Coping With Glioblastoma: A Study of Communication Between Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Glioblastoma; Brain Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02375841

15-034

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to learn more about the way physicians communicate with brain tumor patients. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. Ultimately, the investigators hope to use these findings to improve communication between patients, caregivers and their doctors.

Enrollment: 309 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patient Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• Pathologic diagnosis of WHO grade IV glioma, as per MSKCC medical record or outside medical record.
• In the judgment of the consenting professional, proficiency in English that will allow the participant to be able to complete study questionnaires and assessments. Many of the study assessments are available only in English.
• At the time of consent, orientation to self, place, month and year

Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• Identified by the patient as a relative, friend, or partner with whom he or she has a significant relationship and who provides him or her informal (unpaid) care (i.e., physical or emotional assistance).
• In the judgment of the consenting professional, proficiency in English that will allow to complete study questionnaires and assessments. Many of the study assessments are available only in English.

Oncologist Inclusion Criteria:

• Treating Neuro-Oncologist in the Department of Neurology

Exclusion criteria

Patient Exclusion Criteria:

• A patient will be excluded if in the opinion of his/her attending neuro-oncologist or the covering neuro-oncologist, he does not have the capacity to consent to the study based on clinical evaluation
• Aphasia precluding comprehension and verbalization of consent to participate, in the estimation of the attending physician.

Caregiver Exclusion Criteria:

• There are no caregiver exclusion criteria.

Trial design

309 participants in 1 patient group

Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers

Description:

This is a longitudinal study of patients with GBM with recurrent or multi-recurrent disease as determined by their neuro-oncologist (on the basis of clinical and/or radiological findings). Patients will indicate a single caregiver who will consent separately and perform separate assessments. The study assessments will evaluate the content of the discussion in which this change in disease status was communicated, as well as include patient-reported and caregiver-reported outcomes. We intend to accrue 160 total participants (80 patients and 80 caregivers) with complete post-discussion visit follow-ups over 18-24 months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments