Abstract A026: Assessing feasibility and acceptability of a stress-management enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention for black female breast cancer survivors

Abstract This single-arm pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of ‘Survivors RESET’- a stress management-enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention (BWLI) for Black female breast cancer survivors with obesity and high levels of perceived stress. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among non-Hispanic Black women in the United States. Obesity is negatively associated with survivorship outcomes for breast cancer. With a prevalence of 57.9%, Black women in the US are disproportionately impacted by obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30kg/m^2), registering the highest prevalence by race and gender. Effective weight management strategies are needed to improve survivorship outcomes in this population. BWLI, such as the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) are considered effective in general populations. However, many existing evidence-based BWLI result in less weight loss for Black US women. A proposed mechanism for this disparity is the association of psychosocial stress and obesity. Given the known associations of obesity and breast cancer survivorship, stress and breast cancer, and stress and obesity, we augmented the DPP core curriculum with stress management content and modifications to increase cancer relevance, to tailor a BWLI to better benefit this population. Eligible participants were Black, cisgender women, aged ≥ 18 years, BMI ≥30 kg/m^2, with a history of stage 0 – 3 breast cancer, and elevated stress levels (Perceived Stress Scale Score ≥13). Participants were recruited from the Tampa Bay area in Florida using a multi-modal approach including community outreach, clinical trial websites, and social media. Interested and eligible participants were further screened for eligibility in-clinic by our research team. As a pilot feasibility study, participants received a curriculum consistent with the core phase of DPP (16 sessions over 4 months) rather than the full intervention (26 sessions over 1 year). Feasibility benchmarks were ≥45% enrollment, ≥75% retention, and ≥70% adherence. The acceptability benchmark was ≥80% participant satisfaction. Twenty participants enrolled in the study, with ages ranging from 43-73 years (mean ± SD, 57.9±7.7). Sixty percent held a bachelor’s degree or higher, and 35% reported an annual household income of ≥$80,000. Mean BMI was 37.10±6.40 kg/m^2. Among those screened from the outpatient clinic, 90.9% of eligible participants enrolled. All participants (100%) completed both baseline and 4-month assessments, and 95% attended ≥70% of the intervention sessions, supporting the feasibility of the study. In terms of acceptability, 75% reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the weight loss program, and 95% indicated they would “recommend” or “definitely recommend” it to others. Based on pre-established benchmarks, the intervention demonstrated strong feasibility, though acceptability ratings were slightly lower than our high benchmark. Nonetheless, these promising findings support the potential of Survivors RESET and underscore the need for a full-scale randomized controlled trial. Citation Format: Ashley J. Cooper, Ana Paula S. Rodrigues, Adana A. M. Llanos, Khaliah Fleming, Sierra Pittman, Alissa Pena, Jazmin Henderson, Melissa Mallory, Steven K. Sutton, Heather S. L. Jim, Marilyn Stern, Tiffany L. Carson. Assessing feasibility and acceptability of a stress-management enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention for black female breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A026.