One-time 60-minute counseling session to reduce depression, anxiety, and distress in people with breast cancer

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

The intervention delivers a single, 60-minute counseling session (Single Counseling Session for Cancer) plus an American Cancer Society booklet to adults with breast cancer who are on a waitlist for MSK outpatient psychotherapy. Participants are female, age 18 or older, English-speaking, living in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, and without active suicidal ideation or major psychiatric instability. The study measures changes in psychosocial distress, anxiety and depression symptoms, and quality of life, and also tracks feasibility and acceptability of the one-session program. Sessions are audio-recorded for fidelity and the intervention is completed before participants begin routine Counseling Center care.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patient must have pathologically confirmed cancer (per EMR).
* Patient with localized or advanced cancer (per EMR).
* Patient is on a waitlist of at least 2 weeks or more for MSK Counseling Center intake and will not complete a New Visit with a clinical psychologist prior to intervention (these patients will be replaced) (per EMR, patient's care team, or self-report)
* Has not had and is not scheduled to have an appointment with an MSK psychiatrist or MSK Counseling Center advanced practice provider (per EMR, patient's care team, or self-report)
* Age ≥ 18 (per EMR)
* English fluency - Per self-report: How well do you speak English?
* Agrees to be audio-recorded (per self-report) NOTE: Participants who report Very well are considered fluent.
* Lives in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Florida or will be in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Florida at the time of the session (per self-report).
* Has no significant psychiatric disturbance sufficient to preclude completion of the assessment measures, interview, or informed consent (i.e., acute psychiatric symptoms which require urgent or extended individual treatment) (per EMR, patient's care team, or study team).
* Has no presence of cognitive impairment disorder (i.e., delirium, dementia, or traumatic brain injury) sufficient to preclude meaningful informed consent and/or data collection (per EMR, patient's care team, study team, or per self-report of BOMC cognitive test).
* Has a moderate or above stress level (scoring ≥ 14 on the Perceived Stress Scale) (per self-report)
* Has no current active or passive suicidal ideation ((per EMR, patient's care team, study team, per item 9 of the PHQ-9, or the CSSRS).

Where it's running

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Consent Only)
  Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States Recruiting
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Consent Only)
  Middletown, New Jersey, United States Recruiting
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Consent Only)
  Montvale, New Jersey, United States Recruiting
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Suffolk- Commack (Consent Only)
  Commack, New York, United States Recruiting
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Consent Only)
  Harrison, New York, United States Recruiting
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
  New York, New York, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Devika Jutagir, PhD — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Study coordinator: Devika Jutagir, PhD
• Email: jutagird@mskcc.org
• Phone: 646-888-8361

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.