Brief Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Advanced Cancer Patients Receiving Homecare
Official title: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Brief Meaning Centered Psychotherapy for Patients with Advanced Cancer Receiving Homecare
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11427905 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A practical study tests a short, meaning-centered talk therapy delivered by home health nurses to reduce distress in people with advanced cancer who get home care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $757,740 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA315610-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11427905 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced cancer who receive home health services and are experiencing emotional distress and existential suffering.
✕Less likely to help
Those without significant distress or who are not engaged with home health services may derive little or no benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a brief form of Meaning Centered Psychotherapy that could be delivered by frontline home health nurses to patients with advanced cancer who are homebound. The approach aims to alleviate depression, anxiety, and existential distress, improving quality of life. Nurses would receive training to provide this evidence-based psychosocial care in patients' homes, addressing barriers to traditional mental health services. The study will measure changes in mood, distress, and sense of meaning over time, using a pragmatic randomized design in real-world home care settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience less depression and anxiety and a greater sense of meaning, dignity, and quality of life during advanced illness.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials of Meaning Centered Psychotherapy show benefits in related cancer populations, but this pragmatic homecare delivery approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saracino, Rebecca — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Saracino, Rebecca
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.