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Researchers are evaluating two digital mindfulness-based interventions to improve mental health and well-being in younger breast cancer survivors who have elevated depressive symptoms. This phase III randomized trial focuses on women diagnosed at or before age 50, who completed primary cancer treatments at least six months earlier. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of live instructor-led sessions via Zoom and a self-paced app-based program, exploring which approach best supports psychological health in this population. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups the live online mindfulness sessions MAPs LO conducted weekly for 6 weeks via Zoom, the MAPs App delivering the same content in shorter sessions over 6 weeks, or a meditation-only control group accessing guided audio meditations. Both English and Spanish speakers can participate in the live online and meditation groups, while the app is only available in English. Tablets and internet hotspots are provided if needed. All groups have access to the UCLA MARC mindfulness meditation app throughout the 6-month follow-up. During the study, participants will attend weekly sessions for the live group or engage with app content at home, with usage tracked to measure intervention dose. Researchers will assess depressive symptoms shortly after the intervention and again up to 6 months later, along with fatigue symptoms. They will also investigate factors influencing intervention effects, such as baseline distress and social determinants, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the programs. The total study duration includes a 6-week intervention period plus follow-up assessments out to 6 months.

Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive condition that causes swelling in the upper or lower limbs and affects millions of people. Currently, there are no effective drug treatments, and management mainly relies on compression therapy. This research aims to evaluate the potential benefits of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists GLP-1 RAs, which are commonly used for obesity and diabetes, for improving quality of life and clinical outcomes in lymphedema patients. The study addresses an important gap by providing prospective data on this treatment approach. Participants will receive GLP-1 RA treatment prescribed by their primary care provider for six months to assess its effects on lymphedema. The study is designed as a prospective, single-arm trial involving adults with unilateral upper or lower extremity lymphedema. Follow-up visits will occur at baseline, three months, and six months post-treatment to monitor progress. The study will collect data on limb volume, bioimpedance, compression use, and incidence of cellulitis alongside quality of life measures. During the study, participants will complete the Lymphedema Life Impact Scale LLIS to report their quality of life. Researchers will also measure limb volume, bioimpedance, body mass index BMI, compression use, and record any episodes of cellulitis. Safety will be monitored throughout, and serious adverse events will be reported promptly. The total participation period is 24 months, including follow-up and data analysis, to evaluate the treatments impact comprehensively.

Researchers are evaluating lung cancer screening uptake among patients aged 50 to 80 who are at risk due to smoking history. The study aims to improve lung screening knowledge, awareness, and uptake by using a Social Determinants of Health SDoH screening tool embedded in the Emergency Departments Electronic Health Record EHR. This pilot Type 1 Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial will first assess the reach of this approach and then test its preliminary effectiveness compared to enhanced usual care. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will use LungTalk, an interactive iPad-based educational tool tailored to smoking status and barriers, featuring audio, video, and animations to improve lung screening knowledge and beliefs. The other group will receive a non-tailored lung screening pamphlet via email and follow-up navigation support within 48 hours. Both interventions aim to encourage lung cancer screening through education and patient navigation. During the study, participants will be assessed at 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after the intervention. Researchers will measure lung cancer screening uptake and participants stage of adoption of lung screening. Additional assessments include health literacy, medical mistrust, perceived stigma and risk, benefits and barriers to screening, self-efficacy, knowledge about lung cancer, and fatalism. The study involves data collection from randomized trial methods and EHR records to evaluate outcomes over time.

Researchers are evaluating a master screening protocol called Lung-MAP for patients with previously treated non-small cell lung cancer. This phase IIIII trial aims to develop a genomic screening method for large cancer populations and assign participants to appropriate sub-studies based on specific cancer biomarkers. The goal is to compare new targeted therapies designed to block cancer growth or spread with standard care, including sub-studies for patients not eligible for biomarker-driven treatments. The study involves screening patient specimens to determine eligibility for various biomarker-driven or non-matched sub-studies within the Lung-MAP umbrella protocol. This is a screening study without direct interventions instead, patients are assigned to different treatment sub-studies, each operating independently. The protocol also includes an optional ancillary study evaluating attitudes about the return of somatic mutation findings suggestive of germline mutations. Participants provide tumor tissue for biomarker testing, including molecular profiling and PD-L1 analysis, and may submit fresh biopsies and blood samples for circulating tumor DNA testing. Researchers will monitor screening success rates up to three years and collect patient and physician feedback on genetic findings. Participation involves signing informed consent, providing smoking history, and possibly completing surveys. The study duration and assessments vary depending on sub-study assignment and patient progression.

Researchers are comparing the rates of surgical and minimally invasive interventions, as well as any harms, in Medicare beneficiaries treated with the MILD procedure versus those treated with interspinous process decompression IPD for lumbar spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication. This observational study uses Medicare claims data to follow patients for 24 months after their initial procedure starting from January 1, 2017. The purpose is to evaluate outcomes between these two types of procedures without requiring prior patient enrollment or consent. The study includes two groups patients who received MILD, which is a percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression performed under fluoroscopic guidance through a dorsal approach to the spine, and patients who received IPD, a different device-based decompression procedure. Data on reoperations and complications will be collected for both groups over a 24-month follow-up period using Medicare claims. Enrollment continues until the sponsor decides to stop. Participants involvement is passive as the study uses existing Medicare claims data. Researchers will monitor rates of harms related to the initial procedure and subsequent surgical or minimally invasive interventions over two years. No direct patient visits or interventions are conducted, and the study is exempt from institutional review board oversight. The total study duration extends to December 2026, covering cases treated since early 2017.

