Effectiveness of an Individualized Symptom Education Program (ISEP)

Women who have radiation therapy for gynecological cancer may experience a number of symptoms including fatigue, pain, nausea, pelvic symptoms (urgent and frequent urination and bowel movements, vaginal discharge, vaginal itching, skin irritation), anxiety and depression. We know that individualized education programs have helped people with other types of cancer to better manage their symptoms, and we would like to find out whether such interventions are helpful to women with gynecological cancers.

This study will compare two types of education: 1) the symptom education program currently in place (usual care), and 2) an individualized symptom education program (ISEP). This study is being conducted because we do not know if one type of education in patients who receive radiation for gynecological cancers is better than the other. Both types of education are are described below.

Usual care: Usual symptom education during radiation treatment consists of receiving verbal and written education from a radiation oncologist, nurse and radiation therapist, and other members of the interdisciplinary team. The radiation therapist will see the patient everyday during her radiation treatment and her doctor and nurse will see her on a weekly basis. The patient will also see other members of the team, such as a dietitian and social worker as required.

Individualized symptom education: Individualized symptom education will include usual symptom education and also an education program that focuses on symptom management. The patient will meet with an advanced practice nurse on a weekly basis for six sessions of about 30 minutes each. The advanced practice nurse will ask about the symptoms the paient is experiencing and those that are most bothersome to her. She will be given information about specific strategies to manage those symptoms, including written education materials. These strategies will be based on published best practice guidelines.

Data on symptom experience will be collected at 3 points: at baseline, after completion of the education program (end of external beam treatment), and at 3 months following completion of the education program (3 months following completion of external radiation treatment).