60 Participants Needed

Early Psychiatric Referral for Sarcoma

Recruiting at 8 trial locations
MB
YA
Overseen ByYesne Alici, MD
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how early access to mental healthcare might improve mental health and quality of life for individuals with sarcoma, a cancer affecting bones or soft tissues, who are undergoing surgery. It compares two groups: one receives early psychiatric referrals, while the other does not. Researchers aim to determine if early mental health support can reduce depression and anxiety and improve overall patient satisfaction after surgery. Participants should have a confirmed or highly suspected diagnosis of sarcoma and plan to undergo surgery at MSK for their condition. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to contribute to important research that could enhance mental healthcare for future sarcoma patients.

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. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that early psychiatric referral is safe for patients undergoing surgery for musculoskeletal sarcoma?

Research has shown that early psychiatric referrals are usually safe for patients. For example, one study found that psychiatric consultations helped in 42.1% of visits to a general hospital's emergency room. This indicates that many patients benefit from these services without major problems. Additionally, the studies reviewed do not provide strong evidence of serious negative effects directly caused by psychiatric referrals. While some patients might feel stressed about the consultations, most handle the process well. Therefore, for those considering joining a trial involving early psychiatric care, research suggests it is generally safe.12345

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores the impact of early psychiatric referral on the mental health and quality of life for people with sarcoma, a type of cancer. Unlike traditional approaches that primarily focus on physical treatment, this trial considers the psychological well-being of patients as a crucial component of care. By potentially integrating mental health support early in the treatment process, this approach could lead to more comprehensive care, improving both mental and physical outcomes for patients. This could represent a shift in how we think about cancer treatment, emphasizing the importance of treating the whole person, not just the disease.

What evidence suggests that early psychiatric referral is effective for mental health during sarcoma treatment?

This trial will compare the effects of early psychiatric referral with no referral for participants undergoing sarcoma treatment. Research has shown that early psychiatric help can improve mental health. For example, studies have found that early treatment can enhance social and mental functioning and reduce the risk of serious mental health issues. One study found psychiatric evaluations in hospitals effective in 42.1% of cases. Early treatment programs have also succeeded in conditions like first-time psychosis. While this trial focuses on mental health during sarcoma treatment, these findings suggest that early psychiatric care could help manage depression and anxiety for those undergoing surgery.46789

Who Is on the Research Team?

MB

Meredith Bartelstein, MD

Principal Investigator

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Inclusion Criteria

You have been diagnosed with a specific type of cancer in your bones or soft tissues.
Currently seeing an orthopedic surgeon.
You have not received any treatment for sarcoma before.
See 3 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive early psychiatric referral or no referral during sarcoma treatment

Varies
Regular visits as per study protocol

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for depression, anxiety, and postoperative outcomes

2 years

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Referral to MSK Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

How Is the Trial Designed?

2

Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Early Psychiatric ReferralExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Group II: No ReferralActive Control1 Intervention

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,998
Recruited
602,000+

Citations

Telephone-Based Psychiatric Referral-Care Management ...

This study examined the effectiveness of a telephone-based referral-care management (TBR-CM) intervention on psychiatric health outcomes.

Early interventions for first onset of symptoms of mental ...

The referral-based intervention for youth demonstrated improvements in social and psychiatric functioning, a reduced risk of clinically ...

Effectiveness of General Practitioner Referral Versus Self ...

Conclusions: Self-referral to guided ICBT for depression and PD appears to yield greater treatment outcomes compared to GP referrals. We found ...

Psychiatric referrals to the general hospital emergency ...

Results: A total of 2,136 visits included a psychiatric examination, 900 (42.1%) were determined “effective,” and 1,227 (57.4%) were deemed “ ...

Access and Health System Impact of an Early Intervention ...

Early intervention programs are effective for improving outcomes in first-episode psychosis; however, less is known about their effectiveness for mood and ...

Increasing referrals to emergency department for psychiatric ...

Severe triage presentation and being brought by ambulance increased the risk of primary and secondary outcomes. Psychiatric consultation (1.77% to 3.64%), ...

Characteristics of Patients Who Attended Behavioral ...

Financial security was associated with better attendance at the first specialty behavioral health appointment after referral from primary care.

The development of early warning scores or alerting systems ...

One Canadian study demonstrated that of the patients hospitalized at a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, 23.2% were secluded (with or without ...

Risk factors of involuntary referral by police to ER ...

Data on 6378 patients aged ≥20 years were used in this study, including 164 patients who were involuntarily referred to the ER by the police and 6214 patients ...