Patient Support Methods for Lung Cancer Screening

Overseen By Indy Li, MS.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Utah

Disqualifiers: Lung cancer, Previous SDM

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve lung cancer screening processes for patients at Community Health Centers in Utah. It employs various methods, including text messages, educational videos, and chatbots (conversational agents), to help patients understand their screening eligibility and guide them through the process. Different groups will test various combinations of these tools to determine the most effective approach. Good candidates for the trial are current or former smokers aged 50 to 80 who are patients at Mountainlands CHCs and can receive text messages. As an unphased trial, this study provides patients the opportunity to contribute to innovative approaches in healthcare.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

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

What prior data suggests that these patient support methods are safe for lung cancer screening?

Research has shown that text messaging programs are generally safe and effective in increasing cancer screening rates. They have moderately succeeded in encouraging screenings for various cancers, including lung cancer, without major side effects.

Studies indicate that conversational agents, a type of automated chatbot, can help patients engage more in their healthcare. These chatbots have been used successfully and safely in medical settings to guide patients and answer questions.

Educational videos are commonly used to help people understand and make decisions about their health. Research supports their effectiveness in teaching about lung cancer screening, with no known safety concerns.

Patient navigation helps patients move through the healthcare system, ensuring they complete necessary screenings and follow-ups. This practice is well-established and safe.

Overall, these methods—text messages, chatbots, educational videos, and patient navigation—are well-tolerated and considered safe. Research has not reported any major safety issues with these approaches. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about these methods for lung cancer screening because they leverage digital tools to enhance patient engagement and navigation. Unlike traditional methods that rely on in-person consultations, these approaches use technology like conversational agents and repeated text messages to reach patients directly on their phones. This can improve accessibility and convenience for patients, potentially increasing screening rates. By offering educational videos and chatbots to answer questions, these methods also aim to empower patients with information, making the screening process less daunting and more transparent.

What evidence suggests that this trial's methods could be effective for increasing lung cancer screening?

This trial will evaluate various patient support methods for lung cancer screening. Research has shown that repeated text messages can slightly increase cancer screening rates. In this trial, one arm will use repeated text messages alone, which effectively identify individuals who should be screened for lung cancer. Another arm will add a conversational agent (chatbot) to answer questions, engaging patients and preparing them for screening. Including an educational video with the text messages, tested in another arm, can improve understanding and help people make informed decisions. Guidance from a patient navigator, whether initiating contact or responding to questions, is also being tested in separate arms and has proven effective in increasing screening completion and supporting patients through the process. These methods work together to make lung cancer screening more accessible and understandable. ^{1 4 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

David Wetter, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Huntsman Cancer Institute/ University of Utah

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

The UG3 Pilot Clinical Trial is for current or former smokers aged 50-80 who are patients at Mountainlands Community Health Centers in Utah. Participants must speak English or Spanish, have a phone capable of receiving texts, and not have opted out of text contact from the clinic.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a current patient at Mountainlands CHCs.

I have a phone that can receive texts.

I have not opted out of text messages from the clinic.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (virtual)

Eligibility Assessment

Patients are assessed for LCS eligibility through digital health interventions and engage in a shared decision-making session

up to 3 months

Multiple virtual interactions

LCS Completion

Telehealth interventions address logistical barriers and hesitancy to complete LCS

up to 3 months

Multiple virtual interactions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for engagement, trustworthiness, acceptability, and usefulness of interventions

up to 3 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Conversational Agent
• Educational Video
• Proactive Patient Navigation
• Reactive Patient Navigation
• Repeated Text Messages

Trial Overview This trial tests a Population Health Management approach to increase lung cancer screening among patients. It includes proactive patient navigation, educational videos, conversational agents, reactive patient navigation, and repeated text messages.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Repeated Text Messages plus a Video (TM+, Video) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Repeated text messages notifying patients that they may be eligible for LCS. In addition to text messages, patients will receive an educational video sent directly to their cell phone.

Group II: Repeated Text Messages plus a Conversational Agent and Video (TM+, CA, Video) Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Repeated text messages notifying patients that they may be eligible for LCS. In addition to text messages, patients will receive an educational video sent directly to the patient's cell phone, along with a conversational agent to answer frequently asked LCS questions. Additionally, patients will receive an educational video sent directly to the patient's cell phone and a chatbot to answer frequently asked LCS questions.

Group III: Repeated Text Messages plus a Conversational Agent (TM+, CA) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Repeated text messages notifying patients that they may be eligible for LCS. In addition to text messages, patients will receive an automated, scripted, and interactive CA.

Group IV: Repeated Text Messages (TM+) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Repeated text messages notifying patients that they may be eligible for Lung Cancer Screening (LCS).

Group V: CA/RPN Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

A conversational agent to answer frequently asked LCS questions. In addition to reactive patient navigation.

Group VI: CA/PPN Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

A conversational agent to answer frequently asked LCS questions. In addition to proactive patient navigation.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Utah

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,169

Recruited

1,623,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7066861/

Patient navigation for lung cancer screening in an urban ... This pragmatic trial will determine the effect of patient-focused, telephone-based patient navigation on adherence to CT-based lung cancer screening in an urban ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2347562525000940

Interventions targeted to improve lung cancer screening ... Subgroup analysis results revealed that patient navigation was effective in improving LCS uptake. Key components of patient navigation included identifying ...

3. lungcancerpolicynetwork.com lungcancerpolicynetwork.com/app/uploads/Patient-navigation-for-lung-cancer-an-essential-component-of-care.pdf

Patient navigation for lung cancer: an essential component ... 1 Earlier detection leads to the best outcomes; but even when lung cancer is diagnosed early, the next steps of care can be complicated due to access issues, ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12508303/

A Qualitative Evaluation of Factors Influencing the Lung ... Lung cancer screening program navigators improve adherence and patient experience. However, little is known about how navigators improve program ...

5. hsrd.research.va.gov hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/sdm-lung-cancer.pdf

Shared Decision-Making for Lung Cancer Screening ▻ A wide range of lung cancer screening (LCS) communication strategies and tools were studied across settings/encounters, approaches, and ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169500225003769

Identifying and exploring patient engagement interventions ... This is the first study to synthesise engagement interventions in lung cancer. A range of interventions were identified showing improvements in several ...

7. cancer.jmir.org cancer.jmir.org/2021/4/e27850/

Chatbot for Health Care and Oncology Applications Using ... This review article aims to report on the recent advances and current trends in chatbot technology in medicine.

8. accc-cancer.org accc-cancer.org/docs/projects/pdf/patient-navigation-guide.pdf

Cancer Care Patient Navigation Over the past decade, patient navigation services have been emerging as an important strategy for enhancing patient access to the full continuum of cancer care ...