Mobile app program to help cancer patients cope
Official title: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Mobile App for Coping With Cancer
Run by Yale University · NCT06923501 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A mobile app program called Tools for Coping with Cancer Calm Health is being tested to see if it helps adults with a cancer history feel better and cope with distress.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Yale University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New Haven, Connecticut) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 11, 2026 |
| Main results expected | June 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | October 1, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | June 15, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06923501 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (18+) with a confirmed cancer diagnosis or treated for cancer within the last two years, who can read English and use a mobile app.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not experience improved mood or coping, or who have conditions requiring in-person mental health care, may not experience a benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a prospective pilot study to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a 13-session self-management program within the Calm Health mobile app for adults with cancer or recent cancer treatment. Participants use the app at home for 8 weeks and complete mood, quality of life, coping, and app experience questionnaires at baseline, after 8 weeks, and 3 months later. Outcomes focus on feasibility and acceptability, as well as preliminary changes in mood, quality of life, psychological flexibility, and adaptive coping. The study is led by Yale University and conducted at Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, CT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could provide an accessible, self-paced way to improve mood and quality of life for people with cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other mobile-app–based coping and self-management tools have shown potential benefits in similar populations, but this exact program is being evaluated for feasibility and early outcomes.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study (8 weeks active intervention and 3-month follow up) * Have a confirmed diagnosis of cancer; or have been treated for cancer within the last two years, including adjuvant therapies * Over the age of 18 * Able to understand and read English * Able to navigate a mobile app with minimal assistance from study staff * Able to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Are taking part in psychotherapy at any time during the study * Have an un-treated or under-treated mental health disorder based on pre-study screening that may require a referral to individual mental health care.
Where it's running
-
Smilow Cancer Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Gabriel Cartagena, PhD — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Gabriel Cartagena, PhD
- Email: gabriel.cartagena@yale.edu
- Phone: 516-855-8539
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.