A Web-Based Dyadic Intervention to Manage Psychoneurological Symptoms for Patients With Colorectal Cancer and Their Caregivers: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND: Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) receiving chemotherapy often experience psychoneurological symptoms (PNS; ie, fatigue, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, pain, and cognitive dysfunction) that negatively impact both patients’ and their caregivers’ health outcomes. Limited information is available on PNS management for CRC patient and caregiver dyads. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study are to (1) develop a web-based dyadic intervention for patients with CRC receiving chemotherapy and their caregivers (CRCweb) and (2) evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of CRCweb among patient-caregiver dyads in a cancer clinic. METHODS: A mixed methods approach will be used. Semistructured interviews among 8 dyads will be conducted to develop CRCweb. A single-group pre- and posttest clinical trial will be used to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the intervention (CRCweb) among 20 dyads. Study assessments will be conducted before (T1) and after intervention (T2). Content analysis will be performed for semistructured interviews. Descriptive statistics will be calculated separately for patients and caregivers, and pre-post paired t tests will be used to evaluate treatment effects. RESULTS: This study was funded in November 2022. As of April 2023, we have obtained institutional review board approval and completed clinical trial registration and are currently recruiting patient-caregiver dyads in a cancer clinic. The study is expected to be completed in October 2024. CONCLUSIONS: Developing a web-based dyadic intervention holds great promise to reduce the PNS burden in patients with CRC receiving chemotherapy and their caregivers. The findings from this study will advance intervention development and implementation of symptom management and palliative care for patients with cancer and their caregivers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05663203; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05663203 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/48499