A Web-Based Dyadic Intervention for Colorectal Cancer

This clinical trial studies how well a web-based dyadic intervention works to manage psychoneurological symptoms for patients with colorectal cancer and their caregivers. Patients with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy experience severe and distressing psychoneurological symptoms that include fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, pain, and cognitive dysfunction. When these co-occurring symptoms are undertreated, they negatively affect functional status, survival rates, and quality of life of patients as well as decrease health outcomes of their family caregiver. A critical need exists to develop an effective and novel intervention that focuses on patients with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy and their caregivers. A web-based dyadic intervention holds great promise to reduce psychoneurological symptoms burden and improve quality of life for patients with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy and advance intervention development and implementation in cancer supportive care and health equity.

INCLUSION CRITERIAPatients:Age >= 18 yearsDiagnosed with colorectal cancerLife expectancy > 12 monthsReceiving active chemotherapySelf-reported at least two psychoneurological symptoms (based on the symptom measures' cutoff scores)Identified primary caregiver (i.e., family members or significant others identified by the patients as their primary source of emotional and physical support)Access to the InternetFluent in EnglishCaregivers:Age >= 18 yearsPrimary caregiverAccess to the InternetFluent in EnglishEXCLUSION CRITERIAPatients:• Karnofsky Performance Scale < 50Caregivers:• Have severe diseases (e.g., cancer, heart disease)