New study aims to better detect depression in older adults with cancer
NCT ID NCT02174055
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study aims to create a more accurate way to measure depression in older adults who have or had cancer. Researchers will interview patients and test a new questionnaire designed specifically for this group. The goal is to improve how doctors identify and treat depression in older cancer patients.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a more accurate tool for diagnosing depression in older cancer patients, helping doctors provide better care.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study focused on developing and testing a questionnaire, not testing a treatment. The new measure may not prove more useful than existing ones.
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.
- Participants
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About 329 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2014
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
Who is studied
For all Phases, patients who are identified as eligible will be approached in-person in the outpatient clinics or the MSK Counseling Center by members of the research staff, or by letter (physical or electronic).
- Ages
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70 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: For Patients in Phases 1- 3: * Current or previous cancer diagnosis and treatment (any site and any stage) * All Phases 1,2,3- 70 years of age or older * For Phase 1b only; 50 participants ages 50-69 will also be recruited * For Phase 2 only: As per medical record or self report, history of Depression, Dysthymia, or Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood * For Phase 3 depressive subset: As per medical record or self report, a history of depressive symptoms such as * Adjustment Disorder with depressed mood * Adjustment Disorder with mixed depressed mood and anxiety * Mood disorder (i.e., due to general medical condition, Not Otherwise Specified) * Depressive Disorder (i.e., Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) single episode, MDD recurrent, Depressive disorder not otherwise specified, Dysthymia) * In the judgment of the consenting professional able to communicate, comprehend, and complete questionnaires in English Exclusion Criteria: For Patients in Parts 1- 3: * In the judgment of the consenting professional and/or as per medical record, severe psychopathology or cognitive impairment likely to interfere with the participation or completion of the protocol or ability to provide meaningful information. * For Phase 1\&2 only: Score of \> 11 on the Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration Scale (BOMC) * For Part 2 only: As per medical record or self report, a diagnosis of a Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder, current substance use disorder, Bipolar Disorder or Schizotypal personality disorder. Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders include Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform disorder, Schizoaffective disorder, Delusional disorder, Brief psychotic disorder, Attenuated Psychotic Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder (except for Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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