Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM): a randomized controlled trial of a psychological intervention for patients with advanced cancer

Rodin, Gary, Lo, Chris, Rydall, Anne, Schnall, Joanna, Malfitano, Carmine, Chiu, Aubrey, Panday, Tania, Watt, Sarah, An, Ekatarina, Nissim, Rinat, Li, Madeline, Zimmermann, Camilla, and Hales, Sarah (2018) Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM): a randomized controlled trial of a psychological intervention for patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 36 (23). pp. 2422-2432.

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Abstract

Purpose: Individuals with advanced cancer experience substantial distress in response to disease burden and impending mortality. Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a novel, brief, manualized psychotherapeutic intervention intended to treat and prevent depression and end-of-life distress in patients with advanced cancer. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare CALM with usual care (UC) in this population.

Methods: Patients with advanced cancer were recruited from outpatient oncology clinics at a comprehensive cancer center into an unblinded randomized controlled trial. Permuted block randomization stratified by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression score allocated participants to CALM plus UC or to UC alone. Assessments of depressive symptoms (primary outcome), death-related distress, and other secondary outcomes were conducted at baseline, 3 months (primary end point), and 6 months (trial end point). Analyses were by intention to treat. Analysis of covariance was used to test for outcome differences between groups at follow-up, controlling for baseline. Mixed-model results are reported.

Results: Participants (n = 305) were recruited between February 3, 2012, and March 4, 2016, and randomly assigned to CALM (n = 151) or UC (n = 154). CALM participants reported less-severe depressive symptoms than UC participants at 3 months (Δ = 1.09; P = .04; Cohen's d = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.04 to 2.13) and at 6 months (Δ = 1.29; P = .02; d = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.24 to 2.35). Significant findings for greater end-of-life preparation at 6 months also favored CALM versus UC. No adverse effects were identified.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that CALM is an effective intervention that provides a systematic approach to alleviating depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer and addresses the predictable challenges these patients face.

Item ID: 69140
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1527-7755
Copyright Information: © 2018 by American Society of ClinicalOncology. Licensed under the CreativeCommons Attribution 4.0 License
Date Deposited: 30 Aug 2021 23:15
FoR Codes: 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5203 Clinical and health psychology > 520304 Health psychology @ 100%
SEO Codes: 20 HEALTH > 2001 Clinical health > 200105 Treatment of human diseases and conditions @ 100%
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