Ovarian cancer

Women with recurrent ovarian cancer experience an average of 14 disease or treatment-related symptoms at any given time over the course of their disease.

My goal, as we get additional funding to work on the patient side, is to implement this as a cancer care delivery research study. We designed the computer-mediated version to do the same thing as a nurse in terms of the questions and the process, but without nurse individualization. We have funding to develop this app for family caregivers, using the same symptom management tool and approach. In addition, our WRITE interventions that provide support in developing symptom management goals and strategies can improve women’s sense of control over their symptoms. Then we have them write about how the symptom affects their day-to-day life, as well as things they have tried and what has worked. We want the tool to motivate them to communicate about these symptoms to their health care provider.