CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT07061236EDUCAP-5FUUpdated Jun 15, 2026

Education Effect on Comfort and Anxiety in 5-FU Elastomeric Pump Therapy

An interventional study of Elastomeric Pump Education in Anxiety, Cancer and Chemotherapy, sponsored by Biruni University. Completed at 2 sites in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-15.

Sponsored by Biruni University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
70
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Cancer treatment often requires chemotherapy, which can be administered through portable devices called elastomeric pumps. These pumps allow medications such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to be delivered continuously over an extended period while patients remain at home rather than staying in the hospital. Although this treatment approach offers greater convenience and independence, patients may experience anxiety and uncertainty related to pump use, treatment side effects, and self-care responsibilities.

This study aims to determine whether providing structured education about elastomeric pump use and 5-FU treatment can improve patients' comfort and reduce anxiety. Participants receiving 5-FU chemotherapy through an elastomeric pump will be assigned to either an education group or a standard care group.

Patients in the education group will receive additional training from the researcher using educational materials and a patient information booklet. The training will include information about safe pump use, management of treatment-related symptoms, precautions to take during treatment, and what to do if problems occur. Patients in the standard care group will continue to receive the routine information and care normally provided by the oncology clinic.

Participants will complete questionnaires that measure comfort and anxiety before the study begins and again one month later. The results will help determine whether structured patient education improves the experience of individuals receiving outpatient chemotherapy through elastomeric pumps.

The findings may help healthcare professionals develop more effective educational programs and supportive care strategies for patients receiving home-based chemotherapy.

Read the detailed description

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a structured educational intervention on comfort and anxiety levels among cancer patients receiving 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy through elastomeric pumps in an outpatient setting.

The increasing use of elastomeric pumps has enabled the administration of continuous chemotherapy infusions at home, reducing hospitalization and improving treatment convenience. However, patients may experience anxiety and reduced comfort due to insufficient knowledge regarding pump management, treatment-related side effects, and self-care requirements. Providing standardized education may improve patients' understanding of treatment, enhance self-management, and promote psychological well-being.

Eligible participants receiving 5-FU chemotherapy via elastomeric pump will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive a structured education program delivered by the researcher using evidence-based educational materials and a patient information booklet specifically prepared for elastomeric pump management. The educational content will include information on pump use, safety precautions, potential complications, symptom management, and appropriate actions in case of treatment-related problems. Participants in the control group will continue to receive routine care and standard education provided by the outpatient oncology clinic.

Data will be collected at baseline and one month after the intervention. Comfort and anxiety levels will be evaluated using validated measurement tools. Changes in outcomes over time and differences between groups will be examined to determine the effectiveness of the educational intervention.

The findings of this study are expected to contribute to oncology nursing practice by providing evidence regarding the role of patient education in improving comfort and reducing anxiety among patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy through elastomeric pumps.

02

Conditions studied

  • Anxiety
  • Cancer
  • Chemotherapy
  • Nurses
  • Port Catheters

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Cancer
  • Chemotherapy
  • Nurses
  • Port Catheters
03

In context

Anxiety Disorders

4,868 studies on the registry are indexed under Anxiety Disorders; 1,390 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 70 is below the median of 80 across 4,174 interventional studies indexed under Anxiety Disorders.

Browse Anxiety Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

Biruni University is the lead sponsor of 172 studies on the registry; 43 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with cancer,
  • Able to understand Turkish and literate,
  • Medically fit to participate in the study,
  • Willing to participate in the study,
  • Aged 18 years or older.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder,
  • Unable to communicate effectively,
  • Refusing to participate in the study.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
70 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    5-FU Elastomeric Pump Education Program

    Patients will receive face-to-face training on the use of the elastomeric pump with 5-FU, supported by an educational booklet.

    Other: Elastomeric Pump Education

  • No intervention
    Standard Oncology Education and Care

    Patients will receive standard institutional care without any additional education or training.

Interventions

  • OtherElastomeric Pump Education

    This intervention involves a 15-20 minute face-to-face training session about the use of the elastomeric pump with 5-FU, supported by visual materials and an educational booklet developed by the researchers based on current literature and expert opinion

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory Score)

    Change in anxiety level from baseline to one month post-intervention, measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a 21-item self-report scale with scores ranging from 0 to 63. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety severity and therefore a worse outcome. Scores of 0-7 indicate minimal anxiety, 8-15 mild anxiety, 16-25 moderate anxiety, and 26-63 severe anxiety.

