An app to help breast cancer survivors keep their jobs
Official title: The Breast Cancer and the Workforce Communication App: A randomized controlled trial of an English/Spanish intervention to promote long-term job retention
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-10758848 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a helpful app for breast cancer survivors, especially those from low-income and minority backgrounds, to see if it can boost their confidence in asking for job support during and after treatment, making it easier for them to keep their jobs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $530,952 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA214785-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-10758848 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are low-income and minority women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and are concerned about job retention during and after treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not employed or those who do not face challenges related to job retention may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of a communication app designed to assist breast cancer survivors, particularly low-income and minority women, in retaining their jobs during and after treatment. The app aims to improve patients' confidence in requesting work accommodations, such as flexible schedules and sick leave, which are crucial for maintaining employment. By providing resources and support, the study seeks to evaluate how effectively the app can help these women navigate workplace challenges related to their cancer diagnosis. Participants will be randomly assigned to use the app or receive standard care to assess its effectiveness in promoting job retention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve job retention rates and financial stability for breast cancer survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that interventions aimed at improving workplace accommodations for cancer survivors can lead to better job retention outcomes, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blinder, Victoria S — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Blinder, Victoria S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Web-based pain coping skills training to help breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors feel better and stay adherent
A patient-friendly, online program uses coping skills to relieve AI-related joint pain and improve taking AI medication.
-
FoRtitude: an online program to ease fear of cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors
A woman who has finished breast cancer treatment uses an online program to learn easy CBT-based steps to feel less worried about cancer coming back.
-
FoRtitude: An eHealth program to help breast cancer survivors manage fear of recurrence
This program offers breast cancer survivors an online tool to help them cope with the worry that their cancer might come back.
-
Online pain-coping program for joint pain from aromatase inhibitors
An online pain-coping program for postmenopausal breast cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors to help reduce joint pain and support staying on treatment.
-
Improving genetic counseling for women at high risk of breast cancer
This study is looking at a new way to help women at higher risk for breast cancer by comparing a more personalized online counseling option with the usual in-person counseling, to see if it makes getting important information about their genetic risks and screening choices easier and more effective.
-
Helping breast cancer survivors manage their fear of cancer returning
This study is testing a helpful online program called FoRtitude, designed to support breast cancer survivors in managing their fear of the cancer coming back, using friendly tools and strategies over four weeks.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.