Testing A Tailored, Evidence-based Education Intervention To Enhance Outcomes For Patients Commencing Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$311,250.00
Summary
This project tests an innovative education program aimed at reducing the physical and psychosocial burden experienced during a course of cancer chemotherapy. The aim of the study is to reduce the burden and distress associated with cancer chemotherapy. Cancer chemotherapy is associated with physical (nausea, fatigue, hair loss, infection) and psychosocial (fear, anxiety, worry about family) effects that cause significant distress. Patients experience a highly level of pre-treatment anxiety and f ....This project tests an innovative education program aimed at reducing the physical and psychosocial burden experienced during a course of cancer chemotherapy. The aim of the study is to reduce the burden and distress associated with cancer chemotherapy. Cancer chemotherapy is associated with physical (nausea, fatigue, hair loss, infection) and psychosocial (fear, anxiety, worry about family) effects that cause significant distress. Patients experience a highly level of pre-treatment anxiety and for many this distress lasts across the course of treatment. Over the past decade there has been a dramatic shift in chemotherapy delivery to the outpatient setting. This means that patients are now responsibile for monitoring their own health at home and may need to use self-care strategies to deal with the many adverse effects of treatment. Pre-treatment education has usually focused on providing information about the facts of treatment, i.e. likelihood of nausea, rather than preparing the patient for the experience of treatment or helping them to manage the self-care demands associated with receiving treatment in the outpatient setting. The innovative education program tested here is the first of its type to draw on high level research evidence about preparing patients for potentially threatening medical procedures, tailoring this education to the individual situation of the patient and coaching the patient to implement evidence-based self-care behaviours and to use stress reduction techniques across the course of treatment.Read moreRead less
Generating Tumour-Specific Dendritic Cells For Cancer Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,210.00
Summary
Therapies using the immune system are showing promise for cancer treatment, particularly for melanoma, but complete durable responses are few and improvements are needed. We believe that such immunotherapies, in their current form, fail to sufficiently mimic a natural immune reaction to disease, and therefore fall short of effectively controling cancer. In particular, an alarm (danger signal) is not produced within tumour as it would be when the body is challenged by infectious agents. Such dang ....Therapies using the immune system are showing promise for cancer treatment, particularly for melanoma, but complete durable responses are few and improvements are needed. We believe that such immunotherapies, in their current form, fail to sufficiently mimic a natural immune reaction to disease, and therefore fall short of effectively controling cancer. In particular, an alarm (danger signal) is not produced within tumour as it would be when the body is challenged by infectious agents. Such danger signals are critical for the immune system to respond effectively and for white blood cells of the immune system to find their way to the disease organism and eliminate it. The strongest danger signals are produced by a type of white blood cell known as a dendritic cell (DC). These cells detect infectious agents and produce biochemical alarm molecules that alert the entire immune system to the danger resulting in powerful action against the disease. However, tumours are really just a part of our own body and no danger signal is produced. It is our aim to use genetic modification to make DC see tumours as a threat and produce danger signals. These gene-modified DC either alone, or in combination with other immunotherapies, may lead to destruction of tumours.Read moreRead less
The Development Of A Meaning Centred Therapy For Patients With Advanced Cancer - An Intervention Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$137,000.00
Summary
Previous Doctoral work by the applicant illustrated how the compelling force to make sense of life experiences and find significance in existence (two central aspects of meaning) increases the complexity of coping with advanced cancer. While meaning can assist coping by offering a framework, perspective and counterbalance to the challenge of illness, the absence of meaning can also be a precursor to profound despair. This project will use the model of Meaning in Adjustment to Cancer to develop a ....Previous Doctoral work by the applicant illustrated how the compelling force to make sense of life experiences and find significance in existence (two central aspects of meaning) increases the complexity of coping with advanced cancer. While meaning can assist coping by offering a framework, perspective and counterbalance to the challenge of illness, the absence of meaning can also be a precursor to profound despair. This project will use the model of Meaning in Adjustment to Cancer to develop and trial an intervention aimed at enhancing meaning and reducing despair in this population.Read moreRead less
Improving Behavioural Treatment For Frequent Headaches By Incorporating A New Approach To Managing Triggers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$499,255.00
Summary
The standard clinical advice is that the best way to prevent headaches is to avoid the triggers, but we have argued that this may lead to decreased tolerance for triggers and therefore more headaches. We have developed an innovative approach to managing triggers which focuses on training people to cope with triggers. The proposed research will evaluate a new treatment for headaches based on integrating our approach to managing triggers into our behavioural treatment program for headaches.
Promotion Of Self-help Strategies For Sub-threshold Depression Via The Internet: Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$91,573.00
Summary
Depressive symptoms are common, impair individual functioning, and may develop into a full depressive disorder. Self-help for depressive symptoms is well-liked and often used, but some strategies are not as effective as others. This project will test the feasibility of promoting helpful self-help strategies to those with a high level of depressive symptoms, using the internet. The aim is to reduce the overall level of depressive symptoms and the number developing a full depressive disorder.