Second Opinions in Oncology

Examining the Decision-Making Process and Characteristics of Cancer Patients Who Sought Second Opinions at the University of Colorado

The long-time goal is to understand what decision-making process and patient characteristics factor into a patient deciding to stay with their initial physician versus seeking treatment with a second opinion.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Pancreatic Cancer

Detailed Description

The long-time goal is to understand what decision-making process and patient characteristics factor into a patient deciding to stay with their initial physician versus seeking treatment with a second opinion. To do this, the PI will examine the second opinion retention rates and patient characteristics of three distinct populations: breast cancer patients, pancreatic cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients. The study team hypothesize the majority of breast cancer and colorectal cancer patients who seek a second opinion at the University of Colorado, will preferentially choose to return to their first provider, whereas patients with pancreatic cancer who seek a second opinion at the sponsor's institution will be more likely to go on to receive care at the University of Colorado. The PI predicts the difference in second opinion retention rates between these three populations is due to the ability of the second opinion pancreatic cancer provider's ability to offer more treatment or a different treatment plan at the sponsor institution relative to the patient's first provider. The study team also predict that socioeconomic status and education will have a positive correlation with changing to with a second opinion physician whereas geographic distance and treatment plan similarity will have a negative correlation. The study team will assess this hypothesis by conducting a retrospective cohort study of breast, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer patients who received a second opinion at the University of Colorado. From this cohort, the study team will identify patients who both received their care at the sponsor institution and patients who returned to their initial provider to receive care. The study team will invite these patients to participate in semi-structured interviews to better understand how and why the patient made their treatment decisions.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 236

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
      • University of Colorado Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Cancer patients who are 18 years of age or older who received a second opinion at the University of Colorado will be included in the retrospective chart review and analysis. A subset of these patients will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cancer patients who are 18 years of age or older who received a second opinion at the University of Colorado.
• A subset of these patients will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients under the age of 18.
• Patients who did not receive a second opinion at the University of Colorado.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Retrospective Chart Review Patients; The PI will conduct a retrospective chart review of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer patients to better understand the patient, disease, and treatment characteristics that play a role in second opinion retention rates.
Semi-structure Interview Patients; The PI will conduct semi-structured interviews with breast cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer patients to better understand the decision-making process that goes into continued care with their primary or second opinion physician.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Second opinion retention rates for cancer patients at University of Colorado	a. The study team will perform a retrospective chart review to identify patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer or pancreatic cancer who were seen by a surgeon at the University of Colorado for a second opinion and to examine whether or not the subject stayed at the Cancer Center to receive cancer care. The study team predict the second opinion retention rate - the percent of patients who received a second opinion at the Cancer Center and ultimately received care at this institution - will be significantly higher for pancreatic cancer patients than for breast and colorectal cancer patients.	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Univariate statistical analysis affecting second opinion retention rates	a. The study team will perform univariate analysis on patient, disease, and treatment characteristics for the second opinion patients who did and did not receive cancer care at this institution to identify factors associated with high and low second opinion retention rates. The study team hypothesize patient factors (socioeconomic status, education, and geographic distance), disease factors (more advanced disease or less common tumor subtypes), and treatment factors (offering more or different treatment) will affect the second opinion retention rates for breast and pancreatic cancer patients.	12 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient opinions on decision making process through semi-structure interviews	a. The study team will identify patients who both received their care at the second opinion institution and patients who returned to the initial provider to receive care. The study team will invite these patients to participate in semi-structured interviews to better understand how and why treatment decisions were made.	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sarah Tevis, Colorado Research Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 14, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 2, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): May 10, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 19, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 19, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): November 1, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 3, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 2, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Endocrine System Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Intestinal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Intestinal Neoplasms; Rectal Diseases; Endocrine Gland Neoplasms; Pancreatic Diseases; Colonic Diseases; Skin Diseases; Breast Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Colorectal Neoplasms; Breast Neoplasms; Pancreatic Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: 21-3100.cc

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No