Recruiting

A Study of Mental Health Care in People With Cancer

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.

ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT06037954

PhaseNA

Enrollment130

SponsorMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Age65 Years

SexALL

I'm interested View official listing

Conditions studied

Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer

About this study

Interventions

Other: Questionnaires — Patient demographic characteristics, Clinical variables, Cornell Service Index-Short Form (CSI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale-7 (GAD-7), Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), Intention to Seek Help Scale, Health Beliefs about Mental Illness Instrument (HBMII) - Emotional/Nervous Severity Scale, Health Beliefs about Mental Illness Instrument (HBMII) - Emotional/Nervous Benefits Scale, Barriers to Mental Health Services Scale-Revised, Cues to action, Self-Efficacy to Seek Mental Health Care (SE-SMHC)
Other: Interviews — Interviews will be conducted by the qualitative methods specialist and trained study staff and will last 30-45 minutes.
Other: 30-minute telephone or videoconference sessions — 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. The five components are: 1. Provide education about depression and treatment options 2. Identify treatment preferences and a personal goal achievable with mental health care 3. Assess barriers to treatment initiation 4. Recommend a referral using standardized referral options 5. Address barriers to accessing care

Primary outcomes

Refusal rates (2 years)
Attrition rates (2 years)

Eligibility information

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

Study locations

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 United States

Before you participate: Varda Clinical is an independent discovery tool, not the study sponsor or a medical provider. Eligibility can only be determined by the official study team. Discuss potential risks and benefits with a qualified healthcare professional.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.