Text -Based Depression Screening Among Cancer Survivors (OASIS1)

Evaluation of a Text Message-Based Approach to Depression Screening Among Cancer Survivors

Depression is common among cancer survivors, but current screening methods are not always effective. To help improve depression screening for cancer survivors, this study will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 60 participants. The goal is to evaluate whether a text message-based approach to depression screening is feasible, acceptable, and potentially more effective than the current standard of care.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Cancer; Cancer Survivor; Depression Secondary to Other Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Text-based depression screening; Behavioral: Usual care (UC)

Detailed Description

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a text message-based depression screening approach for cancer survivors. A total of 60 adult cancer survivors will be enrolled and randomly assigned to either the text message intervention or the usual care depression screening. The intervention involves sending text messages one week before scheduled oncology appointments, inviting participants to complete a depression screening using the PHQ-2, followed by the PHQ-9 for those who screen positive.

The study will assess the feasibility of implementing text message-based screenings, participant acceptability, and compare the efficacy of this method to traditional in-person depression screenings during clinical visits. The primary outcome is feasibility, measured by the proportion of participants completing the screening via text, while secondary outcomes will include acceptability (assessed through participant surveys) and preliminary efficacy (measured by screening completion rates and depression detection).

Eligible participants will be English-speaking cancer survivors aged 18 or older with an upcoming oncology appointment at the Hollings Cancer Center or associated clinics. The study aims to improve current depression screening methods and address challenges such as logistical and system-level barriers in screening cancer survivors for depression.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • South Carolina
    • Charleston, South Carolina, United States, 29425
      • Medical University of South Carolina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• age > 18 years
• diagnosis of cancer
• upcoming appointment in an HCC or HCN oncology clinic within 14 days
• English proficiency
• ownership of a cellphone with SMS text capability.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Usual Care	Behavioral: Usual care (UC); Usual care (UC) will consist of in-person assessment of depression using a validated brief screening tool (e.g., PHQ-2) synchronous with a clinical encounter with the outpatient oncology team. Although the person completing the screening (e.g., nurse, medical assistant) and other workflow may vary slightly across settings, the 2-items are generally presented orally to the patient during routine intake for a clinical encounter and entered into the EHR. Patients who screen positive will be asked to complete the full PHQ-9.
Experimental: Text-Based Depression Screening	Behavioral: Text-based depression screening; Starting 1 week prior to the scheduled clinic appointment, patients will receive a text message invitation from HCC to complete depression screening. Participants will be asked to click to continue to the screening PHQ-2. For text message screening cadence, reminder texts will be sent daily for 3 days. Those who screen positive (PHQ-2 >/= 3) will complete the remainder of the items (i.e., PHQ-9).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Study Feasibility	>/= 1 response to a text message	2 weeks after randomization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptability	acceptability will be rated on a likert scale form 0-5 with higher scores representing greater acceptability	2 weeks
Depression screening	completion of PHQ-2 (Y/N)	2 weeks
PHQ-2 score	The PHQ-2 is a validated 2-item measure of depression screening that is widely used among patients with cancer. The PHQ-2 score ranges from 0 to 6. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms; a PHQ-2 score of ≥ 3 is considered a positive screening.	2 weeks
PHQ-9 score	Participants who screen positive for elevated depressive symptoms on the PHQ-2 (i.e, > 3) will complete the PHQ-9, a validated 9-item measure of depression. The PHQ-9 has high sensitivity and specificity for identifying individuals with depressive symptoms, particularly among cancer survivors. The PHQ-9 score ranges from 0 to 27; higher scores represent more severe depressive symptoms. A PHQ-9 score of ≥ 8 indicates clinically significant elevated depressive symptoms among patients with cancer.	2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Evan Graboyes, MD, MPH, FACS, Medical University of South Carolina

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 5, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 29, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 6, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 4, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mobile Health; Cancer Survivorship; Depression Screening; Text Message Screening
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Behavioral Symptoms; Mood Disorders; Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: 00142039; FD006/CC001335/FN09 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Hollings Cancer Center)

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No