Study of @neWorld: A Virtual Community for Children With Cancer

RATIONALE: Using an Internet Web site that enables children with cancer to interact online with classmates, participate in classroom activities, get easy-to-read medical information, and chat with family members, medical staff, and other children with cancer may help children cope with isolation, fear, and decreased self-esteem. PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the effectiveness of an Internet Web site in providing social support and education to children who are undergoing treatment for cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Develop an Internet-based application that allows pediatric patients with cancer to enter a virtual community with the following capabilities: Interact with classmates and participate in classroom activities via e-mail, chat groups, online field trips, art studio, music room, and game room Identify and interact with a community of peers with similar medical conditions Access a dictionary to get medical information in understandable terms Interact with the medical community online Interact with family members online Determine the acceptability of this program among groups of these patients and their classmates, teachers, family members, and healthcare providers using focus groups. Determine the effect of this program on self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived social support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, and feelings of control over health destiny in these patients. Determine the effect of this program on the performance of these patients in school. Determine the effect of this program in alleviating psychological distress in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Phase I: Students, family members, teachers, and health providers participate in focus groups to provide system design and implementation input and to assess overall acceptability of a prototype Internet-based application for pediatric cancer patients. Phase II: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups, based on participating center. Group 1: Patients have access to and utilize the Internet-based application @neWorld. Group 2: Patients do not have access to or utilize @neWorld. In both groups, patients complete questionnaires measuring psychological distress, quality of life, self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived academic and social competence, perceived social support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, feelings of control over health destiny, utilization of psychological services, and performance in school at baseline and 3 and 6 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 94 patients (44 for group 1 and 50 for group 2) will be accrued for this study.

Leukemia, Lymphoma, Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment, Unspecified Childhood Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific

psychosocial effects of cancer and its treatment, unspecified childhood solid tumor, protocol specific, childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission, childhood acute myeloid leukemia in remission, recurrent childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, recurrent childhood acute myeloid leukemia, recurrent childhood large cell lymphoma, recurrent childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma, recurrent childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma, stage I childhood Hodgkin lymphoma, stage I childhood large cell lymphoma, stage I childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma, stage I childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma, stage II childhood Hodgkin lymphoma, stage II childhood large cell lymphoma, stage II childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma, stage II childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma, stage III childhood Hodgkin lymphoma, stage III childhood large cell lymphoma, stage III childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma, stage III childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma, stage IV childhood Hodgkin lymphoma, stage IV childhood large cell lymphoma, stage IV childhood lymphoblastic lymphoma, stage IV childhood small noncleaved cell lymphoma, recurrent/refractory childhood Hodgkin lymphoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of cancer Currently receiving treatment for cancer PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 10 to 15 Performance status Active Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Not specified Hepatic Not specified Renal Not specified Other Able to read and speak English PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy Not specified Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy Not specified Surgery Not specified