The ENHANCES Study
The ENHANCES study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a survivorship intervention in improving the quality of life of patients who had recently completed treatment for head and neck cancer. We trained 15 oncology nurses to assist patients to define core goals for their personal health and well-being and devise a personalised survivorship care plan. We screened patients at two major cancer centres and randomized 109 patients – 37 received Usual Care, 36 received an Information Booklet about head and neck cancer and 36 received the intervention. We obtained 6-month follow-up data for 26 patients who received the intervention, 33 who were randomised to Usual Care, and 31 who received information only. We are currently analysing this data. We also conducted interviews with patients who had received the intervention. This data will provide insights into the feasibility of delivering this model of care more widely. For more information, please contact Lead PI – Professor Jane Turner.
The study was funded by NHMRC
Investigators and affiliations:
- J Turner, University of Queensland and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- P Yates, Queensland University of Technology
- L Kenny, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- L Gordon, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- B Burmeister, Princess Alexandra Hospital
- D Thomson, Princess Alexandra Hospital
- B Hughes, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- A McCarthy, Queensland University of Technology and Princess Alexandra Hospital C Perry, Princess Alexandra Hospital
- R Chan, Princess Alexandra Hospital and QUT
Associate Investigators and affiliations:
- A Fraser, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- H Skerman, Queensland University of Technology
- M Batstone, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- K Carswell, Princess Alexandra Hospital