Peer Ambassador Program for Gynecologic Cancers

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

23 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on increasing awareness and enrollment in trials rather than changing current treatments.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Peer Ambassador treatment for gynecologic cancers?

Research on similar peer support programs, like the one for breast cancer patients, shows that these programs provide valuable emotional and psychosocial support. Participants in these programs often find them helpful and would recommend them to others, suggesting that the Peer Ambassador treatment could offer similar benefits for gynecologic cancer patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Peer Ambassador Program for Gynecologic Cancers safe for participants?

The Peer Ambassador Program, similar to other peer support programs for gynecologic cancer, focuses on providing emotional and social support rather than medical treatment, so it is generally considered safe for participants. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does the Peer Ambassador Program for Gynecologic Cancers differ from other treatments?

The Peer Ambassador Program for Gynecologic Cancers is unique because it focuses on providing emotional and informational support through peer-to-peer connections, rather than traditional medical treatments. This program pairs women with gynecologic cancer with trained peer mentors who have experienced similar challenges, offering a supportive community that complements medical care. ^{3 8 10 11 12}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The overall objective of this study is to design and evaluate a peer ambassador intervention to improve gynecologic cancer trial enrollment. The primary Aim is to determine the possibility of using peer ambassadors to increase discussion, awareness, and enrollment of patients with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancer onto clinical trials.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for patients with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancers. It's designed to see if peer ambassadors can help more people learn about and join clinical trials.

Inclusion Criteria

Patients who have been discussed at tumor board conferences and recommended to consider clinical trials will screened for recruitment.

I have advanced or high-risk gynecologic cancer not currently in a clinical trial.

Patients will be identified from the UPHS gynecologic oncology and medical oncology clinics serving gynecologic cancer patients (Penn Medicine Washington Square, PCAM/HUP, Radnor, Chester County, Penn Medicine Cherry Hill). Clinic rosters over 6 months intervals will be screened for eligibility.

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Peer Ambassador Program

Participants engage in a peer ambassador program where ambassadors facilitate discussions to improve awareness and enrollment in clinical trials

12 months

1-2 encounters per ambassador-mentee pairing

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes such as feasibility, intention, and acceptability of the ambassador program

12 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Peer Ambassador

Trial Overview The study is testing a 'peer ambassador' program where trained individuals who have experienced similar health issues support and inform patients about clinical trials for gynecologic cancers.

Participant Groups

Group I: Peer Ambassador Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

There is one arm of the trial which includes the Patient Ambassador intervention.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Lead Sponsor

Trials

425

Recruited

464,000+

Findings from Research

A systematic review of 18 studies, including 16 randomized controlled trials, evaluated the effects of peer-led supportive interventions for cancer patients, focusing on various outcomes like emotional health and quality of life.

The results indicate a need for more rigorous, theory-based evaluations to confirm the effectiveness of these peer-led interventions in cancer care, suggesting that while promising, further research is necessary.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Peer-Led Interventions for Patients With Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Lee, MK., Suh, SR.[2019]

The Patient Survivor Advocacy (PSA) program at the University of Wisconsin Breast Center successfully matched 40 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with trained peer advocates, leading to high satisfaction rates; 92.9% of patients found the program helpful and would recommend it.

All peer advocates reported a sense of achievement in their roles, highlighting the program's effectiveness in providing emotional and psychosocial support, although clinicians faced challenges in referring patients to the program.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Breast Cancer Survivor Advocacy at a University Hospital: Development of a Peer Support Program with Evaluation by Patients, Advocates, and Clinicians. Mirrielees, JA., Breckheimer, KR., White, TA., et al.[2018]

A peer-to-peer support program was developed to provide emotional support and information to women undergoing treatment for gynecologic cancer and their families, highlighting the importance of psychosocial care in cancer treatment.

Participants in the program reported finding it to be a valuable source of support during their treatment, indicating its potential effectiveness in improving emotional well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Woman to woman: a peer to peer support program for women with gynecologic cancer. Moulton, A., Balbierz, A., Eisenman, S., et al.[2013]

The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists developed a comprehensive outcomes measure for endometrial cancer treatment, incorporating patient-reported data and assessments over a 120-day postoperative period, based on a study of 297 patients.

The tool aims to establish benchmarks for quality of care, showing that a high percentage of patients maintained independence post-surgery and reported high satisfaction scores, indicating effective treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Outcomes Task Force. Study of endometrical cancer: initial experiences. Kennedy, AW., Austin, JM., Look, KY., et al.[2019]

The study successfully collected patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from 2530 women with gynecologic malignancies, achieving a high completion rate of 78.1%, demonstrating that systematic collection of PROMs in a clinical setting is feasible.

Quality of life scores from this non-trial population were lower than those reported in clinical trials, suggesting that data from trials may not fully represent the experiences of routine patient populations, which is important for informed decision-making in treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Initial findings from a prospective, large scale patient reported outcomes program in patients with gynecologic malignancy. Sisodia, RC., Alimena, S., Ferris, W., et al.[2022]

A qualitative study involving 24 women with gynaecological cancer revealed that one-to-one telephone peer support can foster emotional bonds and provide empathy, guidance, and hope, helping recipients navigate their illness and recovery.

While many participants reported significant benefits from the peer support, about one-third experienced limited or no benefits, indicating that the effectiveness of such interventions may vary and highlighting the need for further research on factors influencing outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Telephone peer support for women with gynaecological cancer: recipients' perspectives. Pistrang, N., Jay, Z., Gessler, S., et al.[2016]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Peer-Led Interventions for Patients With Cancer: A Meta-Analysis [2019]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Breast Cancer Survivor Advocacy at a University Hospital: Development of a Peer Support Program with Evaluation by Patients, Advocates, and Clinicians. [2018]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Woman to woman: a peer to peer support program for women with gynecologic cancer. [2013]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Outcomes Task Force. Study of endometrical cancer: initial experiences. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Initial findings from a prospective, large scale patient reported outcomes program in patients with gynecologic malignancy. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The generalizability of NCI-sponsored clinical trials accrual among women with gynecologic malignancies. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tumor board: more than treatment planning--a 1-year prospective survey. [2021]

8. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"There's somebody like me": perspectives of a peer-to-peer gynecologic cancer mentorship program. [2021]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

MAUDE: analysis of robotic-assisted gynecologic surgery. [2018]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Telephone peer support for women with gynaecological cancer: recipients' perspectives. [2016]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Social media ambassadors and collaboration with OncoAlert: a European Network of Young Gynae Oncologists study of comparative Twitter analysis of #ESGO2021 and #ESGO2022. [2023]

12. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gynecologic pathology services in low- and middle-income countries. [2022]