Grant Details
| Grant Number: |
5R01CA293394-03 Interpret this number |
| Primary Investigator: |
Veenstra, Christine |
| Organization: |
University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor |
| Project Title: |
A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of an Intervention to Promote Guideline-Concordant Colorectal Cancer Surveillance |
| Fiscal Year: |
2026 |
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The transition from curative-intent treatment to survivorship can be an overwhelming and confusing time for
patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Surveillance for cancer recurrence is a critically important part of CRC
survivorship care, as CRC recurrences are common and may be curable if detected early. However, up to
60% of the 1.5 million CRC survivors in the U.S. fail to receive surveillance as recommended by the American
Society for Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Among CRC survivors, there
are gaps in knowledge about the purpose of surveillance and the risk of cancer recurrence. Particularly
because CRC surveillance is a “package” of three separate components (CEA blood test, imaging,
endoscopy), knowledge about surveillance is key to survivors’ self-efficacy for managing
surveillance. To improve knowledge about and self-efficacy for managing surveillance and to promote
effective supporter engagement in surveillance, we developed an intervention prototype, Current Together
After Cancer (CTAC), for CRC survivors and their supporters. The objectives of the R01 are to evaluate
the effectiveness of CTAC in 1) improving knowledge about and self-efficacy for managing surveillance and 2)
improving receipt of surveillance, while assessing factors that influence its implementation in a national sample
of community oncology practices. Our proposed study will leverage the resources of the NCI Community
Oncology Research Program (NCORP) and the SWOG Cancer Research Network to conduct a pragmatic
randomized controlled trial of CTAC vs. static online cancer survivorship information in 654 survivors with
Stages II and III CRC. Survivors will be randomized 2:1 to the CTAC arm and will be given the option to invite
their supporter to participate with them in the CTAC intervention. This innovative study has the following
aims: (1) To determine the effect of CTAC on key clinical outcomes: knowledge about and self-efficacy in
managing surveillance, and receipt of surveillance; (2) To explore the association of supporter inclusion in
CTAC with survivors’ knowledge about and self-efficacy for managing surveillance, receipt of surveillance, and
satisfaction with supporter engagement in surveillance; (3) To assess factors related to use of CTAC
across CRC survivors and community oncology practice settings. Through this series of Aims we expect
to demonstrate the effectiveness of CTAC in improving knowledge about and self-efficacy in managing, and
receipt of, surveillance in a cohort of survivors of stages II and III CRC. In addition, we expect to obtain new
knowledge that will support the future population-based implementation of CTAC. Improving knowledge about
and self-efficacy in managing surveillance, and improving receipt of surveillance, will lead to improved clinical
outcomes for the large and growing population of CRC survivors.
Publications
None