Selinsgrove

Researchers are evaluating the effect of the Cost Communication and Financial Navigation CostCOM intervention on adherence to cancer care and financial burden in patients with malignant solid neoplasms. This study focuses on how financial hardship caused by out-of-pocket costs, employment changes, and insurance affects cancer treatment and quality of life. CostCOM aims to provide financial counseling and resource connections to reduce these burdens and improve adherence to care. Participants are randomized into two groups. One group receives a brochure describing financial navigation services Enhanced Usual Care, while the other group receives usual financial care plus CostCOM financial counseling sessions within 30 days of enrollment and again at 3, 6, and 12 months. Non-patient participants complete surveys and participate in interviews 15 to 39 months after the first patient enrollment. Participants complete surveys at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months to report on cost-related care non-adherence, financial hardship, financial worry, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. The study includes follow-up for 12 months after intervention completion. Non-patient participants also provide feedback on the CostCOM intervention through interviews. Researchers will monitor patient experiences and financial outcomes throughout the study.

Researchers are studying how certain factors like age, gender, other medical conditions, and the type of immunotherapy affect whether patients with malignant solid tumors develop mild or serious side effects from immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments. This observational study aims to develop and validate a model that predicts severe immune-related side effects during the first year of immunotherapy, while also assessing quality of life and adverse events over 12 months. The study is sponsored by the SWOG Cancer Research Network and includes translational medicine goals such as evaluating cytokine levels as predictors and establishing a tissue and blood sample repository. Participants will provide a tissue sample at the start of their routine cancer treatment and complete questionnaires at multiple time points at treatment start, and weeks 4, 12, 24, and 52. They may also provide optional blood samples during the study. This design allows researchers to monitor immune-related side effects and patient-reported outcomes over time. During the study, participants will complete various questionnaires to report their quality of life, cognitive function, and side effects. Blood and tissue samples will be analyzed to explore predictive markers of toxicity. Researchers will track the occurrence of severe immune-related side effects over 52 weeks and assess changes in patient-reported outcomes. The study includes ongoing monitoring and data collection, with participation lasting approximately one year from treatment start.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of lenalidomide and dexamethasone with or without daratumumab in treating patients with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma. This phase III trial aims to compare overall survival, progression-free survival, response rates, and safety between these treatments. The study also explores patient-reported quality of life, treatment adherence, minimal residual disease status, and imaging associations during therapy. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The first group receives daratumumab intravenously on a detailed schedule across up to 24 courses, plus oral lenalidomide daily for 21 days and dexamethasone on specific days during the first 12 courses. The second group receives only oral lenalidomide and dexamethasone on a similar schedule for up to 24 courses. Treatment cycles repeat every 28 days unless disease progression or unacceptable side effects occur. During the study, participants complete quality-of-life questionnaires and undergo laboratory tests, including minimal residual disease assessments and PETCT imaging. Safety is closely monitored, especially infusion-related reactions and toxicity. After treatment, patients are followed for up to 15 years with periodic visits every 3 to 12 months to track long-term outcomes and survival.

Researchers are studying the relationship between low muscle mass myopenia at diagnosis and chemotherapy side effects in older adults newly diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer. This prospective cohort study also investigates how genetic differences may influence the link between myopenia and chemotherapy toxicity, focusing on overall survival in this population receiving specific chemotherapy treatments. Participants in this observational study are older adults with metastatic colorectal cancer who are starting or recently started 5-Fluouracil 5-FU based chemotherapy, alone or combined with other drugs like oxaliplatin, irinotecan, or immunotherapy. The study groups include adults aged 60-74 years and those 75 years or older. The study tracks chemotherapy toxicities over 6 months following treatment initiation. During the study, participants will be monitored for chemotherapy toxicities graded 3 to 5 and overall survival for up to one year. Researchers will collect information through questionnaires available in English or Spanish and assess the impact of muscle mass and genetics on treatment side effects and survival. The total participation time varies, with ongoing assessments during and after chemotherapy treatment.

Researchers are evaluating how well serum tumor marker directed disease monitoring STMDDM works compared to usual care in patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. This trial aims to see if monitoring with serum tumor markers can provide similar overall survival outcomes to the standard approach, which involves regular imaging scans. The study also looks at healthcare costs, patient anxiety, and quality of life related to these monitoring methods. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the usual care group, patients receive imaging studies at least every 12 weeks and may have serum tumor marker tests as determined by their doctor. In the STMDDM group, patients have blood tests for specific tumor markers every 4 to 8 weeks, and imaging scans are only done if these markers indicate a possible progression of disease. Both groups continue their monitoring for up to 312 weeks unless the disease progresses. During the study, participants undergo regular assessments including blood tests for tumor markers, imaging scans as needed, and questionnaires about anxiety and quality of life. Researchers track overall survival for up to 312 weeks and compare healthcare costs and patient-reported outcomes for up to 48 to 102 weeks. The study also collects data on how often and by what methods disease monitoring is performed, along with patient and physician preferences related to monitoring.

Researchers are evaluating the addition of pembrolizumab immunotherapy to standard chemotherapy for patients with stage IIA, IIB, IIIA, or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC that has been completely removed by surgery. This phase III trial aims to compare disease-free survival and overall survival among different treatment approaches, including chemotherapy alone, chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab, and chemotherapy combined with pembrolizumab. The study also assesses quality of life and adverse event rates in these patient groups. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group receives only chemotherapy with observation afterward. The other two groups receive chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab or chemotherapy combined with pembrolizumab. Chemotherapy involves one of four platinum doublet regimens administered every 21 days for four cycles, depending on the physicians choice. Pembrolizumab is given intravenously over 25-40 minutes, either after chemotherapy or alongside it, repeated every 21 days or every 6 weeks for multiple cycles. Patients also undergo heart ultrasound, MRI, CT scans, and blood sample collections as part of the study. During the trial, participants have regular medical assessments including imaging and blood tests to monitor their health. Follow-up visits occur 6 weeks after treatment, then every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for years 2-4, and annually up to 10 years from randomization. Researchers measure disease-free survival as the main outcome, tracking the time until cancer recurrence or death. They also evaluate overall survival, side effects, drug tolerability, and patient-reported quality of life over time.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of several targeted drugsvismodegib, FAK inhibitor GSK2256098, capivasertib, and abemaciclibon patients with progressive meningiomas. These tumors are growing, spreading, or worsening, and the study focuses on different genetic mutations in the tumors to match patients with the appropriate drug. The trial is a phase II study aiming to measure progression-free survival and response rates over six months, along with overall survival and adverse events. Participants are assigned to one of four groups based on their tumor mutation status. Those with SMOPTCH1 mutations receive vismodegib daily those with NF2 mutations receive FAK inhibitor GSK2256098 twice daily patients with AKT1, PIK3CA, or PTEN mutations take capivasertib twice daily on days 1-4 weekly and those with CDK pathway alterations receive abemaciclib twice daily. Treatment cycles repeat every 28 days as long as the disease does not progress or unacceptable side effects occur. After treatment, participants are followed every six months for up to five years. During the study, patients undergo regular monitoring including imaging to assess tumor size and progression, lab tests to monitor blood counts and organ function, and evaluations of side effects. Researchers track progression-free survival at six months and tumor response rates, as well as overall survival. Safety is closely observed up to four weeks after treatment ends. The total study duration includes active treatment cycles and long-term follow-up extending up to five years from registration.