Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41240159›Full record

Trial reportSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

A qualitative study of Emotion and Symptom-focused Engagement (EASE): An integrated psychotherapeutic and early palliative care intervention for patients with acute leukemia.

Kathryn Hunt, Laura Foran, Carmine Malfitano, Anne Rydall, Stephanie Nanos, Argin Malakian, Aaron D Schimmer, Rinat Nissim, David Brennan, Breffni Hannon and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled TrialClinical Trial, Phase III
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Kathryn HuntDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada. kate.hunt@uhn.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-6763-3952
Laura ForanDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-7188-012X
Carmine MalfitanoDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9561-9599
Anne RydallDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4692-9101
Stephanie NanosDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-5437-831X
Argin MalakianDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1322-1294
Aaron D SchimmerPrincess Margaret Research Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4023-3899
Rinat NissimDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3624-5806
David BrennanFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7663-9869
Breffni HannonDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-555X
Camilla ZimmermannDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4889-0244
Gary RodinDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 620 University Avenue, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6626-6974

Funding

Canadian Cancer Society CCS QOL Grant #705398CIHR CIHR Project Grant #PJT-65483
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAcute leukemia (AL) in adults represents an immediate threat to life, with high disease burden and profound psychological consequences. Clinically significant symptoms of traumatic stress are present in one-third of patients with newly diagnosed AL. Emotion and Symptom-focused Engagement (EASE) is a brief, integrated psychotherapeutic and early palliative care intervention that aims to alleviate traumatic stress and physical symptom burden. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the subjective experiences of the psychotherapeutic component of the intervention (EASE-Psy).

methodsThe study is part of a multi-centre phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness of EASE in patients with newly diagnosed AL. Twenty RCT participants (EASE n = 11; Usual Care (UC) n = 9) engaged in qualitative interviews within 6 months of initial diagnosis. Data were analyzed using interpretive description methodology.

resultsParticipants described a common psychological experience of shock and derealization following AL diagnosis. Many felt that they could rely upon informal caregivers for emotional support. UC participants reported limited opportunities to process the trauma and described feelings of isolation and withdrawal. EASE participants described finding comfort and meaning in speaking to an unbiased "third party." They described therapy reaching a natural conclusion following discharge.

conclusionThe findings of this study support the acceptability and perceived benefit of EASE-Psy for adults newly diagnosed with AL. The RCT in progress will illuminate the effectiveness of EASE to relieve traumatic stress and physical symptom burden in this population.

Indexed as

EmotionsLeukemiaPalliative CarePsychotherapyStress, PsychologicalAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchAcute leukemiaAcute stress disorderEarly palliative carePsychosocial oncologyPsychotherapyQualitative methodologyTraumatic stress

Identifiers

PMID41240159

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.