Family Building Decision Support for Female Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors

Summary

This study aims to develop and pilot-test a nurse navigator-delivered behavioral program to support female adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors in making informed, values-driven family-building decisions after completion of cancer treatment. Female AYA survivors often face fertility impairments, uncertainty about reproductive potential, elevated obstetric risks during pregnancy, and significant emotional distress related to parenthood planning. Currently, few interventions address these post-treatment decision-making needs.

The intervention consists of four videoconference sessions that combine personalized, risk-based reproductive health education with coping strategies derived from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Patient Activation Theory. A pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary changes in knowledge, decisional conflict, self-efficacy, and reproductive-health-related distress among 48 participants randomized to the intervention or a survivorship-education control condition. Findings will inform future testing of the intervention's efficacy in a larger clinical trial.

Conditions

• Cancer Survivorship
• Family Planning
• Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Nurse Navigator-Delivered Family Building Decision Support

Four \~60-minute, weekly or biweekly videoconference sessions over 4-6 weeks. Components include: Personalized, risk-based reproductive health education based on cancer type and treatment exposures (e.g., gonadotoxic chemotherapy, chest or uterine radiation, anthracyclines); review of fertility potential evaluation, assisted reproductive technologies, adoption pathways, and pregnancy health considerations (maternal/fetal risks, surveillance, co-management). ACT-derived coping skills (values clarification, cognitive defusion, acceptance, committed action) to align decisions with personal values and reduce avoidance. Patient activation strategies to promote engagement in risk-based reproductive care and informed decision-making. Includes between-session practice and brief home exercises.

BEHAVIORAL

Survivorship Education

NCI booklet "Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment" provided at baseline; participants may receive referrals to survivorship supportive services as needed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Duke University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Caroline S Dorfman, PhD · Duke University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

39 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-11

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations