Support for Veterans with lung cancer.
Engagement of Veterans With Lung Cancer (EVLC)
This study will test whether weekly phone support from a trained lay health worker can improve quality of life for Veterans who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer or who finished treatment within the past year.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 194 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Palo Alto, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07219251 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized study will enroll 194 Veterans with any stage of lung cancer and assign them 1:1 to usual oncology care or usual care plus weekly telephone contact with a trained lay health worker for six months. The lay health worker will provide education, symptom-management support, help with healthcare planning, and discussions about care preferences and goals. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life; secondary outcomes include acute care use, patient activation, anxiety and depression, documentation of goals of care, and use of palliative or hospice services. Outcomes for the intervention group will be compared to usual care using participant-reported surveys and clinical records over the follow-up period.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Veterans aged 18 or older with a diagnosis of any-stage lung cancer who speak English or Spanish, can complete questionnaires, have a valid phone number, receive oncology care at a participating site, and are newly diagnosed or treated within the past 12 months are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients lacking capacity to consent, those actively receiving hospice care, or Veterans not receiving oncology care at the participating VA site (or without a phone or ability to complete questionnaires in English or Spanish) are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could improve patient quality of life and reduce emergency or hospital visits by helping Veterans manage symptoms and clarify care goals.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lay health worker and patient-navigation programs in oncology have shown mixed but generally encouraging effects on symptom management and care engagement, though direct evidence in Veterans with lung cancer is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Veteran patients with diagnosis of any stage of lung cancer; 2. 18 years of age or older; 3. English- or Spanish-speaking; 4. can self-administer questionnaires in English or Spanish; 5. valid telephone number; 6. receiving oncology care at participating sites; 7. currently newly diagnosed or receiving or having completed systemic anti-cancer therapy and/or radiation therapy within 12 months, defined as oral, injection, or intravenous therapy (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy) Exclusion Criteria: 1. no capacity to consent; 2. actively receiving hospice care
Where this trial is running
Palo Alto, California
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) — Palo Alto, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Manali I Patel, MD MPH MS
- Email: manalip@stanford.edu
- Phone: 6504935000
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.