Newswise — PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [June 11, 2024] — New research in the June 2024 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network highlights a promising approach for alleviating distress, enhancing quality of life, improving physical function, and reducing fatigue in patients with blood cancers who undergo hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The study used a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility of a nine-week, phone-delivered, positive psychology program called Positive Affect for the Transplantation of Hematopoietic stem cells intervention (PATH), that was specifically tailored to the needs of this population. The findings indicate that the PATH intervention is both feasible and well-received by this patient population, as most of the patients (91%) who received the PATH intervention completed all of the intervention sessions and found them easy and helpful.
“Having 9 out of 10 people complete all the sessions is great,” explained lead researcher Hermioni L. Amonoo, MD, MPP, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute . “We designed PATH with the needs of HSCT survivors in mind.
First, PATH is accessible to patients, as they can learn the skills and engage with the intervention over phone from wherever they are—eliminating the need to travel to the cancer center. Second, the weekly exercises can be completed by patients at their convenience using the PATH manual, which guides patients on how to.
