# Improving Symptom Management for Survivors of Young Adult Cancer

> **NIH NIH K08** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $172,021

## Abstract

More than 60,000 young adults (YAs) aged 18-39 are diagnosed with cancer in the US each year. Advances in
treatment have yielded five year survival rates >70% suggesting that the majority of YAs will become long-term
cancer survivors. Symptom (e.g., pain, fatigue, distress) interference is common for YA cancer survivors and
impacts their abilities to achieve normative life goals (e.g., returning to work/school, achieving autonomy,
pursuing social/romantic relationships) and adhere to recommended follow-up care. Symptom management has
been identified as a significant issue in the transition to survivorship for YAs by the Institute of Medicine and
National Cancer Institute, and assistance with symptom management is rated as an important and unmet need
by YA survivors. Yet, behavioral symptom management interventions have not targeted the needs of those
diagnosed as YAs. The proposed study aims to develop and test the feasibility and acceptability of a novel
behavioral symptom management intervention designed for survivors of YA cancer (cancer types: hematologic,
breast, or gastrointestinal cancers, melanoma, or germ cell tumors). The hybrid intervention will include in-
person, group sessions and an integrated mobile application. The intervention will provide peer support while
also teaching skills to improve symptoms, symptom interference, and self-efficacy for symptom management.
The mobile application will assist with symptom monitoring, home skills practice, and connecting with group
members. The preliminary version of the intervention will be guided by the research team’s prior work developing
and testing symptom management interventions for cancer survivors, national guidelines for YA oncology,
consultation with an expert advisory board, and input from patient (3 groups, n=10/group) and provider (1 group,
N=10) stakeholders obtained during focus groups. The intervention will be further refined following review by
patient user testers (n=10). Next, feasibility, acceptability, and distributions of change over time as well as
relationships between outcome variables will be examined through a pilot randomized clinical trial of the
developed intervention. Participants (N=60) will be randomized to intervention or wait-list control arms. Primary
study outcomes are symptom (pain, fatigue, distress) severity and symptom interference. Self-efficacy and
support will also be examined as mediators of change in outcome variables. The proposed study has the potential
to make several significant contributions by targeting an underserved group of cancer survivors, addressing a
critical gap in care, and addressing variables consistently linked to social, economic, and health burden for YAs.
It will also provide important information about approaches to identify, recruit, and retain YA cancer survivors in
research and provide pilot data for a larger trial. Formal training in the following areas will strengthen the PI’s
ability to become an independent investiga...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10219205
- **Project number:** 5K08CA245107-03
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Caroline Dorfman
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $172,021
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-11 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10219205

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10219205, Improving Symptom Management for Survivors of Young Adult Cancer (5K08CA245107-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10219205. Licensed CC0.

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