Communication Interventions Targeting Both Patients and Clinicians in Oncology: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: High quality communication between individuals with cancer and their clinicians is a cornerstone of patient-centered oncology practice. Many communication skills training interventions have been evaluated to support either oncology clinicians or patients. However, there is little information regarding the scope and efficacy of combined communication interventions in oncology, or communication interventions targeting both patients and clinicians.

Empathic communication skills training to reduce lung cancer stigma: Study protocol of a cluster randomized control trial.

Background: Prior research demonstrates that nearly all (95 %) people with lung cancer (PwLC) report stigma, and approximately half (48 %) PwLC experience stigma during clinical encounters with oncology care providers (OCPs). When stigma is experienced in a medical context, it can have undesirable consequences including patients' delaying and underreporting of symptoms, misreporting of smoking behavior, and avoiding help-seeking such as psychosocial support and cessation counseling. Multi-level interventions are needed to prevent and mitigate lung cancer stigma.

Getting ready for prime time: Recommended adaptations of an Empathic Communication Skills training intervention to reduce lung cancer stigma for a national multi-center trial.

Building upon prior work developing and pilot testing a provider-focused Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) training intervention, this study sought feedback from key invested partners who work with individuals with lung cancer (i.e. stakeholders including scientific and clinical advisors and patient advocates) on the ECS training intervention.

Interventions to increase racial and ethnic minority accrual into cancer clinical trials: A systematic review.

Background: Racial and ethnic minorities (REMs) continue to be underrepresented in clinical trials despite the 1993 National Institutes of Health's Revitalization Act mandating the representation of women and underrepresented minority groups in clinical trials. Although Blacks represent 15% and Hispanics 13% of the cancer population, their clinical trial enrollment rates are disproportionately low at 4% to 6% and 3% to 6%, respectively. A systematic review exploring interventions aimed at improving cancer clinical trial (CCT) enrollment for REMs was conducted.

The association between Memorial Sloan Kettering Frailty Index with 30-day survival among patients aged ≥ 75 with cancer and COVID-19.

Background: Advanced age and multiple comorbidities have been established as a risk factor for more severe disease and increased mortality among patients with COVID-19, yet the impact of frailty in patients with cancer 75 years and older who are admitted, remains unclear.

Methods: To better understand the clinical presentation and course of illness for this population, we conducted a chart review of patients with cancer age 75 and older who were admitted to a comprehensive cancer center within 72 h of a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis over a three-month period (March 1, 2020-May 31, 2020). Frequency and proportion of characteristics were reported.

Communicating Effectively via Tele-oncology (Comskil TeleOnc): a Guide for Best Practices for Communication Skills in Virtual Cancer Care.

The emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, causing coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19) has disrupted the US medical care system. Telemedicine has rapidly emerged as a critical technology enabling health care visits to continue while supporting social distancing to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among patients, families, and clinicians. This model of patient care is being utilized at major cancer centers around the USA-and tele-oncology (telemedicine in oncology) has rapidly become the primary method of providing cancer care.