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BOLSTER: Learning New Skills to Thrive
Recruiting
BOLSTER: Strengthening Patient and Caregiver Supports in Advanced Gynecologic and Gastrointestinal Cancers
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Participant Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years * Currently hospitalized with skilled care need or have acquired a new skilled care need as an outpatient * Diagnosed with advanced gastrointestinal cancer (esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, colorectal, unknown GI primary, anal) or advanced gynecologic cancer (ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vaginal, vulvar) * Has a complex care need (e.g., ostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, nephrostomy, biliary drain, venting gastric tube, feeding tube, intraabdominal or pleural catheter, wound VAC) * Plans to receive ongoing cancer treatment * Has a family caregiver or friend (hereafter designated family caregiver) willing to participate * Able to speak and read English or Spanish (self-report) * Are willing to be audio-recorded * Have the cognitive/physical ability to participate in a 60-minute interview Family or Caregiver Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years * Identified by a patient (as defined above) as a family or friend who is involved in their care. * Willing to participate in study visits * Willing to be audio recorded Participant Exclusion Criteria: * Has cognitive impairments (as determined by the patient's oncologist) * Planning to enroll in hospice * Unable to complete baseline survey * Adults unable to consent * Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers) * Prisoners Family or Caregiver Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to complete baseline survey * Adults unable to consent * Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers) * Prisoners
About the study
This research study is evaluating a new program called Building Out Lifelines for Safety, Trust, Empowerment, and Renewal or (BOLSTER), which was designed to support participants with a gynecological or gastrointestinal cancer and new and complex care needs.
What is being tested
- BOLSTER Program (behavioral)
Sponsor: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · Participants: 600 · Started: May 12, 2025
Contact the study team
- Alexi Wright, MD, MPH · Phone: 617-632-2334
- Irene Wang, MPH · Phone: 617-582-7238
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06936878
Locations in the U.S.
| Massachusetts | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston |
| Texas | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.