Meditation may ease depression in advanced cancer patients and caregivers

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

Inclusion Criteria: * Be diagnosed with a metastatic (stage IV) breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal, gynecological, or genitourinary cancer * Be without disease progression for at least 3 months based on surveillance CT imaging * Have an ECOG performance status of ≤2 * Have a family caregiver willing to participate Both patient and caregiver must meet all the following criteria: * Be ≥18 years old * Be able to read and speak English or Spanish. * Be able to provide informed consent Additionally, either the patient and/or caregiver must: • Have a NCCN Distress Thermometer score of ≥4 Exclusion Criteria: A patient who meets the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: • Have cognitive deficits that would impede the completion of self-report instruments as deemed by their attending oncologist 3.3 Vulnerable Populations This study is designed for individuals who are at least 18 years of age, and there is no upper age limit. Children under the age of 18 will not be included. First and foremost, it is unlikely that a minor is diagnosed with a metastatic solid tumor. It is also unlikely that a minor serves as the primary family caregiver of a patient with cancer. Additionally, the intervention is designed for adults, and the assessment tools are not validated for minors. While pregnant caregivers (self-identified) are study eligible, we will also exclude pregnant patients (medical notes). 3.4 Recruitment/Screening Process Eligible study participants (i.e. cancer patients) will be identified using the electronic clinic appointment systems on their tumor characteristics (i.e. cancer type and stage) and date of birth (i.e. minimum 18 years old). Potential patients and caregivers will be approached during patients' appointment at an outpatient oncology appointment, screened for eligibility, and consented. Since this is a family-based intervention, it is possible that caregivers will not be present during the patients' clinic visits. If so, patients will be asked for permission to contact the caregiver via phone to obtain consent.