Understanding why patients with advanced cancer feel obliged to continue disease-directed treatment
Official title: Patient Obligation to Fight Poor Prognosis Cancer
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11365732 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Many patients with advanced cancer receive harsh treatments at the end of life due to perceived social pressures, even when benefits are unlikely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $599,978 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303291-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365732 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced, poor-prognosis cancer who report or are experiencing perceived social obligations to pursue disease-directed treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without strong perceived social obligations or with different priorities may not experience the same effects.
What this research studies
This project follows patients with advanced, poor-prognosis cancer to explore how feelings of social obligation influence their treatment choices and well-being over time. Researchers will collect patient-reported outcomes and health-service data to see how perceived obligation relates to peace, emotional struggle, and end-of-life readiness, as well as hospitalizations. The study builds on prior pilot data and will track 315 participants for several months to understand these dynamics in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help clinicians and families support patients in making care choices that align with their values and reduce unwanted aggressive treatments at the end of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior pilot data showed a link between perceived social obligations and worse patient-reported outcomes, suggesting this area is promising but still under investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: George, Login — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: George, Login
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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.