Helping Older Adults Make Personalized Cancer Screening Choices
Research and mentoring program in shared decision making in the care of older adults
This research helps older adults and their doctors make personalized decisions about cancer screening, considering what's best for each person.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11063969 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many adults over 75 years old receive cancer screenings, but the benefits for this age group are often unclear, and these screenings can sometimes lead to anxiety or unnecessary procedures. This work aims to improve how older adults and their doctors discuss cancer screening options. We plan to develop better ways to estimate an older adult's long-term health outlook and predict their risk for late-life cancer. Additionally, we will create special tools to help older adults make more informed decisions about screening that align with their personal values and preferences.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is most relevant for adults over 75 years old who are considering cancer screening.
Not a fit: Patients who are not older adults or who are not facing cancer screening decisions may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more personalized and appropriate cancer screening decisions for older adults, potentially reducing unnecessary procedures and anxiety.
How similar studies have performed: Shared decision-making has been shown to improve patient care and satisfaction in other medical areas, and this work applies those principles to cancer screening for older adults.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schonberg, Mara a — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Schonberg, Mara a
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 below.