Previously Funded Research

Ralph Zinner, MD

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University

Research Project:

Increasing Shared Decision Making and Patient Participation in Lung Cancer Clinical Trials

Summary:

(Awarded with Amy Leader, DrPH) Although clinical trials are an option for patients diagnosed with lung cancer, patients often lack of knowledge about clinical trials or have misconceptions about trials. In addition, patients and their caregivers are often overwhelmed when making decisions about treatment. Decision aids (DA) are one way to educate patients about their available options and reduce decisional anxiety. DAs are intended to provide patients with information and clarify their values and preferences regarding important health decisions. Several DAs have been developed to promote participation in clinical trials; however, few have directly targeted enrollment into lung cancer clinical trials. In this study, a trained nurse educator will use a Decision Counseling Program before the patient’s visit with an oncologist. The Decision Counseling Program was developed by Ronald Myers, DSW, PhD, Professor of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University and co-investigator of the study. This program is designed to educate the patient about clinical trials in general and guide them through values and personal preference clarification exercises related to options for their lung cancer. Data collected will improve our understanding of the impact of decision aids on patient knowledge, deliberation related to personal values, preference clarification and decision making related to therapeutic lung cancer clinical trials. Scott Cowan, MD, Associate Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery, is also a co-investigator and will be an integral part of the study through his clinical expertise working with patients with lung cancer.