A Study of Mental Health Care in People With Cancer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Breast Cancer; Lung Cancer; Prostate Cancer; Colorectal Cancer

Treatments: Other: Questionnaires; Other: Interviews; Other: 30-minute telephone or videoconference sessions

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06037954

23-218

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to look at mental health services for adults with depressed mood who were diagnosed with cancer at the age of 65 or older. This study will compare the usual approach for connecting older adults with depressed mood to mental health services with the Open Door for Cancer (OD-C) approach. We will find out if the OD-C approach is practical and useful for cancer patients who participate in the intervention and for providers who see or treat cancer patients.

Enrollment: 130 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients

• Per medical record and/or self-report, diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer at age 65 years or older

• Per medical record and/or self-report, undergoing active cancer treatment (e.g., radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery) or within six months of completing treatment

• Score of ≥5 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

• Per self-report, fluent in English** ** Language verification: Prior to enrollment, patients will be asked the following two questions by a Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) to verify English fluency necessary for participation in the study:

  1. How well do you speak English? (must respond "very well" or "well" when given the choices of Very well, Well, Not well, Not at all, Don't know, or Refused)
  2. What is your preferred language for healthcare? (must respond English)

Providers

• Per self-report, works in oncology, nursing, social work, psychology, or psychiatry
• Per self-report, currently works in oncology at least 50% of the time
• Per self-report, provided cancer care for at least three years at time of consent
• Per self-report, fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

Patients

• Severely cognitively impaired as demonstrated by Blessed Orientation Memory Concentration scores of ≥ 11
• Per research staff judgment and/or self-report, too ill or weak to complete study procedures
• Per medical record and/or self-report, receiving hospice care at the time of enrollment
• Per medical record and/or self-report, currently enrolled in mental health treatment

Providers

• N/A

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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130 participants in 2 patient groups

Open Door for Cancer (OD-C)

Experimental group

Description:

OD-C includes five components delivered in three 30-minute telephone or videoconference visits over six weeks and one booster telephone call. All sessions are audio-recorded.

Treatment:

Other: 30-minute telephone or videoconference sessions

Usual Care

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants assigned to Usual Care (n=50) will receive standard care. MSK's current usual care for distress screening is that all patients are screened for distress when they initiate care at MSK. Additional distress screening is conducted based on the determination of the oncology team. In addition, patients are referred to social work, psychology, and/or psychiatry based on the judgment of the oncology team.

Treatment:

Other: Interviews

Other: Questionnaires