    Time frame: 1 month

Secondary outcomes

  1. Comfort (General Comfort Questionnaire-Short Form Score)

    Change in comfort levels from baseline to one month post-intervention, measured using the General Comfort Questionnaire-Short Form, a 28-item, six-point Likert-type scale with a total score ranging from 28 to 168. Higher scores indicate greater comfort, while lower scores indicate less comfort.

    Time frame: 1 month

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Biruni University
    Istanbul, Zeytinburnu 34015, Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Koç University Hospital
    Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Yilmaz SG, Arslan S. Effects of progressive relaxation exercises on anxiety and comfort of Turkish breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(1):217-20. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.1.217. PubMed 25640354 ↗
  • Uslu, Y., Olgun, N., Karanlık, H., User, İ. (2019). Port kateter uygulamaları: kanserli hastaların deneyimlerine ilişkin niteliksel bir çalışma. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(3), 464-472.
  • Ulusoy, M., Şahin, N., Erkmen, H. (1998). Turkish version of The Beck Anxiety Inventory: Psychometric properties. Journal of Cognitive Psychother, 12, 28-35.
  • Temiz G, Durna Z. Evaluation of Quality of Life and Health Care Needs in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy. J Cancer Educ. 2020 Aug;35(4):796-807. doi: 10.1007/s13187-019-01533-2. PubMed 31054110 ↗
  • Shoemaker LK, Arora U, Rocha Lima CM. 5-fluorouracil-induced coronary vasospasm. Cancer Control. 2004 Jan-Feb;11(1):46-9. doi: 10.1177/107327480401100207. PubMed 14749623 ↗
  • Stewart T, Pavlakis N, Ward M. Cardiotoxicity with 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine: more than just vasospastic angina. Intern Med J. 2010 Apr;40(4):303-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2009.02144.x. PubMed 20529041 ↗
  • Sayin Y, Aksoy G. The effect of analgesic education on pain in patients undergoing breast surgery: within 24 hours after the operation. J Clin Nurs. 2012 May;21(9-10):1244-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.04009.x. Epub 2012 Mar 8. PubMed 22404338 ↗
  • Pu YL, Li ZS, Zhi XX, Shi YA, Meng AF, Cheng F, Ali A, Li C, Fang H, Wang C. Complications and Costs of Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters Compared With Implantable Port Catheters for Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis. Cancer Nurs. 2020 Nov/Dec;43(6):455-467. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000742. PubMed 31464692 ↗
  • Pinelli F, Cecero E, Degl'Innocenti D, Selmi V, Giua R, Villa G, Chelazzi C, Romagnoli S, Pittiruti M. Infection of totally implantable venous access devices: A review of the literature. J Vasc Access. 2018 May;19(3):230-242. doi: 10.1177/1129729818758999. Epub 2018 Mar 7. PubMed 29512430 ↗
  • Paleczny J, Banys-Jafernik B, Gazurek K, Kierpiec K, Szczerba H, Zipser P. Long-term totally implantable venous access port systems--one center experience. Anaesthesiol Intensive Ther. 2013 Oct-Dec;45(4):215-22. doi: 10.5603/AIT.2013.0042. PubMed 24407899 ↗
  • Paiva BS, de Carvalho AL, Kolcaba K, Paiva CE. Validation of the Holistic Comfort Questionnaire-caregiver in Portuguese-Brazil in a cohort of informal caregivers of palliative care cancer patients. Support Care Cancer. 2015 Feb;23(2):343-51. doi: 10.1007/s00520-014-2370-5. Epub 2014 Aug 2. PubMed 25082367 ↗
  • Öztaş, M., Alkan, İ., Öztaş, B. (2022). Determination of nursing practices regarding port catheter care. J Med Palliat Care, 3(1), 33-38.
  • Ozden D, Caliskan N. Turkish nurses' level of knowledge regarding implantable port catheter care. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2012 Jun;9(1):1-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-7924.2011.00177.x. Epub 2011 Mar 14. PubMed 22583935 ↗
  • Önder, H., Tekbaş, G., Turmak, M., İnal, A., Ekici, F., Gümüş, H, Önder, A. (2014). Image-guided subcutaneous port implantation in patients with malignant diseases. European Journal of General Medicine, 1, 1-6.
