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Talking through cancer: can couples therapy ease the emotional toll?

NCT ID NCT04590885

Symptom relief Sponsor: Duke University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested a program that teaches couples communication skills when one partner has advanced cancer. About 440 patients and their partners took part, with half receiving the training and half getting general healthy living information. The goal was to see if the training could improve relationship satisfaction and intimacy, and reduce anxiety and depression.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

440 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Oct 2020

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Married or in a committed intimate relationship 2. Diagnosis of one the following advanced cancers: Stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer or extensive stage small cell lung cancer, Stage III pancreatic cancer or Stage IV GI cancer, Stage IV GU cancer, Stage IV breast cancer and GYN cancer Stage III-IV ovarian, IV uterine, IV cervical. 3. Both members of the couple must speak and read English. 4. Patient and/or partner scores \>=1.0 on the Holding Back screen. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patient lacks capacity for interview (documented diagnosis of active psychosis or dementia) or is unable to provide informed consent as assessed by research staff. 2. Patient has a life expectancy \< 6 months as estimated by his/her treating oncologist. 3. Patient or partner is physically impaired in such a way that precludes the use of a computer or videoconferencing. 4. Patient or partner is too sick to participate, as judged by the oncologist or research staff.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast carcinoma cancer cervical cancer digestive system cancer exocrine pancreatic carcinoma malignant urinary system neoplasm non-small cell lung carcinoma ovarian cancer small cell lung carcinoma uterine cancer

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Advanced cancer

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Duke University Medical Center

    Durham, North Carolina, 27705, United States

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