Comprehensive training in methods for adapting and personalizing cancer control interventions

Meaningful impact across the continuum of cancer control requires an array of evidence-based interventions that address individuals’ changing needs, circumstances, and strengths. This can be achieved via Adaptive Interventions—evidence-based protocols that guide how information about an individual can be used in practice to decide whether and how to deliver intervention-related services. Recent years have seen explosive growth in research to develop adaptive interventions in cancer control, including cancer risk reduction, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care. This growth was powered by the rapid development of randomized trial designs used to answer important scientific questions about how to best construct adaptive interventions. These novel designs, which were developed by our team, include the sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) and the micro-randomized trial (MRT). Among new and established cancer control scientists alike, there is overwhelming and growing demand for new methodological skills for constructing adaptive interventions. Existing training programs are not meeting this demand. A recent NCI workshop1 to increase rapid cycle intervention research in cancer care delivery, as well as a systematic analysis of NCI-funded research grants on the topic,2 called for greater adoption of experimental designs for optimizing adaptive interventions such as SMARTs and MRTs, and identified a need for more methodological training in this area. A review of the 2024 scientific program for the American Society of Preventive Oncology Annual Meeting3 identified 17 out of 20 scientific program sessions that included at least one presentation related to personalized behavioral interventions. Yet no didactic training sessions were offered on adaptive interventions at this well-attended meeting. This project will build nationwide investigator capacity in methods for constructing adaptive interventions in cancer control by developing the widest-reaching and most comprehensive training program of its kind. Specifically, we will: (Aim 1) develop an online short course that introduces different types of adaptive interventions for cancer control and research methods for developing them; (Aim 2) Provide opportunities for scientists who have completed the short course to gain the deeper conceptual and practical expertise necessary to obtain NIH funding and apply the methods successfully in cancer control; and (Aim 3) catalyze independent research programs in adaptive interventions for cancer control. Over five years, this program will reach 150 learners in-person and far more online via the free online course and web-based materials. We will increase the number of scientists proficient in and funded for research to develop adaptive interventions in cancer control. The training program will support an optimized cancer control scientific workforce, that will test interventions to prevent and detect cancer early, deliver optimal care, and enhance engagement.