Managing symptoms and distress for people taking oral anti-cancer drugs
Official title: Managing symptoms and psychological distress during oral anti-cancer treatment
Funded at Michigan State University · NIH-11312625 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new program tests a 12-week automated phone symptom check-in plus an optional 8-week counseling add-on to help reduce fatigue, mood symptoms, and other side effects for cancer survivors on oral medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | May 4, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $622,505 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279472-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312625 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cancer who are on oral anti-cancer medications and who can participate in English or Spanish, across diverse NCORP sites.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not experiencing measurable distress or those unable to participate in telephone-based interventions may receive limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This project brings a patient-friendly, phone-based symptom monitoring system to people taking oral anti-cancer drugs, with options for English or Spanish. It pairs weekly automated symptom check-ins with clinician-facing reports and a printed self-management handbook. If symptoms like depression or anxiety persist, a social worker-delivered telehealth counseling component is added for up to 8 weeks. The study is conducted across multiple community oncology sites and compares the enhanced program to standard IVR monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience fewer troubling symptoms and better mood while staying on their oral cancer therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior similar symptom-management approaches have shown promise, but this study tests an adaptive, combined behavioral and monitoring system within a real-world community setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Michigan State University
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sikorskii, Alla — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Sikorskii, Alla
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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.