Researchers are exploring patient experiences with phrenic nerve reconstructive surgery as a treatment for diaphragmatic paralysis. This study uses a grounded theory approach to understand the biopsychosocial aspects of surgical evaluation and outcomes. It focuses on how patients perceive and report their outcomes following this specific surgery. Participants in this observational study undergo phrenic nerve reconstructive surgery to treat diaphragmatic paralysis. The study does not involve additional treatments or interventions beyond the scheduled surgery. The evaluation centers on the surgerys impact from the patients perspectives before and after the procedure. Participants will be interviewed one week before and again 12 months after surgery using semi-structured interviews. These interviews aim to collect detailed information about their experiences and outcomes related to the surgery. The study follows participants for a full year after surgery to understand long-term effects and patient-reported outcomes.

This research aims to evaluate whether the use of Tamsulosin can reduce the high rate of postoperative urinary retention POUR in older men undergoing thoracic cancer surgery. POUR is a common issue, especially in older men with enlarged prostates, leading to urinary tract infections, discomfort, and longer hospital stays. This pilot study focuses on men aged 55 and older scheduled for oncological thoracic surgery to see if Tamsulosin can help lower POUR incidence and identify when normal urinary function returns after surgery. Participants will receive a prescription for Tamsulosin at a dose of 0.4 mg daily, starting seven days before their planned surgery and continuing up to the day of surgery. They will take the medication with a meal and record their daily usage in a diary. After surgery, bladder function will be monitored using ultrasound to measure urine volume and residual urine. If spontaneous urination does not occur or excess urine remains, standard bladder management including intermittent catheterization may be applied based on specific guidelines. During the study, researchers will observe and record whether participants can urinate spontaneously within 6 to 8 hours after surgery, the timing and volume of urination within 24 hours, and the amount of residual urine. Those unable to urinate spontaneously may receive catheter interventions. The study will include regular assessments using a BladderScanner and follow participants until urinary function resumes. The total study duration varies depending on surgery and recovery timelines.

This research aims to collect and analyze long-term data on the use of Stereotactic Radiosurgery SRS and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy SBRT in treating patients with life-threatening tumors and other medical conditions. The study is an international, multi-year observational registry designed to understand how these treatments are used and their outcomes in everyday clinical practice. It continues the work of a prior study focused on CyberKnife treatment and is sponsored by The Radiosurgery Society. Participants in this study include patients with various conditions considered treatable by SRS or SBRT. The study captures information such as patient characteristics, disease details, treatment plans, and outcomes. This data collection allows participating sites to track treatment effectiveness and share their experiences. The registry is maintained by Vision Tree, Inc., which ensures data security and compliance with privacy regulations. Both prospective and some retrospective patient data are included. During the study, participants treatment outcomes are monitored over time, including overall survival for up to five years and local or distant recurrence within one to five years. The registry allows detailed recording of outcomes specific to each condition treated. Patients provide consent to participate, and their data contributes to improving understanding of these advanced radiation therapies. The total duration of participation varies as the study is ongoing and collects long-term results.

Researchers are evaluating a phase III trial comparing shorter chemotherapy-immunotherapy without anthracycline drugs to the usual chemo-immunotherapy for treating early-stage triple negative breast cancer TNBC. This study aims to see if the shorter treatment works as well as the usual anthracycline-containing treatment. The trial also assesses patient-reported outcomes like fatigue and physical function, as well as safety and survival measures. It involves participants with specific stages of TNBC and includes detailed evaluations of tumor response and immune markers. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. One group receives paclitaxel, carboplatin, and pembrolizumab followed by doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and pembrolizumab, then surgery, with possible pembrolizumab after surgery. The other group receives docetaxel, carboplatin, and pembrolizumab prior to surgery, with possible pembrolizumab after surgery. Blood samples may be collected throughout the trial for research purposes. During the study, participants undergo surgery after chemotherapy-immunotherapy. They are followed every six months for two years, then annually up to five years. Assessments include breast cancer event-free survival, pathological response, distant relapse-free survival, overall survival, adverse events, and patient-reported fatigue and physical function. Quality of life and other patient-reported symptoms are also evaluated. Specimens are banked for future research. The total participation may last up to five years from registration.

Researchers are studying targeted genomic analysis of blood and tissue samples from patients with cancer, focusing on rare cancers with poor prognosis or limited treatment options. This observational research aims to identify genetic changes using genomic sequencing to help understand cancer development and to provide clinicians with mutation data that may guide treatment or referral to relevant studies. The study also collects clinical outcomes and tumor genome data for future analysis and cancer model development. The study involves analyzing previously collected tumor tissue samples using next-generation sequencing to detect mutations. Patients may also provide blood samples for analysis of circulating cell-free DNA and circulating tumor cells. These procedures support the identification of actionable mutations that may have available targeted therapies. The research includes correlative laboratory biomarker analysis. Participants are followed after study completion every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for up to 15 years to monitor clinical outcomes and mutation frequencies. Researchers measure the frequency of specific mutations and the rate of actionable mutations in rare or poor prognosis cancers over this period. This long-term follow-up helps correlate genomic findings with patient outcomes and supports future research developments.