Improving communication for breast cancer treatment decisions

Improving Patient-Centered Communication in Breast Cancer: A RCT of a Shared Decision Engagement System (ShaDES)

NIH-funded research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-10796769

This study is testing a new tool to help breast cancer patients make better decisions about their treatment by providing emotional support and guidance, and it's designed for people who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Ann Arbor, United States)
Project IDNIH-10796769 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing patient-centered communication for individuals diagnosed with breast cancer. It aims to develop and evaluate a shared decision engagement system (ShaDES) that helps patients navigate the complexities of treatment options and emotional challenges associated with their diagnosis. By integrating an emotional support tool with a clinician dashboard, the study seeks to improve the decision-making process for patients and their healthcare providers. The project will involve 700 newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients across 25 surgical oncology practices, utilizing a randomized controlled trial approach to assess the effectiveness of this system.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients who are facing treatment decisions.

Not a fit: Patients who are not newly diagnosed or those who do not require treatment decisions may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved decision-making experiences and outcomes for breast cancer patients.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that patient-centered communication tools can significantly enhance decision-making processes in healthcare settings.

Where this research is happening

Ann Arbor, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast CancerCancersneoplasm/cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.