Social and healthcare factors behind late-stage liver cancer in low-income neighborhoods
Multilevel Determinants of Socioeconomic Disparities in Geographic Late-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma Hotspots
This project will try to find which social and medical barriers keep adults in low-income areas of Los Angeles from getting early diagnoses of liver cancer.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 730 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Southern California Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07312162 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational project enrolls adults newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma who live in designated late-stage hotspots in Los Angeles County. Participants complete a prospective survey, allow review of their medical records, and some take part in in-depth interviews to explore multilevel barriers to completing the early detection pathway. The focus is on people with Medicaid or no insurance and includes English, Spanish, and Chinese speakers to capture diverse experiences. Researchers will link individual social and clinical data with neighborhood measures to characterize socioeconomic disparities in late-stage HCC burden.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) with a new diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma who live in a designated late-stage hotspot within Los Angeles County and who are uninsured or on Medicaid (English, Spanish, or Chinese speakers) are ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who live outside Los Angeles County, have non-HCC liver tumors, are incarcerated, or are pregnant would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit from the study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide targeted outreach and screening programs so liver cancers are caught earlier in low-income communities.
How similar studies have performed: Prior observational and qualitative work has documented socioeconomic and access barriers to late HCC detection, but this prospective, hotspot-focused combination of surveys and interviews in Los Angeles is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * \* Adults (18+) * New diagnosis of HCC * Able to provide informed consent Additional criteria: * Must complete survey * Residential address in a late stage hotspot * Medicaid insurance or uninsured * English, Spanish and Chinese speakers Exclusion Criteria: * \* Residence outside of Los Angeles County * Non-HCC liver tumors * Incarcerated patients * Pregnant women
Where this trial is running
Los Angeles, California
- USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center — Los Angeles, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Kali Zhou — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Kali Zhou
- Email: kalizhou@usc.edu
- Phone: 323-865-0451
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.