CancerNCT06367959
Health Benefits of Writing Therapy Among Asian American Cancer Survivors
A study testing Esays and Questionnaires in people with Cancer, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
To learn more about participant experience as a Asian American immigrant breast cancer survivor and how writing about participant experiences may affect participant's health. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Cancer
- What is being tested?
- Esays and Questionnaires
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 180 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 27 Jul 2023to 31 Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult (aged 18 and older) diagnosed with stage 0-III cancer (or acute leukemia in remission/ chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase).
- Self-identified as Asian, Asian Americans, any Asian or Asian American subgroup (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Korean, etc.) ethnic/cultural background
- Completed primary treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy within the preceding 5 years.
- Comfortable reading in English or in Chinese.
Who cannot join
- Inability to provide informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
To learn more about participant experience as a Asian American immigrant breast cancer survivor and how writing about participant experiences may affect participant's health.
Read the detailed description
Primary Objective:
To determine the effects of writing therapy on QOL and perceived stress at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups.
Secondary Objective:
To discover the effects of writing therapy on stress biomarkers and perceived stress at the 3-month follow-up.
To explore the psychosocial and cultural mechanisms responsible for the benefits of writing therapy by using mixed methods.
- Conditions
- Cancer
- Being tested
- Esays, Questionnaires
- Medical subject headings
- Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
EsaysBehavioural
Participants will write about their experiences One (1) time each week for 3 weeks at the beginning of the study and then 1 more time 9 months later. Participants will be asked to write about their experiences with cancer in English or Chinese and to write as much as they can for about 20-30 minutes for each essay.
QuestionnairesBehavioural
Participants will answer a questionnaire at the beginning of the study and then 3, 6, and 12 months later.
Participants will also answer a questionnaire about their thoughts on writing and on the study after they complete the third essay.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control condition | Experimental | Participants will be asked to write about facts regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment in writing sessions. Receives: Behavioral: Esays; Behavioral: Questionnaires |
| Intervention Condition | Experimental | Participants will be asked to write about different topics regarding their cancer experience. During session 1, participants will be asked to write about the stress of having cancer and their strategies for coping with stressors associated with their cancer (i.e., stress and coping). During session 2, participants will be asked to write about their deepest feelings regarding their cancer experience (i.e., emotional disclosure). During session 3 and the booster session (at 9-month follow-up), participants will be asked to write about positive thoughts and feelings regarding their experience with cancer. Receives: Behavioral: Esays; Behavioral: Questionnaires |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Primary Outcome Measure: Incidence of Adverse Events, Graded According to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version (v) 5.0
Measured: Time Frame: through study completion; an average of 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Apr 2024
- Study start27 Jul 2023
- Primary completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Qian Lu, MD, PHD, Principal investigator, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06367959
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021-0324
- Other IDs
- NCI-2024-02939
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 23 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Health Benefits of Writing Therapy Among Asian American Cancer Survivors
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06367959
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2021-0324
- Conditions
- Cancer
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- M.D. Anderson Cancer CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 27 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 16 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
To learn more about participant experience as a Asian American immigrant breast cancer survivor and how writing about participant experiences may affect participant's health.
Detailed description
Primary Objective:
To determine the effects of writing therapy on QOL and perceived stress at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups.
Secondary Objective:
To discover the effects of writing therapy on stress biomarkers and perceived stress at the 3-month follow-up.
To explore the psychosocial and cultural mechanisms responsible for the benefits of writing therapy by using mixed methods.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control condition | Experimental | Behavioral: Esays, Behavioral: QuestionnairesParticipants will be asked to write about facts regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment in writing sessions. |
| Intervention Condition | Experimental | Behavioral: Esays, Behavioral: QuestionnairesParticipants will be asked to write about different topics regarding their cancer experience. During session 1, participants will be asked to write about the stress of having cancer and their strategies for coping with stressors associated with their cancer (i.e., stress and coping). During session 2, participants will be asked to write about their deepest feelings regarding their cancer experience (i.e., emotional disclosure). During session 3 and the booster session (at 9-month follow-up), participants will be asked to write about positive thoughts and feelings regarding their experience with cancer. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Adult (aged 18 and older) diagnosed with stage 0-III cancer (or acute leukemia in remission/ chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase).
- Self-identified as Asian, Asian Americans, any Asian or Asian American subgroup (Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Korean, etc.) ethnic/cultural background
- Completed primary treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy within the preceding 5 years.
- Comfortable reading in English or in Chinese.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Inability to provide informed consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| EsaysParticipants will write about their experiences One (1) time each week for 3 weeks at the beginning of the study and then 1 more time 9 months later. Participants will be asked to write about their experiences with cancer in English or Chinese and to write as much as they can for about 20-30 minutes for each essay. | Behavioural | Control condition, Intervention Condition |
| QuestionnairesParticipants will answer a questionnaire at the beginning of the study and then 3, 6, and 12 months later. Participants will also answer a questionnaire about their thoughts on writing and on the study after they complete the third essay. | Behavioural | Control condition, Intervention Condition |
Primary outcome
Primary Outcome Measure: Incidence of Adverse Events, Graded According to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version (v) 5.0
Time frame: Time Frame: through study completion; an average of 1 year
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jun 2026.
- MD Anderson Cancer Center WebsiteLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Qian Lu, MD, PHD principal investigator
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Esays and Questionnaires in people with Cancer, run by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Primary Outcome Measure: Incidence of Adverse Events, Graded According to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version (v) 5.0 (time frame: Time Frame: through study completion; an average of 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jun 2026.