Catherine Mosher
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Psychology, IUPUI
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
ude[dot]iupui[at]rehsomec
Improving Symptom Management and Quality of Life in Adults with Cancer and their Family Caregivers
With grants from the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Mosher and her interdisciplinary team are testing an acceptance-based approach to reducing the negative impact of fatigue and other symptoms on functioning in women with advanced breast cancer. The intervention is delivered over the phone and aims to develop mindfulness, or present-moment acceptance of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms, and encourage setting feasible goals to engage in personally meaningful activities. Dr. Mosher’s team is also testing a similar intervention to improve symptom management and quality of life in adults with advanced gastrointestinal cancer and their family caregivers. Similar interventions have been found to enhance symptom management in adults with chronic pain, and they are now in the early stages of being translated to cancer care. If trial findings are positive, the intervention may be widely disseminated in clinical settings.