Care After Lymphoma (CALy) trial: A phase II pilot pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a nurse-led model of survivorship care

Post-treatment follow-up for lymphoma survivors often fails to meet the complex needs of the individual. In this pilot study, researchers performed a randomised controlled trial of a nurse-led lymphoma-specific survivorship model of care tailored to each participant. Those in the intervention group attended appointments in a nurse-led lymphoma survivorship clinic, received a tailored survivorship care plan and treatment summary (SCPTS), and were given a resource pack. Patient GPs were also provided with the SCPTS and asked to evaluate its utility with 81% rating it ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Although the results of the pilot did not meet statistical significance, several interesting findings were noted. By the end of the study, patients in the intervention group reported fewer unmet needs, experienced lower levels of distress and felt more empowered. This is a major step forward in nurse led care for lymphoma survivors and nurse-led care could be highly beneficial for lymphoma patients who have completed treatment. The direction of the observed changes indicates that future, multi-site studies with larger cohorts could provide much stronger evidence for this type of care. Furthermore, given the positive reception of the SCPTS by the GPs surveyed, GP engagement in survivorship care could also be improved by using SCPTSs. Read full text