Development of a Web-Based Group Intervention to Support Ovarian Cancer Survivors

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer; however, more women die annually from ovarian cancer than from cancers of all other gynecologic sites combined. Ovarian cancer survivors often experience high levels of distress, sleep disturbances, fatigue, neuropathies, multiple symptoms and side effects, and existential concerns, along with a generally poor prognosis. Additionally, we have documented strong links between psychosocial factors and physiological pathways related to disease progression in ovarian cancer. Because of compromises to many aspects of quality of life (QOL) combined with low rates of survival for the majority of these patients, development of innovative approaches for improving QOL is of paramount importance, but research examining the potential efficacy of psychosocial interventions in ovarian cancer survivors has been extremely limited. Barriers to development of an in-person intervention have included low populations of ovarian cancer survivors at any one site and debility of patients. Based on focus interview feedback from ovarian cancer survivors, we have been developing an intervention targeted to ovarian cancer survivors, drawing from key elements of Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) along with some of the value-based content of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Over the last year we have developed a mobile responsive web platform to deliver a live web-based conferencing psychosocial intervention that ovarian cancer patients can access from their homes. The primary goal of this application is further development, web deployment, field usability, and field testing of this intervention among ovarian cancer survivors. The ultimate goal of this program of research will be to conduct a larger scale randomized clinical trial of this intervention using web delivery, with examination of mood, symptoms, and QOL along with clinically relevant endpoints and biomarkers. The significance of the application is that this intervention has the potential to improve quality of life of ovarian cancer survivors and may have the ability to lengthen the period of recurrence free survival.