Trial Information

Supportive Cancer Care Netwokers - a Prospective Randomized Controlled Multi-center Trial

In order to increase the utilization of adjuvant therapies, patients in the intervention
group are offered an additional nursing intervention in the period between discharge after
inpatient treatment and the beginning of adjuvant therapy. This includes a telephone
follow-up conducted according to guidelines serving to disclose patients' current supportive
needs in order to determine potential intervention approaches as early as possible. Hence,
the intervention aims to motivate patients not to discontinue the treatment. An early
detection of therapy-related physical and psychological impairments aims at optimizing
treatment management.

Patients in the intervention group therefore are visited by nursing staff specialized in
cancer care (Supportive Cancer Care Networkers, SCAN) during their in-patient stay and are
informed about the intervention. An assignment for the SCAN is to support patients in
getting access to health care services (e.g. specialists). Patients are given certain
information, as for example contact to specialists, voluntary services and the next steps
and appointments of the treatment plan are discussed. Within a consultation at the day
before hospital discharge, the SCAN takes up the contact information and appoints weekly
telephone consultations for the time up to the adjuvant therapy. The SCAN hands out
information materials and explains the study documents, as for example patient-held records
(PHR) in order to improve therapy compliance.