Counseling

This clinical trial evaluates the impact of telehealth self-management coaching sessions on quality of life in pancreatic cancer survivors and their family care givers (FCGs). Patients with pancreatic cancer experience many symptoms because of the disease and treatment, which can have a negative impact on quality of life. Patients and their families have unmet needs during treatment, including a lack of quality of life programs that offer support to patients. Supporting patients and families on managing the physical symptoms, emotional well-being, social well-being and spiritual well-being with telehealth self-management coaching sessions may help improve quality of life, manage symptoms from treatment, and support families in their role as caregivers during treatment.

This clinical trial evaluates the impact of a patient-centered health and wellness coaching (HWC) intervention on adherence to treatment plans and healthy lifestyle practices in patients with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. Treatment for thyroid cancer often involves surgery, radioactive iodine and/or lifelong levothyroxine with regular monitoring of thyroid stimulating hormone levels. Despite strong survival rates, patients frequently report fatigue, cognitive issues, mood changes, and disruptions in daily life. Treatment burden and psychosocial strain often impair the ability to follow the treatment plan and healthy lifestyle. Studies have shown that HWC motivates patients to take ownership and accountability to perform positive and healthy behavioral changes. HWC may have a positive impact on health-related goal-setting processes and improve self-care and healthcare outcomes in certain settings. It is not yet known how HWC impacts thyroid cancer patients. Incorporating HWC into survivorship care may improve adherence to treatment plans and healthy lifestyle practices in patients with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer.