ARMY OF WOMEN: Breast Cancer Research Study - Los Angeles - area breast cancer survivors needed!

SEPTEMBER OF THE MONTH

BREAST CANCER RESEARCH STUDY

We need female breast cancer survivors in the Los Angeles area

We need female breast cancer survivors in the Los Angeles area, ages 21 to 65, who are experiencing memory loss and concentration problems, to participate in a research study evaluating a rehabilitation program designed to improve concentration and memory skills.

Breast cancer and its treatments can affect many aspects of a woman’s health and well-being, including her brain (cognitive) functioning. One common problem is persistent difficulty with memory, concentration, multi-tasking, and other similar activities—often referred to as “chemobrain”. A research team at the University of California, Los Angeles, wants to help! They have developed a group-based cognitive rehabilitation program for breast cancer survivors who are experiencing these problems and they need YOU to help test it!

Please read on to learn more about what’s involved and who can participate. If this study isn’t right for you, please pass it on! Please help the Army of Women and the research team find the women they need!

What’s the study about?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation group intervention program for breast cancer survivors who are experiencing memory loss and concentration problems associated with cancer treatments. About 60 women will take part in the study.

What’s involved?

If you sign up for the Breast Cancer Cognitive Rehabilitation Study, you will be contacted by the research team to confirm that you are eligible for the study. If you choose to participate in the study, you will be asked to do the following:

• Go to UCLA for an initial baseline visit that will last about three hours.
• Go to UCLA once a week for a 5-week group intervention program. These visits will last 2 hours each.
• Go to UCLA for follow-up study visits a week or two after the group intervention ends, and again 2 months later. These visits will take approximately 2.5 hours each.
• Complete a survey questionnaire at your home before your baseline and follow-up visits.
• Take part in a procedure called quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). An EEG is a test that measures the electrical activity of the brain. The purpose of the QEEG is to determine whether or not the research team can detect EEG patterns associated with cognitive complaints after breast cancer. This procedure will be conducted at 3 time points in the study.

In this study half of the women will be assigned by chance (like the flip of a coin) to participate in the rehabilitation group intervention program and half will be assigned to a wait-list control group. This type of randomized study is necessary to scientifically prove that something is effective. The wait-list control group will also be able to participate in the group intervention in the future, but not until after all the visits have been completed.

Who is conducting the study?

Patricia Ganz, MD, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Linca Ercoli, PhD, Steven Castellon, PhD, and Andrew Leuchter, MD, UCLA Semel Institute

Where?

University of California, Los Angeles

Who can participate?

You can sign up for the Breast Cancer Cognitive Rehabilitation Study if you meet ALL of these MAIN criteria:

• You are a woman between the ages of 21-65.
• You have been diagnosed with Stage I, II, or III breast cancer.
• You were diagnosed with breast cancer between 18 months and 5 years ago.
• You have completed your primary treatments (surgery and, if needed, radiation and/or chemotherapy), and are currently disease free (it is OK if you are on an endocrine therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor).
• You do not have a personal history of any other cancer besides breast cancer.
• You are experiencing cognitive problems (for example, memory loss and concentration problems) that interfere with your everyday activities.
• You are able to read and write English.
• You live in the Los Angeles area and are willing and able to drive to UCLA to attend the 5 weekly group sessions and participate in a pre-visit and two follow-up visits.

After you RSVP, the research team will contact you to ask additional questions to be sure that this study is a good fit for you.

Please visit the Army of Women to sign up for the research study and get involved at www.armyofwomen.org.

Contact information for Pearls Foundation for Women- Healthcare Preventative Awareness
please email us at pearlsfoundationforwomen@gmail.com.