Can a Tech-based Tool Ease Pancreatic Cancer Stress?
Article Summary
- Sylvester researcher Dr. Sara Fleszar-Pavlović is investigating how a technology-based stress management tool impacts pancreatic cancer survivors.
- Research indicates that pancreatic cancer patients report extremely poor quality of life before and after surgery.
- The tool helps patients develop coping and communication skills and effective social support networks.
Pancreatic cancer is not the most common of cancers, but it is among the deadliest.
A pancreatic cancer diagnosis and resulting treatment can severely impact patients’ health and quality of life, according to researcher Sara Fleszar-Pavlović, Ph.D., of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
“There is substantial scientific evidence that suggests patients with pancreatic cancer experience poor quality of life both before and after surgery,” said Dr. Fleszar-Pavlović. “In addition to the significant symptom burden faced by pancreatic cancer patients, such as pain, fatigue and poor sleep, they may also face emotional and psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, fear and a sense of hopelessness.”
eHealth Stress Management for Pancreatic Cancer Survivors
Dr. Fleszar-Pavlović and co-principal investigators Frank Penedo, Ph.D., and Nipun Merchant, M.D., recently received a $600,000, two-year U.S. Department of Defense grant to study how a technology-based psychosocial stress management tool can positively impact the lives of pancreatic cancer survivors.
According to Dr. Penedo, associate director for population sciences and director of cancer survivorship and supportive care at Sylvester, an eHealth-based psychosocial and physical symptom management intervention (ePSMI) tool may help survivors deal with the impact of their cancer.
“This innovative program is among the first to target a critically understudied group of pancreatic cancer survivors and factors known to impact quality of life, such as stress, physical and emotional symptom burden and self-management,” Dr. Penedo said. “Stress and self-management skills such as cognitive restructuring and relaxation strategies can help patients manage physical symptoms and reduce stress and anxiety.”
ePSMI is designed to help patients develop and strengthen coping skills through problem-solving strategies, communication skills and effective social support networks.
The digital health intervention offers information and uses communication technology that could be easily integrated into routine clinical care and widely delivered to diverse patient populations.
Confronting the Ramifications of Pancreatic Cancer
The research aims to adapt, refine and examine the feasibility of ePSMI when pancreatic patients receive chemotherapy prior to surgery and after surgery, according to Dr. Merchant, professor in the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, director of the Sylvester Pancreas Cancer Research Institute, the Alan S. Livingstone Professor and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Miller School.
“At the time of diagnosis, patients can face significant digestive issues, unintended weight loss and abdominal and back pain due to tumor growth and invasion of surrounding nerves,” Dr. Merchant said. “Just getting the diagnosis itself can result in anxiety and depression, fear and uncertainty.”
Most patients receive several months of chemotherapy prior to undergoing a complex surgery to remove tumors. Even after surgery, patients may experience infections, nutritional issues and physical limitations due to fatigue and weakness.
Physicians often focus on managing the severe physical symptoms and overlook the emotional distress and social challenges that patients experience. This further highlights the need for both medical treatment and psychosocial support to address the multifaceted needs of these patients, explained Dr. Merchant.
Sylvester researchers will gather the experiences of patients using the ePSMI method, with Dr. Fleszar-Pavlović working individually with survivors of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to customize the intervention to their specific needs.
“Our research may ultimately positively impact the care and management of pancreatic cancer patients, specifically targeting multiple psychosocial factors to manage symptom burden and improve quality of life,” she said.
Tags: cancer research, Cancer Survivorship Program, Dr. Frank Penedo, Dr. Nipun Merchant, Dr. Sara Fleszar-Pavlovic, pancreatic cancer, stress management, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, technology