Communication & Screening Intervention for Lung Cancer

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Randi M Williams, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Georgetown University

Disqualifiers: Lung cancer history

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

368 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve communication between doctors and patients about lung cancer screening. It focuses on helping patients understand their options and encouraging them to complete necessary screenings. Participants will either receive additional communication and educational support (Provider Prompt & Patient Outreach and Education) or continue with usual care. This trial suits current or former smokers aged 50-80 with a significant smoking history who haven't had a lung screening in over a year. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to enhance patient-doctor communication and potentially improve lung cancer screening processes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this intervention is safe?

Studies have shown that using reminders for healthcare providers and reaching out to patients is generally safe. These methods aim to improve understanding and communication about lung cancer screening. In past research, most healthcare providers felt prepared to use tools that assist with decision-making and planning follow-up care. This suggests that both patients and providers are comfortable with the approach.

Reports of serious side effects from these educational and communication strategies are absent. The goal is to raise awareness and encourage lung cancer screenings, which are important for early detection. Since no medications are involved, the risks are minimal and mainly related to the effectiveness of communication, rather than any physical side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores a novel approach to lung cancer screening and communication. Unlike traditional methods that primarily rely on physician-initiated screenings and patient self-advocacy, this trial combines provider prompts with patient outreach and education. This multi-level intervention aims to enhance communication between healthcare providers and patients, potentially leading to earlier detection of lung cancer. By actively involving both parties in the screening process, researchers hope to improve screening rates and ultimately catch lung cancer at a more treatable stage.

What evidence suggests that this multilevel intervention is effective for improving provider-patient communication and lung cancer screening?

This trial will evaluate a multilevel intervention that includes provider prompts and patient outreach and education to improve lung cancer screening rates. Research has shown that better conversations between patients and doctors can increase lung cancer screening rates. Studies indicate that reminders in electronic health records help healthcare providers remember to discuss screenings. One study found these reminders significantly increased lung cancer screenings. Providing patients with more information about the benefits and limits of lung screening also helps. Together, these steps aim to catch lung cancer early, which is important because early detection can lower death rates by 20%. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking individuals aged 50-80 who currently smoke or quit within the last 15 years, have a history of heavy smoking (20+ pack-years), and haven't had lung screening in over 13 months. They must be scheduled for an upcoming clinic appointment and able to consent and complete interviews. Those with a history of lung cancer cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

You have smoked the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes every day for at least 20 years.

I have a clinic appointment scheduled within the next 4 to 8 weeks.

Able and willing to provide meaningful consent and complete telephone interviews

Exclusion Criteria

I have a history of lung cancer.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants and providers engage in a multilevel intervention to address health disparities in lung cancer screening

6 months

Regular visits as per clinic schedule

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for lung cancer screening knowledge, intentions, and completion rates

6 months

1 visit (in-person) at 1-week post-visit, ongoing monitoring

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Provider Prompt & Patient Outreach and Education

Trial Overview The study is examining the effectiveness of two strategies: 'Provider Prompt' which reminds healthcare providers to discuss lung cancer screening, and 'Patient Outreach & Education' aimed at increasing patient knowledge about screening benefits.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Multilevel Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Nonequivalent Control Group Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Georgetown University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

355

Recruited

142,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Lung AIR intervention effectively increased knowledge and reduced fear about lung cancer screening among 292 participants, demonstrating its feasibility as a community-based educational program.

One-on-one phone sessions were particularly effective, leading to greater increases in participants' intention to complete screening compared to in-person group sessions, especially among those with lower income and higher smoking rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adapting Community Educational Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparing the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Lung Cancer Screening Educational Intervention by Mode of Delivery. Bouchard, EG., Saad-Harfouche, FG., Clark, N., et al.[2023]

A study of 101 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients revealed that while most patients (86%) understood their diagnosis and 81% recalled their treatment procedure, only 42% were aware of whether their treatment goal was curative or palliative.

Patient satisfaction with communication was high for diagnosis (83%) and treatment procedure (77%), but significantly lower for treatment goals (53%), indicating a need for improved communication strategies, especially regarding treatment objectives.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physician communication in a lung cancer center--does the message come across? Nehls, W., Gabrijel, S., Kiss, A., et al.[2015]

A randomized trial involving 298 Maryland Tobacco Quitline callers showed that providing lung cancer screening (LCS) education through print materials led to higher engagement (75% read the materials) compared to web-based materials (61.6%).

Despite similar rates of scheduling or completing LCS between the two groups (around 43%), the study highlights that offering educational materials in preferred formats (print or web) can enhance awareness and potentially increase screening rates among eligible individuals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The tobacco quitline setting as a teachable moment: The Educating Quitline Users About Lung (EQUAL) cancer screening randomized trial. Webster, M., Whealan, J., Williams, RM., et al.[2023]

A study involving 276 lung cancer patients revealed that many reported inadequate communication with their physicians on critical topics, such as emotional symptoms (56% reported low communication) and living will preparation (90% reported low communication).

