CARES-Lite

STUDY BASICS

Are you a cancer patient over 21 years old? You and your caregiver may be eligible to participate in a research study using behavioral methods to help cancer patients manage symptoms of anxiety and depression.

STUDY PURPOSE

The main goal of this study is to use behavioral methods to help cancer patients manage symptoms such as anxiety and depression. The benefits of participating in this study may be that you learn more about cancer and its treatment as well as skills to manage psychological and physical symptoms associated with the disease and treatment.

 

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Eligible participants are:

• At least 21 years old 
• Cancer patients with a biopsy and/or radiograph proven diagnosis of a carcinoma or cancer
• Caregivers of a cancer patient being evaluated at the UPMC's Liver Cancer Center

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

 

If you or your loved one screen positive, the researchers will randomly assign you to one of two groups (intervention or standard of care). If you are assigned to the intervention group, you will meet with a care coordinator once a week for 8-12 weeks. These sessions will be audiotaped and reviewed by the University of Pittsburgh investigators for the purpose of quality assurance. For the standard of care group you will be provided mental health professionals in your community who can provide you with your preference of either psychotherapy, medication, or both. 

For both the intervention and the standard of care group, you will be given a questionnaire about your concerns with the cancer treatment, and about stress and depression. The questionnaires will be done before your first study treatment and thereafter at 3, 6, and 12 months for a total of four batteries of questionnaires. The questionnaires take about 30 minutes to complete. 

We will ask you to select a family member or friend who is involved in helping to care for you at home. We will ask that family member who is involved in helping to care for you at home to participate in the intervention or questionnaires.