10 Participants Needed

Narrative Medicine for Gastrointestinal Cancer

CK
Overseen ByCharlean Ketchens, RN
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of Southern California
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, since it involves narrative medicine and not a new drug, it's likely you can continue your current treatments.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Narrative Medicine for gastrointestinal cancer?

Research shows that narrative medicine, which involves patients sharing their personal stories, can improve patient experience and satisfaction. For example, a study found that cancer patients who participated in a narrative program had higher satisfaction scores compared to those who did not participate.12345

Is Narrative Medicine safe for humans?

There is no specific safety data available for Narrative Medicine or its related interventions like Reflective Writing or Close Reading in the context of gastrointestinal cancer or other conditions. However, these interventions generally involve storytelling and writing, which are non-invasive and typically considered safe.678910

How is the treatment Narrative Medicine unique for gastrointestinal cancer?

Narrative Medicine is unique because it focuses on storytelling and listening to help patients and doctors understand the emotional and personal experiences of living with cancer, unlike traditional treatments that focus solely on medical interventions.411121314

What is the purpose of this trial?

This clinical trial assesses whether narrative medicine methods may improve the sense of well-being among gastrointestinal (GI) (digestive system) cancer patients. Narrative medicine is a clinical approach where providers can use a patient's own narrative (perspective) of their illness to promote healing and resilience. By applying narrative medicine's main tool, close reading, to clinical practice, clinicians learn to listen and attend to patients more deeply. This allows for freer communication and the creation of a healthcare encounter that centers on the psychological and emotional well being of the patient in addition to their medical conditions. Narrative medicine can include close reading, creative or reflective writing, and discussion. These methods may help patients with GI cancer to reflect on their life stories, both inside and outside of their illness experience, and help them gather skills to optimize their well-being.

Research Team

EL

Eve L Makoff, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Southern California

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. Participants should be interested in exploring narrative medicine, which involves discussion, interviews, and surveys to reflect on their life stories and illness experiences.

Inclusion Criteria

I can take care of myself but cannot do any physical work.
I can speak, read, and write in English well enough to fill out questionnaires.
I am currently receiving infusion treatments for gastrointestinal cancer.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have any mental or cognitive issues that would prevent me from participating in the study.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants participate in narrative medicine sessions over 60 minutes once every 2 weeks for 3 sessions

6 weeks
3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in well-being scores and completion of narrative medicine sessions

3 months
2 visits (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Narrative Medicine
Trial Overview The study tests if narrative medicine methods like close reading, creative writing, and discussions can improve well-being in GI cancer patients by enhancing communication between them and healthcare providers.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Supportive Care (narrative medicine sessions)Experimental Treatment3 Interventions
Patients participate in narrative medicine sessions over 60 minutes Q2W for 3 sessions.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Southern California

Lead Sponsor

Trials
956
Recruited
1,609,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials
14,080
Recruited
41,180,000+

Findings from Research

A nurse-led storytelling intervention significantly reduced anxiety levels in cancer patients, even as their disease progressed, suggesting a potential therapeutic benefit for mood management.
The study, involving 10 patients with various cancer diagnoses, indicates that storytelling could be a valuable tool for improving psychosocial well-being, although further research is needed due to the small sample size.
Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer: part 2--pilot testing.Crogan, NL., Evans, BC., Bendel, R.[2013]
A pilot study at the 'Regina Elena' National Cancer Institute involving seven patients and five healthcare professionals found that using digital narrative diaries significantly improved patients' self-expression, disease awareness, and sense of empowerment, with high satisfaction scores (4.8/5).
Healthcare professionals also reported enhanced communication and relationships with patients, indicating that integrating patients' narratives into their care can strengthen the therapeutic alliance and improve overall care pathways.
Narrative Medicine: A Digital Diary in the Management of Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients. Preliminary Results of a Multidisciplinary Pilot Study.Cercato, MC., Vari, S., Maggi, G., et al.[2022]
The narrative path program at the IRCSS 'Regina Elena' National Cancer Institute, initiated in 2015, emphasizes the importance of storytelling in clinical practice to enhance understanding and communication between patients and healthcare providers.
A pilot study in 2017 demonstrated that integrating patient narratives with clinical data during chemotherapy is feasible and beneficial, but its success relies heavily on the involvement of the entire care team and effective health organization.
[Narrative medicine in the oncological clinical practice: the path from a story-telling intervention to a narrative digital diary.]Cercato, MC.[2019]

References

Storytelling intervention for patients with cancer: part 2--pilot testing. [2013]
Narrative Medicine: A Digital Diary in the Management of Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Patients. Preliminary Results of a Multidisciplinary Pilot Study. [2022]
[Narrative medicine in the oncological clinical practice: the path from a story-telling intervention to a narrative digital diary.] [2019]
Patients' illness narratives-From being healthy to living with incurable cancer: Encounters with doctors through the disease trajectory. [2023]
The Impact of a Narrative Medicine Life Story Pilot Program on Press Ganey™ Scores in an Outpatient Cancer Center. [2023]
Utility of an adverse drug event database based on the narrative accounts of patients with breast cancer. [2020]
The adverse drug reaction reporting assignment for specialist oncology nurses: a preliminary evaluation of quality, relevance and educational value in a prospective cohort study. [2019]
Adverse-drug-event surveillance using narrative nursing records in electronic nursing records. [2013]
Patient safety stories: a project utilizing narratives in resident training. [2015]
Process Control Charts in Falls Prevention: The Experience of the Local Healthcare Authority of Romagna, Italy. [2022]
Lessons from narrative medicine: Cancer care will improve with narrative oncologyLessons from narrative medicine: Cancer care will improve with narrative oncology. [2022]
[Pity as pain: Narrative Medicine and Melville's "Bartleby"]. [2023]
Thematic analysis of illness narratives as an example of an approach to better understand the lived experience of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Spain. [2022]
[What is narrative medicine?] [2022]
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