Feasibility of an Individualized Goals of Care Discussion Guide for Advanced Breast Cancer

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Breast Cancer

Treatments: Other: IGCDG

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT03375827

17-398

Details and patient eligibility

About

This research study is evaluating whether asking patients to fill out a brief survey about their goals and preferences for care and giving this survey to their clinician before the next visit helps improve communication and decision-making in breast cancer care.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to understand patient preferences for communication and decision-making for advanced breast cancer. The investigators want to better understand what topics the participant wants their doctors and nurses to address with the participant in clinic, and the investigators want to evaluate whether asking patients to fill out a brief survey about their goals and preferences for care and giving this survey to their clinician before the next visit is a good idea that helps to improve communication and decision-making in breast cancer care.

Enrollment: 45 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 18
• Diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer within the past 3 years
• Receiving care at the MGH Cancer Center
• Verbal and written fluency in English
• Within 6 weeks of a new line of breast cancer therapy and/or progression on scans and/or a change in current breast cancer therapy regimen

Exclusion criteria

• Unwilling or unable to participate in the study
• Is medically or otherwise unable to participate (as determined by a physician or study PI)
• Enrolled in hospice

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

45 participants in 1 patient group

Survey QOL

Experimental group

Description:

* Study participants will be provided with the Individualized Goals of Care Discussion Guide (IGCDG) consisting of a brief pamphlet and the IGCDG questionnaire. * Participants will be asked to complete the IGCDG questionnaire prior to their next visit. * Participants will also complete an 8-week follow-up survey after the clinic visit to evaluate the impact on patient satisfaction with care, communication, and care received.

Treatment:

Other: IGCDG