer support group for more than two months.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Breast Cancer
• Breast Neoplasms

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Brief supportive-expressive group therapy

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Northern New Jersey CCOP	Hackensack	New Jersey
United States	Kalamazoo Community Clinical Oncology Program	Kalamazoo	Michigan
United States	North Shore University Hospital CCOP	Manhasset	New York
United States	Marshfield Medical Research Foundation	Marshfield	Wisconsin
United States	Milwaukee CCOP	Milwaukee	Wisconsin
United States	University of Rochester CCOP	Rochester	New York
United States	Metro-Minnesota CCOP	St. Louis Park	Minnesota
United States	Syracuse Hem/Onc CCOP	Syracuse	New York
United States	Northwest CCOP	Tacoma	Washington
United States	Social Work Consultants, Inc	Wichita	Kansas

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Stanford University	Cummings Foundation, National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (8)

Azarow, J., Han W.T., Koopman, C., Classen C., Morrow G.R., & Spiegel, D. (2001) Traumatic stress, pain, and self-efficacy are related to breast cancer patients’ satisfaction with care. Psychosomatic Medicine, 63, 1, 1130

Classen C, Abramson S, Angell K, Atkinson A, Desch C, Vinciguerra VP, Rosenbluth RJ, Kirshner JJ, Hart R, Morrow G, Spiegel D. Effectiveness of a training program for enhancing therapists' understanding of the supportive-expressive treatment model for breast cancer groups. J Psychother Pract Res. 1997 Summer;6(3):211-8. — View Citation

Fobair P, Koopman C, DiMiceli S, O'Hanlan K, Butler LD, Classen C, Drooker N, Davids HR, Loulan J, Wallsten D, Spiegel D. Psychosocial intervention for lesbians with primary breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2002 Sep-Oct;11(5):427-38. — View Citation

Fobair P, O'Hanlan K, Koopman C, Classen C, Dimiceli S, Drooker N, Warner D, Davids H, Loulan J, Wallsten D, Goffinet D, Morrow G, Spiegel D. Comparison of lesbian and heterosexual women's response to newly diagnosed breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2001 Jan-Feb;10(1):40-51. — View Citation

Han WT, Collie K, Koopman C, Azarow J, Classen C, Morrow GR, Michel B, Brennan-O'Neill E, Spiegel D. Breast cancer and problems with medical interactions: relationships with traumatic stress, emotional self-efficacy, and social support. Psychooncology. 2005 Apr;14(4):318-30. — View Citation

Koopman C, Butler LD, Classen C, Giese-Davis J, Morrow GR, Westendorf J, Banerjee T, Spiegel D. Traumatic stress symptoms among women with recently diagnosed primary breast cancer. J Trauma Stress. 2002 Aug;15(4):277-87. — View Citation

Spiegel D, Morrow GR, Classen C, Raubertas R, Stott PB, Mudaliar N, Pierce HI, Flynn PJ, Heard L, Riggs G. Group psychotherapy for recently diagnosed breast cancer patients: a multicenter feasibility study. Psychooncology. 1999 Nov-Dec;8(6):482-93. — View Citation

Spiegel, D., Morrow, G.R., Classen, C., Riggs, G., Stott, P.B., Mudaliar, N., Pierce, H.I., Flynn, P.J., & Heard, L. (1996). Effects of group therapy on women with primary breast cancer. The Breast Journal, 2(1), 104-106.

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Rate of change in mood disturbance assessed by the Profile of Mood States at baseline, 3 mo, 6 mo, 12 mo, 18 mo and 24 mo.