Cancerify Logo
Log inSign up
Back to clinical trials
RecruitingInterventional

Hybrid Type I Effectiveness-Implementation Cluster Randomized Trial of CARES

NCT ID: NCT07183527Sponsor: University of PittsburghLast updated: 2025-09-19

Summary

The trial will examine the effectiveness and facilitators and barriers of implementation of CARES, an integrated screening and stepped collaborative care intervention

Detailed description

Over 18 million Americans are living with cancer. Half of them report clinically significant levels of depression, pain, and/or fatigue. According to the NIH consensus statement, these are the three most common and distressing cancer-related symptoms. These symptoms lead to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cancer-related treatment adherence, higher unplanned health care utilization and costs, and reduced life expectancy. Investigators observed in a trial of CARES, an integrated screening and stepped collaborative care intervention, that 75% versus 4% of participants initiated treatment when compared to standard of care. Improvements in HRQoL and reductions in pain, depression, fatigue, emergency room visits, readmissions to the hospital, and length of stay in the hospital were observed. The cost savings to the health care system was $17,085 per patient per year when compared to standard of care. The overarching objective of the proposed study is to move CARES from research to routine clinical care. Investigators plans to test the effectiveness of CARES in a pragmatic trial or "real world" setting. An implementation-focused process evaluation of participant and clinician engagement with CARES guided by the RE-AIM framework will also be performed. Finally, to prepare to disseminate the intervention, a full cost-effectiveness analysis of CARES will be conducted.

Arms & interventions

  • BehavioralCARES

    Integrated screening and stepped collaborative care

  • BehavioralStandard of Care (SOC)

    Screening and referral of patient to provider in the community or cancer center

Outcome measures

Primary

  • Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General

    Health Related Quality of Life. A total score (0-108) and subscales scores (0-24 or 0-28) with a higher score reflecting a better quality of life

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 6 months

  • Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General

    Health Related Quality of Life. A total score (0-108) and subscales scores (0-24 or 0-28) with a higher score reflecting a better quality of life

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months outcome will be a measure of maintenance of benefits.

Secondary

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The primary outcome will be at 6-months.

  • Brief Pain Inventory.

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The primary outcome will be from baseline to 6-months

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The primary time point is from baseline to 6 months.

  • FACIT Fatigue

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months. The primary time point will be 6 months.

  • PROMIS Depression

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months. The primary time point is 6 months. The questionnaire will be used for treatment response 0-24 weeks (every 4 weeks).

  • PROMIS Anxiety

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months.

  • Fatigue Assessment Scale

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 6 months. The questionnaire will also be used for treatment response 0-24 weeks (every 4 weeks).

  • Pain Visual Analog Scale

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months. The 6 month time point is primary. The questionnaire will also be used for treatment response 0-24 weeks (every 4 weeks) and then for the booster session at the end of treatment up until 12 months.

  • Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 6-months.

  • Interpersonal Support Evaluation List

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 6-months.

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The 12 months outcome will be a measure of maintenance of benefits.

  • Brief Pain Inventory.

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The 12 month PEG score will reflect maintenance of treatment.

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder -7

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months. The 12 months time point will assess maintenance of change.

  • FACIT Fatigue

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months time point will reflect maintenance of change in fatigue.

  • COST

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point will be at 12 months.

  • Cost Coping

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point will be 12 months.

  • EQ 5D 5L (this is the title of the instrument there is no non abbreviated title)

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 12 months.

  • Cost Assessment

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 12 months.

  • PROMIS Depression

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 month time point will be used to assess maintenance of change.

  • PROMIS Anxiety

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months time point is to assess maintenace of change.

  • Fatigue Assessment Scale

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months time point will assess maintenance of change.

  • Pain Visual Analog Scale

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months time point is to assess maintenance of change.

  • Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12 months time point is to assess maintenance of change.

  • Interpersonal Support Evaluation List

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The 12-month time point will assess maintenance of change

  • Activity Based Costs

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 12 months.

  • Adherence to outpatient appointment

    Time frame: Enrollment to the end of study for participant (12 months). The primary time point is 12 months.

  • Complications

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months

  • Length of Stay in the Hospital

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months

  • Emergency Room Visits

    Time frame: 12 months

  • 30-day readmissions

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months

  • 90-day readmission

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 months

  • PROMIS Fatigue

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months

  • PROMIS Fatigue

    Time frame: Screening to baseline and baseline to 12 months

Eligibility criteria

Sex: AllAge: 18 Years and olderHealthy volunteers: No
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Cancer * Age 18 years or older * Read and write in English Exclusion Criteria: * Evidence of thought disorder * Evidence of delusions * Evidence of hallucinations * Evidence of suicidal ideation with a plan

Study locations (1)

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Cancer Center

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213

Recruiting
Jennifer L Steel, PhD · Contact
Hybrid Type I Effectiveness-implementation Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of CARES | Cancerify