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Can friends and family help older cancer patients feel better? new study aims to find out

NCT ID NCT07393529

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Rochester Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This pilot study tests a program called SONATA that helps older adults (65+) with advanced cancer strengthen their social connections. The program includes goal-setting, mapping out one's support network, and improving communication with loved ones. Researchers want to see if the program is practical and acceptable for patients, and whether it improves emotional and social quality of life. 70 participants will be randomly assigned to SONATA or standard care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
SONATA behavioral intervention (goal-setting, network mapping, communication skills)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could provide a practical way to improve emotional and social well-being for older adults facing advanced cancer.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study (70 people) testing feasibility, not effectiveness. The intervention may not show clear benefits or be too complex for some patients.

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

About 70 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Apr 2026

Expected to finish

Mar 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

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

65 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.

Patients Inclusion criteria: * Age ≥65 years * A diagnosis of advanced or likely incurable cancer, as determined by the primary oncologist * Able to speak English * Able to provide informed consent Exclusion criteria: * Any psychiatric or cognitive impairments interfering with participation as determined by the oncology team * Unwilling to complete study procedures Social Network Members (if available, for intervention arm only) Inclusion criteria: * Age ≥18 years * Identified as an SN member by the patient in the intervention arm * Able to speak English * Able to provide informed consent Exclusion criteria: • Unwilling to complete study procedures

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cancer

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Advanced cancer Older adults (65 years and older) Social networks

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Rochester

    RECRUITING

    Rochester, New York, 14642, United States

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