How social connections shape care choices for older adults with advanced cancer
Official title: Pathways to Resilience of Social Networks of Older Adults with Advanced Cancer
Funded at University of Rochester · NIH-11193926 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the people in an older adult's life and the quality of those relationships affect having serious illness conversations, completing advance care plans, and using palliative care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $750,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA295130-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193926 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people aged 65 or older with advanced cancer and an estimated survival under 12 months who can answer questions about their social relationships and health care choices.
✕Less likely to help
People younger than 65, those without advanced cancer, or those unable to participate in interviews (for example due to severe cognitive impairment) are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
You would be asked about the people who support you—who they are, how close you feel, and what kinds of help they provide—so researchers can map your social network. The team will link those network features (size, who is in your inner circle, types of support, and relationship quality) to whether you have conversations about end-of-life wishes, complete advance care planning, or engage with palliative care. They will collect information through interviews, questionnaires, and medical record data over time to see which social patterns help or hinder these actions. The goal is to learn practical ways families and care teams can support better end-of-life decision making and quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help patients get more timely family support, clearer conversations about wishes, and earlier access to palliative care that matches their goals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show social support and family conversations can improve advance care planning and palliative care use, but applying detailed social network mapping to older adults with advanced cancer is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
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University of Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mohile, Supriya G. — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Mohile, Supriya G.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping Advanced Cancer Patients and Families Plan Ahead with a Resilience-Building Web Program
A web-based resilience program is being tested to help people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers have meaningful conversations and complete advance directives.
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Web program to help people with advanced cancer and their caregivers talk about future medical wishes
This project tries a web-based resilience program to help adults with advanced cancer and their family caregivers talk about future care and complete advance directives.
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Paths to resilience through social networks for older adults with advanced cancer
This grant looks at how the people and relationships around older adults with advanced cancer help shape their health choices and use of care near the end of life.
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Understanding how social networks help older adults with advanced cancer
This study is looking at how the friendships and support systems of older adults with advanced cancer can help them make important health decisions and improve their quality of life.
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Helping advanced cancer patients and their families plan for future care
This study is testing a friendly online program to help people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers feel stronger and more confident in making important medical decisions together.
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Helping adolescents and young adults with advanced cancer manage stress and build resilience
This study is testing a supportive program called PRISM for young people with advanced cancer, which includes personal sessions to help them manage stress and set goals, along with a family meeting to talk about their needs, all aimed at improving their well-being during this tough time.
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.