  • Odabas H, Ozdemir NY, Ziraman I, Aksoy S, Abali H, Oksuzoglu B, Isik M, Civelek B, Dede D, Zengin N. Effect of port-care frequency on venous port catheter-related complications in cancer patients. Int J Clin Oncol. 2014 Aug;19(4):761-6. doi: 10.1007/s10147-013-0609-7. Epub 2013 Aug 27. PubMed 23978939 ↗
  • McCarthy M, Glick R, Green J, Plummer K, Peters K, Johnsey L, Deluca C. Comfort First: an evaluation of a procedural pain management programme for children with cancer. Psychooncology. 2013 Apr;22(4):775-82. doi: 10.1002/pon.3061. Epub 2012 Mar 13. PubMed 22416039 ↗
  • Kolcaba K, Schirm V, Steiner R. Effects of hand massage on comfort of nursing home residents. Geriatr Nurs. 2006 Mar-Apr;27(2):85-91. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2006.02.006. PubMed 16638478 ↗
  • Kim KS, Kwon SH. Comfort and quality of life of cancer patients. Asian Nurs Res (Korean Soc Nurs Sci). 2007 Sep;1(2):125-35. doi: 10.1016/S1976-1317(08)60015-8. Epub 2008 Dec 9. PubMed 25030749 ↗
  • Kia A, Waterson J, Bargary N, Rolt S, Burke K, Robertson J, Garcia S, Benavoli A, Bergstrom D. Determinants of Intravenous Infusion Longevity and Infusion Failure via a Nonlinear Model Analysis of Smart Pump Event Logs: Retrospective Study. JMIR AI. 2023 Sep 13;2:e48628. doi: 10.2196/48628. PubMed 38875535 ↗
  • Kesici, S., Tuna, V., Özkan, S., Cengiz, E., Türkmen, A. (2017). Venöz port kateter implantasyonu uygulanan hastaların retrospektif analizi. Cukurova Medical Journal, 42, 604-605.
  • Kaykunoğlu, M., Tambağ, H. (2022). Ayaktan Kemoterapi Alan Hastaların Sosyal Destek ve Anksiyete Düzeylerinin Belirlenmesi. Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi, 9(3), 429-435.
  • Hou YF, Zhao AP, Feng YX, Cui XN, Wang LL, Wang LX. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes on comfort nursing care for hospitalized patients. Int J Nurs Pract. 2014 Dec;20(6):573-8. doi: 10.1111/ijn.12200. Epub 2013 Oct 11. PubMed 24118635 ↗
  • Esfahani H, Ghorbanpor M, Tanasan A. Implantable Port Devices, Complications and outcome in Pediatric Cancer, a Retrospective Study. Iran J Ped Hematol Oncol. 2016;6(1):1-8. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PubMed 27222696 ↗
  • Çıtlık, S.C., Çevik, S., Özden, G. (2018). Genel Konfor Ölçeği Kısa Formunun Türkçe geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması. Diyabet, Obezite ve Hipertansiyonda Hemşirelik Forumu, 10(2), 16-22.
  • Chefchaouni AC, Ouedraogo JM, Bechar H, Belahcen MJ, Rahali Y. Retrospective analysis of failures of ambulatory elastomeric pumps containing 5-FU in a hospital pharmacy unit. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2023 Jan;29(1):125-129. doi: 10.1177/10781552211060290. Epub 2021 Nov 16. PubMed 34783287 ↗
  • Can, A., Hintistan, S. (2021). Kemoterapi alan kanser hastalarının konfor düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi. Bezmialem Science, 9(3), 310-316.
  • Burucu R, Turkben Polat H. Spiritual Well-Being Levels and Self-Care Agency of Patients Receiving Chemotherapy With Port Catheter: A Correlational, Descriptive Study. Holist Nurs Pract. 2024 Nov-Dec 01;38(6):331-340. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000655. Epub 2024 Oct 14. PubMed 39422619 ↗
  • Beck AT, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer RA. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988 Dec;56(6):893-7. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.893. No abstract available. PubMed 3204199 ↗
  • Abe T, Matsuzaka K, Nakayama T, Otsuka M, Sagara A, Sato F, Yumoto T. Impact of air temperature and drug concentration on liquid emission from elastomeric pumps. J Pharm Health Care Sci. 2021 Jan 5;7(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s40780-020-00185-5. PubMed 33397508 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Data will only be shared upon reasonable request and subject to approval by the ethics committee.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 15, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07061236
Lead sponsor
Biruni University
Responsible party
Anita Karaca (Assist. Prof., Biruni University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 11, 2025
Start date
Jul 8, 2025
Primary completion
Aug 11, 2025
Completion
Sep 8, 2025
Last update
Jun 15, 2026

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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