BOLSTER: Learning New Skills to Thrive
BOLSTER: Strengthening Patient and Caregiver Supports in Advanced Gynecologic and Gastrointestinal Cancers
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
600 participants
May 12, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
This research study is evaluating a new program called Building Out Lifelines for Safety, Trust, Empowerment, and Renewal or (BOLSTER), which was designed to support participants with a gynecological or gastrointestinal cancer and new and complex care needs.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria13
- Age ≥18 years
- Currently hospitalized with skilled care need or have acquired a new skilled care need as an outpatient
- Diagnosed with advanced gastrointestinal cancer (esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, colorectal, unknown GI primary, anal) or advanced gynecologic cancer (ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vaginal, vulvar)
- Has a complex care need (e.g., ostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, nephrostomy, biliary drain, venting gastric tube, feeding tube, intraabdominal or pleural catheter, wound VAC)
- Plans to receive ongoing cancer treatment
- Has a family caregiver or friend (hereafter designated family caregiver) willing to participate
- Able to speak and read English or Spanish (self-report)
- Are willing to be audio-recorded
- Have the cognitive/physical ability to participate in a 60-minute interview
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Identified by a patient (as defined above) as a family or friend who is involved in their care.
- Willing to participate in study visits
- Willing to be audio recorded
Exclusion Criteria10
- Has cognitive impairments (as determined by the patient's oncologist)
- Planning to enroll in hospice
- Unable to complete baseline survey
- Adults unable to consent
- Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
- Prisoners
- Unable to complete baseline survey
- Adults unable to consent
- Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
- Prisoners
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Interventions
This supportive care program includes six telehealth sessions led by a trained nurse to help patients with advanced gynecological or gastrointestinal cancers and their care partners build skills, manage symptoms, and cope with challenges. Two additional sessions will be help support care partners. Participants will also get access to the BOLSTER website, which offers personalized educational materials to support their well-being
Locations(2)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
NCT06936878