Multi-site Trial of a Brief Behavioral Intervention for Dyspnea in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer
Massachusetts General Hospital
Summary
Dyspnea, or breathlessness, is one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by patients with advanced lung cancer. The purpose of this multi-site trial is to test the effectiveness of a dyspnea intervention (called BREEZE+) that includes three brief nurse-delivered sessions and access to a digital health app that teaches and reinforces patients' use of skills for managing and coping with this highly debilitating symptom. This study will lay the groundwork for a follow-up pragmatic implementation trial integrating BREEZE+ into usual oncology care for patients with advanced lung cancer experiencing dyspnea.
Description
The goal of this study is to improve dyspnea, one of the most common and debilitating symptoms experienced by patients with advanced lung cancer. Despite improvements in survival from novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy for patients with advanced lung cancer, the proportion of patients experiencing dyspnea (i.e., difficulty breathing) has not decreased. In fact, recent data show that the prevalence of dyspnea is now over 70%, higher than estimates reported in older cohorts. Although cancer burden, such as extensive disease in the lung or pleural effusions, certainly causes and exacerbates…