Pilot Study of Internet-Delivered Psychological Treatment for Cancer Survivors

Negative psychological effects of cancer are common, but cancer survivors are rarely offered structured psychological treatment. Internet-delivered treatments have shown some promise, but specific treatment components have not been empirically evaluated which means that it is not clear which therapies that should be prioritized. In this factorial pilot study, 48 cancer survivors with psychiatric symptoms are enrolled in variations on a 10-week therapist-guided online psychological treatment intended to address common negative psychological long-term effects of cancer. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of the study design and online treatment format. Key feasibility outcomes include interest in the study, patient-reported credibility of the intervention, adherence to the treatment protocol, satisfaction with the treatment, acceptability of the measurement strategy, missing data rates, adverse events, and preliminary efficacy on anxiety, depression, the fear of recurrence, and health-related quality of life.