Research Projects
The effect of a stepped-care metacognition-based intervention on managing fear of cancer recurrence: Sequential, Multiple Assignment, Randomized Controlled Trial (SMARTs)

The present study aims to conduct a sequential multiple-assessment randomized controlled trial (SMART) to assess the effect of an adaptive stepped-care ConquerFear intervention in managing fear of cancer recurrence among cancer survivors with subclinical levels of FCR. Eligible patients are Cantonese- or Mandarin-speaking Chinese patients diagnosed with curable cancer who had completed treatment within five years, aged 18 years or above, and with subclinical FCR. A total of 300 eligible patients, identified and recruited from the trial sites, will be randomly allocated to either eConquerFear or eHealthMaintenance as an initial intervention. At one-month post-initial intervention, participants whose FCR scores do not return to the normal range will be re-randomized to supervised, face-to-face ConquerFear intervention or augment eConquerfear with eHealthMaintenance. The primary outcome is change in fear of cancer recurrence between baseline and 6-months post-intervention; process outcome is change in scores of metacognition and cognitive attentional syndrome.  

Professor WWT Lam, School of Public Health

Professor Wendy WT Lam is currently Associate Professor at the School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong. She is the director of the HKU Jockey Club Institute of Cancer Care (JCICC). She is also the head of the Division of Behavioural Sciences, at the School of Public Health and an academic director of Master of Public Health Program. She is an active contributor in International Psycho-oncology Society, currently being a president. Her research interests focus on psychosocial adaptation patterns and service optimization in cancer patients. She is currently leading the JCICC team to develop a care model to integrate psychosocial services into routine cancer care. Under her directorship, JCICC has recently established the first cancer survivorship clinic in Hong Kong offering support in managing post-treatment symptoms, as well as personalized diet and physical activity advice.  

For more information or to express interest for this project, please email the supervisor or the specified contact point in the project description.  Interested candidates are advised to enclose with your email:

1. your CV,
2. a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
3. two reference letters (not required for HKUMed UG students seeking MRes[Med]/URIS projects).

Information on the research programme, funding support and admission documentations could be referenced online at the Research Postgraduate Admissions website. General admission enquiries should be directed to rpgmed@hku.hk.

HKUMed MBBS students interested in the Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) programme may visit the programme website for more information.  

HKUMed UG students interested in the Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme (URIS) may visit the scheme’s website for more information.