Helping Young Cancer Patients Manage Their Symptoms Better
Official title: A Randomized Controlled Trial using a Heuristic Tool To Improve Symptom Self-Management in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11136270 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps young people with cancer learn to manage their symptoms better using a special computer tool.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | June 9, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $568,771 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA286799-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136270 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project is for adolescents and young adults who have cancer and are currently receiving active treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not adolescents or young adults, or who are not actively undergoing cancer treatment, would likely not be eligible for this specific project.
What this research studies
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer often struggle with many symptoms from their disease and treatment, which can make daily life hard. This project is testing a new computer tool called C-SCAT that helps you understand your symptoms and how they connect. It's different from typical checklists because it focuses on what's most important to you and helps you visualize your unique symptom experience. The C-SCAT also helps you talk with your doctor about your top concerns and create a personalized plan to manage your symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could help young cancer patients feel better and have a higher quality of life by giving them more control over their symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: This project addresses a gap by testing a new intervention tailored to this population, suggesting it's a novel approach for AYA symptom self-management.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elswick, Ronald K. — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Elswick, Ronald K.
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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.