Inadequate communication was consistent across different patient demographics, but Hispanic patients were less likely to report poor communication compared to non-Hispanic whites and blacks, indicating a potential area for improvement in patient care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patients rate physician communication about lung cancer. Nelson, JE., Gay, EB., Berman, AR., et al.[2022]

Tobacco Treatment Specialists (TTSs) currently lack sufficient knowledge about lung cancer screening (LCS) guidelines, which limits their ability to promote screening among patients, despite recognizing its importance.

There is a significant opportunity to enhance LCS awareness through TTSs, who are willing to incorporate LCS education into their practices, indicating a need for targeted training to improve their effectiveness in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Tobacco treatment specialists' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about lung cancer screening: Potential piece of the puzzle for increasing lung cancer screening awareness. Carter-Bawa, L., Kotsen, C., Schofield, E., et al.[2023]

The Cancer Care Summary was developed to enhance communication about lung cancer patients' diagnoses and treatments, ensuring that critical information is shared with healthcare providers across various settings.

So far, 102 patient Summaries have been generated, which are automatically integrated into the electronic health record and made accessible to both providers and patients, demonstrating a sustainable approach to improving cancer care communication.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of a Cancer Care Summary Through the Electronic Health Record. Carr, LL., Zelarney, P., Meadows, S., et al.[2016]

A study involving 49 patients and 36 clinicians revealed a significant gap in perceptions of communication quality after lung cancer screening, with many patients feeling confused and dissatisfied when results were communicated via letter, even for low-risk findings.

Patients who received their results through direct conversations reported higher satisfaction and reduced distress, highlighting the importance of personalized communication in addressing patient concerns and understanding of their screening results.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient vs Clinician Perspectives on Communication About Results of Lung Cancer Screening: A Qualitative Study. Wiener, RS., Clark, JA., Koppelman, E., et al.[2023]

In a study of 200 lung cancer patients, those who received multimodal health education combined with a feedback method experienced significantly shorter postoperative extubation times and quicker recovery to leaving the bed compared to those who received conventional education.

Patients in the observation group also reported higher exercise compliance and greater satisfaction with their care, indicating that this educational approach can enhance recovery and improve psychological well-being after surgery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Multimodal Health Education Combined with the Feedback Method in Perioperative Patients with Lung Cancer: A Randomised Controlled Study. Yuan, Z., Gao, L., Zheng, M., et al.[2023]

In a study of 102 non-small cell lung cancer patients, those who received both oral and written information reported lower satisfaction levels regarding their care, despite having similar quality of life scores compared to those who received only oral information.

The findings suggest that providing additional written information may not enhance patient satisfaction and could even lead to dissatisfaction, indicating a need for further research on how best to inform patients about their condition and treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of information on quality of life and satisfaction of non-small cell lung cancer patients: a randomized study of standardized versus individualized information before thoracic surgery. Barlési, F., Barrau, K., Loundou, A., et al.[2015]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12306795/

Assessing Factors Associated With Patient-Provider ... These discussions are an important opportunity for patients and providers to weigh potential screening benefits (eg, detecting lung cancer early) ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11646683/

Primary care outreach and decision counseling for lung ... Lung cancer screening rates are very low despite a level B recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force since 2013 and clear ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04675476

A Patient and Provider Intervention to Address Health ... To target patient-level knowledge about lung screening, an outreach specialist will educate screening-eligible patients about the benefits and limitations of ...

4. ajpmonline.org ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(23)00241-6/fulltext

Electronic Health Record Prompt to Improve Lung Cancer ... This study shows that implementation of EHR workflow prompts may offer a relatively simple yet highly effective way to increase LDCT screenings ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468294224000625

Assessing Providers' knowledge about and barriers to lung ... In a prior trial of patients considered high-risk for lung cancer, it was found that there was a 20.0 % reduction in mortality rate when screening with low-dose ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12272585/

Provider readiness and implementation barriers for lung ... A majority also expressed readiness to use decision aids (81.6 %), refer patients to screening programs (94.8 %), and follow up on abnormal results (86.6 %).

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05679349

Support and Outreach to Increase Screening for Lung ... This clinical trial tests how well providing education improves screening for lung cancer in patients with a history of smoking. Screenings may help doctors ...

8. bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-23808-8

Facilitators and barriers of lung cancer screening participation Specifically, services that used EHRs prompts compared to those without were more likely to identify eligible patients for LCS (adjusted odds ...