Impact of Physician Behavior on Cancer Distress

This evaluates the impact of physician behaviors and other factors experienced during radiation treatment influence distress levels in cancer patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Malignant Solid Neoplasm; Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Non-Interventional Study

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 5000

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Clinical Trials Referral Office; Phone Number: 855-776-0015; Email: mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
      • Recruiting
      • Mayo Clinic in Rochester
      • Contact: Clinical Trials Referral Office; Phone Number: 855-776-0015; Email: mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu
      • Principal Investigator: May Elbanna, MB, BCh, PhD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Cancer patients who are undergoing or have completed radiation therapy within the last month at Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (age 18+ years old)
• Must have a diagnosis of neoplasm
• Must be actively undergoing radiation therapy (RT) or have completed RT within the last month at Mayo Clinic in Rochester
• Able to read and write in English
• Must have email and Mayo Clinic patient portal access

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who have not yet started RT
• Patients who have been seen in consultation but not recommended for radiation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Observational; Patients complete a survey and have their medical records reviewed on study. Patients who score a 7 or higher on the NCCN distress thermometer receive distress management patient education materials and recommendation to follow up with their care team.	Other: Non-Interventional Study; Non-interventional study; Other Names: Non-Interventional Observational Study; Noninterventional (Observational) Study

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Explore what physician behaviors contribute to patients' cancer distress	Participants will indicate levels of distress on an 11-point Likert scale (10=extreme distress; 0=no distress). Physician behaviors that contribute to patients' cancer distress (as reported by patients) will be assessed using a free-text question. Topics and contextual factors will be identified by searching for themes with a thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics will be utilized to broadly analyze results. Data will initially be analyzed in its entirety. Subgroup analyses will then be done for patients who have vs have not experienced clinically significant distress (past or current score of 4+ on the distress thermometer). Additional subgroup analyses may be conducted depending on response.	Baseline (at enrollment)
Explore what physician behaviors lessen patients' cancer distress	Participants will indicate levels of distress on an 11-point Likert scale (10=extreme distress; 0=no distress). Physician behaviors that lessen patients' cancer distress (as reported by patients) will be assessed using a free-text question. Topics and contextual factors will be identified by searching for themes with a thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics will be utilized to broadly analyze results. Data will initially be analyzed in its entirety. Subgroup analyses will then be done for patients who have vs have not experienced clinically significant distress (past or current score of 4+ on the distress thermometer). Additional subgroup analyses may be conducted depending on response.	Baseline (at enrollment)
Explore how non-physician factors in the patient care experience contribute to patients' cancer distress	Participants will indicate levels of distress on an 11-point Likert scale (10=extreme distress; 0=no distress). Other factors that contribute to patients' cancer distress (as reported by patients) will be assessed using a free-text question. Topics and contextual factors will be identified by searching for themes with a thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics will be utilized to broadly analyze results. Data will initially be analyzed in its entirety. Subgroup analyses will then be done for patients who have vs have not experienced clinically significant distress (past or current score of 4+ on the distress thermometer). Additional subgroup analyses may be conducted depending on response.	Baseline (at enrollment)
Explore how non-physician factors in the patient care experience lessen patients' cancer distress	Participants will indicate levels of distress on an 11-point Likert scale (10=extreme distress; 0=no distress). Other factors that lessen patients' cancer distress (as reported by patients) will be assessed using a free-text question. Topics and contextual factors will be identified by searching for themes with a thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics will be utilized to broadly analyze results. Data will initially be analyzed in its entirety. Subgroup analyses will then be done for patients who have vs have not experienced clinically significant distress (past or current score of 4+ on the distress thermometer). Additional subgroup analyses may be conducted depending on response.	Baseline (at enrollment)
Patient ratings of preference for physician-initiated conversations	Patient ratings of preference for physician-initiated conversations on five sensitive topics: mental health, sexual health, financial health, cancer survival and mortality/prognosis, and personal relationship dynamics will be assessed using a study-specific survey. Responses are recorded on a Likert scale of 0-10 where 0=not at all and 10=very much so. Descriptive statistics will be utilized to analyze results.	Baseline (at enrollment)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: May Elbanna, MB, BCh, PhD, Mayo Clinic

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 24, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2030

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: ROR2503; NCI-2025-09164 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program)); 24-011548 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic)

Drug and device information, study documents

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