Brain CancerNCT02375841
Coping With Glioblastoma: A Study of Communication Between Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers
An observational study of Brain Cancer and Glioblastoma, run by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at 8 sites in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the way physicians communicate with brain tumor patients. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Brain Cancer, Glioblastoma
- What is being tested?
- psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- How many people
- 309 participants
- Where
- 8 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- Feb 2015to Feb 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: All patients with GBM will be screened in the outpatient clinic at MSKCC.
Who may be able to join
- Patient Inclusion Criteria:
- 18 years or older
- Pathologic diagnosis of WHO grade IV glioma, as per MSKCC medical record or outside medical record.
- In the judgment of the consenting professional, proficiency in English that will allow the participant to be able to complete study questionnaires and assessments. Many of the study assessments are available only in English.
- At the time of consent, orientation to self, place, month and year
- Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:
Show all 11Show fewer
- 18 years or older
- Identified by the patient as a relative, friend, or partner with whom he or she has a significant relationship and who provides him or her informal (unpaid) care (i.e., physical or emotional assistance).
- In the judgment of the consenting professional, proficiency in English that will allow to complete study questionnaires and assessments. Many of the study assessments are available only in English.
- Oncologist Inclusion Criteria:
- Treating Neuro-Oncologist in the Department of Neurology
Who cannot join
- Patient Exclusion Criteria:
- A patient will be excluded if in the opinion of his/her attending neuro-oncologist or the covering neuro-oncologist, he does not have the capacity to consent to the study based on clinical evaluation
- Aphasia precluding comprehension and verbalization of consent to participate, in the estimation of the attending physician.
- Caregiver Exclusion Criteria:
- There are no caregiver exclusion criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
8 sites in 1 country.
8 sites in 1 country
United States8 sites
Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge
Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 07920
University of Vermont Medical Center
Burlington, Vermont, 05401
Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack
Commack, New York, 11725
Henry Ford Hospital
Detroit, Michigan, 48202
Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester
Harrison, New York, 10604
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth
Middletown, New Jersey, 07748
Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen
Montvale, New Jersey, 07645
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, 10065
About this study
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the way physicians communicate with brain tumor patients. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. Ultimately, the investigators hope to use these findings to improve communication between patients, caregivers and their doctors.
- Conditions
- Brain Cancer, Glioblastoma
- Being tested
- psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments
- Keywords
- Communication, Physicians, Patients, Caregivers, 15-034
- Medical subject headings
- Brain Neoplasms, Glioblastoma, Communication
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessmentsBehavioural
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers | This is a longitudinal study of patients with GBM with recurrent or multi-recurrent disease as determined by their neuro-oncologist (on the basis of clinical and/or radiological findings). Patients will indicate a single caregiver who will consent separately and perform separate assessments. The study assessments will evaluate the content of the discussion in which this change in disease status was communicated, as well as include patient-reported and caregiver-reported outcomes. We intend to accrue 160 total participants (80 patients and 80 caregivers) with complete post-discussion visit follow-ups over 18-24 months. Receives: Behavioral: psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
number of responses from patients, to 3 yes/no questions
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
Measured: 2 years
number of responses from caregivers to 3 yes/no questions
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
Measured: 2 years
number of responses from physicians to 3 yes/no questions
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
Measured: 2 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Mar 2015 (estimated)
- Study startFeb 2015
- Primary completionFeb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionFeb 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Brain CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 309 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Eli Diamond, MD, Principal investigator, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02375841
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 15-034
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Feb 2015
- Last updated
- 18 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Coping With Glioblastoma: A Study of Communication Between Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02375841
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 15-034
- Conditions
- Brain Cancer, Glioblastoma
- Keywords
- Communication, Physicians, Patients, Caregivers, 15-034
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 309 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Study start
- Feb 2015 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Feb 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Mar 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to learn more about the way physicians communicate with brain tumor patients. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. This study will look at how oncologists provide information about brain tumors, brain scan results, and treatment options. Ultimately, the investigators hope to use these findings to improve communication between patients, caregivers and their doctors.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers | – | Behavioral: psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessmentsThis is a longitudinal study of patients with GBM with recurrent or multi-recurrent disease as determined by their neuro-oncologist (on the basis of clinical and/or radiological findings). Patients will indicate a single caregiver who will consent separately and perform separate assessments. The study assessments will evaluate the content of the discussion in which this change in disease status was communicated, as well as include patient-reported and caregiver-reported outcomes. We intend to accrue 160 total participants (80 patients and 80 caregivers) with complete post-discussion visit follow-ups over 18-24 months. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- All patients with GBM will be screened in the outpatient clinic at MSKCC.
Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)
- 18 years or older
- Pathologic diagnosis of WHO grade IV glioma, as per MSKCC medical record or outside medical record.
- In the judgment of the consenting professional, proficiency in English that will allow the participant to be able to complete study questionnaires and assessments. Many of the study assessments are available only in English.
- At the time of consent, orientation to self, place, month and year
- 18 years or older
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- A patient will be excluded if in the opinion of his/her attending neuro-oncologist or the covering neuro-oncologist, he does not have the capacity to consent to the study based on clinical evaluation
- Aphasia precluding comprehension and verbalization of consent to participate, in the estimation of the attending physician.
- There are no caregiver exclusion criteria.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| psychometric tests, questionnaires and neurocognitive assessments | Behavioural | Physicians, Patients, and Caregivers |
Primary outcome
number of responses from patients, to 3 yes/no questions
Time frame: 2 years
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
number of responses from caregivers to 3 yes/no questions
Time frame: 2 years
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
number of responses from physicians to 3 yes/no questions
Time frame: 2 years
The curability of the patient's cancer (curability) The patient's prognosis (prognosis)The patient's goals of care should his/her condition worsen and he/she becomes critically ill (EOL)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Mar 2026.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterLink provided by the sponsor.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Eli Diamond, MD principal investigator
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
8 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Brain Cancer and Glioblastoma, run by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at 8 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 8 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
number of responses from patients, to 3 yes/no questions (time frame: 2 years). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Mar 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.