A study to help people with advanced cancer who are losing weight
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study is looking at helping people with advanced cancer and their close friends or relatives to cope with losing weight. The study is for people having treatment to help with cancer symptoms (
).
More about this trial
A side effect of and its treatment can be weight loss. Severe weight loss is called cachexia. It affects and can be difficult to cope with.
In this study, researchers want to find the best way to help people to cope with weight loss. They hope that giving people the right information about severe weight loss will help them to understand and manage their symptoms better.
Everybody taking part will have an educational DVD about severe weight loss to watch at home. And the researchers will ask them to fill in some short questionnaires. The aims of the study are to find out
- How useful people find the information on the DVD
- If the information improves the way that people cope emotionally with severe weight loss
- What close relatives or friends caring for somebody with severe weight loss think about the information
Who can enter
You may be able to join this study if all of the following apply. You
- Have severe weight loss (cachexia)
- Have access to a DVD player
- Have a relative or friend who helps you at home and sees you on a regular basis
- Are at least 18 years old
You cannot join this study if any of these apply. You
- Are having cancer treatment apart from treatment to help with your cancer symptoms (
palliative treatment ) - Are not living in your own home
- Do not have access to a DVD player
Trial design
The study team aims to recruit 47 people who have severe weight loss. It is randomised. The people taking part are put into 1 of 2 groups at random. Neither you nor your doctor will be able to decide which group you are in.
The study team will ask everybody to fill in some short questionnaires. The questions ask about your experience of losing weight and cancer. You return the questionnaires to the study team in the post.
The people in group 1 will have a DVD to watch at home. This contains information about severe weight loss. 3 weeks later they complete a second set of questionnnaires.
The people in group 2 don’t have the DVD to begin with. They complete the second set of questionnnaires at the same time time as people in group 1. And then they are sent the DVD to watch at home.
At the end of the study, the researchers will interview a close relative or friend of everybody who took part. They will ask them questions about information on the DVD to see how useful it was.
Hospital visits
You will not need to make any extra hospital visits to take part in this study.
Side effects
You may find answering the questions distressing. If you do become distressed, you can move onto the next question. Or say that you no longer wish to take part in the study.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Dr Joanne Reid
Supported by
All Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care
Marie Curie Cancer Care
NI Hospice
Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network
Queen's University Belfast
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
