Video-based discussion tool to help families of kids with cancer talk about goals of care

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

This study tests a video-guided decision aid designed for parents of children with cancer to improve communication about goals of care. It uses a two-phase approach with a pilot feasibility phase followed by a randomized waitlist-controlled trial to measure effects on documentation, care choices, hospital use, and parent satisfaction. The trial aims to refine the intervention and assess its preliminary impact on both clinical processes and patient-family outcomes. Eligible participants include children up to age 12 receiving cancer-directed treatment and their parents who can view the videos in English or Spanish. The study is led by Massachusetts General Hospital with multiple collaborators and sites in Alabama, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

Patient

* Age 0-12 years
* Diagnosed with any type or stage of cancer
* Receiving cancer directed treatment

Parent

* Decision maker for the child.
* Biological parent, step-parent, legal guardian (e.g., adoptive parent), or grandparent with medical consent authority.
* Has a child meeting the child inclusion criteria listed above.
* Able to communicate in English or Spanish (the languages of the video decision aids).

Exclusion Criteria:

Patient

* Not receiving primary medical care from the cancer clinic (e.g., second-opinion consultations only)
* Already referred to and fully consulted by the palliative care team
* Prognosis of less than a 2-month life expectancy

Parent

* Visually impaired beyond 20/200 corrected and unable to view the video (note: hearing impaired is not an exclusion as the videos are closed captioned).
* Psychological state not appropriate for GOC discussions, as determined by the primary oncologist per the opt-out.
* Participants who do not speak English or Spanish

Where it's running

• Children's of Alabama at Birmingham
  Birmingham, Alabama, United States Recruiting
• Children's Hospital of Atlanta
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting
• Dana Farber Cancer Institute
  Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
• Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
  Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States Active not recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Angelo Volandes, MD — Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
• Study coordinator: Joanne E Wolfe, MD
• Email: jwolfe@mgh.harvard.edu
• Phone: 6177242911

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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.