Honest, personalized conversations about prognosis for young people with cancer
Revealing Information Genuinely & Honestly Across Time - Communication Preferences Visit (RIGHTimeCPV) Pilot
This program tests a step-by-step way to help teens and young adults (ages 12–25) with poor-prognosis cancer and their caregivers share and record how they want doctors to talk about the future.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 85 (estimated) |
| Ages | 12 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Memphis, Tennessee) |
| Trial ID | NCT06993688 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
RIGHTimeCPV is a feasibility and acceptability intervention that asks patients, caregivers, and clinicians to identify and document individualized preferences for prognostic communication and then integrate those preferences into routine disease-evaluation visits. The intervention uses a five-part process in which a patient or parent selects a communication preferences companion (CPC), the CPC reviews materials and a conversation guide with research staff, conducts a templated CPV visit with the patient/parent (audio-recorded), discusses the documented preferences with the oncologist, and then attends the next re-evaluation visit with the oncologist and patient/parent. Data collection includes demographics at enrollment and audio-recorded encounters during training and CPV visits, with follow-up to explore sustained clinician practice and effects on communication quality and prognostic concordance. The trial plans to enroll roughly 52–85 participants across St. Jude and affiliate sites including patients, parents, CPCs, and pediatric oncologists.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients aged 12–25 with a poor-prognosis cancer (estimated overall survival ≤50% by a pediatric oncologist) who are expected to have one or more disease re-evaluations in the next six months, plus their caregivers and participating pediatric oncologists at the listed sites.
Not a fit: Patients who are expected to approach end of life within the next three months, who are not treated at a participating site, or who decline a communication companion are unlikely to receive benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make conversations about prognosis clearer and more closely aligned with patient and family wishes, improving understanding and trust between families and clinicians.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work on communication training and preference elicitation in oncology has improved communication quality, but the use of a designated communication preferences companion with templated, audio-recorded CPV encounters is a novel approach with limited prior testing.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Patients * Aged 12-25 years diagnosed with poor prognosis cancer (high risk or otherwise difficult to treat cancers), as defined by a pediatric oncologist estimating odds of overall survival as 50% or less * Anticipated by a pediatric oncologist to have one or more disease re-evaluation timepoints over the next six months * Not anticipated by a pediatric oncologist to approach end of life in the next three months Inclusion Criteria: Parents/Caregivers * Aged 18 years or older and/or legally emancipated * Parent or other self-identified caregiver of a patient of any age with poor prognosis cancer (as defined above) Inclusion Criteria: Oncologists * Pediatric oncologists who treat eligible patients/caregivers at the study site, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH) or its included affiliates: * Peoria, IL: The Jim and Trudy Maloof St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Clinic * Charlotte, NC: Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital * Shreveport, LA: Ochsner LSU Health-Feist-Weiller Cancer Center Inclusion Criteria: Communication Preferences Companions (CPCs) * Multidisciplinary clinicians from a participant's psychosocial or nursing care team, identified by that participant to serve as their 'communication preferences companion' (CPC) during the pilot * Provides clinical care to pediatric cancer patients under the auspices of psychology, social work, spiritual care, child life, cultural navigation, quality of life/palliative care, or nursing Exclusion Criteria: * Does not meet the stated inclusion criteria
Where this trial is running
Memphis, Tennessee
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Memphis, Tennessee, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Erica C. Kaye, MD, MPH — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Erica C. Kaye, MD, MPH
- Email: referralinfo@stjude.org
- Phone: 866-278-5833
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.