Peer Support Program for Improving Quality of Life Among Head and Neck Patients, Connecting Through Cancer Trial

NCT07664241 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00029208NCI-2026-00407
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This clinical trial tests whether a peer support program is feasible for head and neck cancer patients. Social support at the time of diagnosis has been shown to improve head and neck cancer quality of life before and after treatment. However, not all patients have a strong social support system. Recent research has shown that peer support programs have the potential to address unmet social support needs among cancer patients. These programs involve cancer survivors (peer mentors) providing emotional and informational support to cancer patients (mentees) earlier in their disease course. Peer support programs may also reduce caregiver burden by providing an additional source of support for the patient. A one-on-one peer support program may be feasible for patients with head and neck cancer and their caregivers.

Conditions

Malignant Head and Neck Neoplasm

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Proportion of mentees meeting with their mentor match at least once

  Will be reported with 95% asymptotic confidence interval.

  Up to 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Satisfaction with peer mentor contacts

  Up to 6 months

• Utilization of the mentorship program

  Up to 6 months

• Mentorship conversation topics

  Up to 6 months

• Rating scale for match

  Up to 6 months

• Qualitative data on the benefits and challenges of the mentorship program

  Up to 6 months

Other Outcomes (2)

• Mentee psychosocial well-being over time

  Up to 6 months

• Caregiver burden over time (optional)

  Up to 6 months

Study Arms (1)

Supportive Care (peer support program)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients ("mentees") participate in the peer support program by being matched with and meeting with a peer mentor, either virtually or in-person, during the study. Caregivers of enrolled mentees may also participate on an optional basis by completing study surveys; however, caregivers will not directly participate in the peer mentorship intervention.

Other: Supportive Care; Other: Survey Administration; Other: Interview

Interventions

Supportive Care OTHER

Participate in peer support program

Also known as: Supportive Therapy, Symptom Management, Therapy, Supportive

Supportive Care (peer support program)

Survey Administration OTHER

Ancillary studies

Supportive Care (peer support program)

Interview OTHER

Ancillary studies

Supportive Care (peer support program)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 89 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• MENTEE GROUP: Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
• MENTEE GROUP: Willingness to have mentor-mentee interactions with the mentor selected by Imerman Angels (documented as part of informed consent)
• MENTEE GROUP: Age 18 or older at the time of consent (upper age limit 89)
• MENTEE GROUP: Diagnosed with head \& neck cancer (all stages) and planning to receive, currently receiving or recently completed (within 12 months) active treatment OR in follow-up and reporting unmet social/support needs
• MENTEE GROUP: English-speaker
• MENTEE GROUP: Access to electronic device that can be used for communication
• MENTEE GROUP: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score less than or equal to 2
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Age 18 or older at the time of consent (upper age limit 89)
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Caregiver of patient diagnosed with head and neck cancer who is also enrolled in the study
• CAREGIVER GROUP: English-speaker
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Access to electronic device that can be used for communication

You may not qualify if:

• MENTEE GROUP: Mentee must not be regularly engaging in other support programs at the start of the study intervention
• MENTEE GROUP: Undergoing active professional treatment for cognitive or emotional difficulties or neurological deficits that preclude adherence to the study protocol
• MENTEE GROUP: Any other social, emotional, or personal situation that will preclude adherence to the study protocol, at the discretion of the investigator
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Caregivers must not be regularly engaging in other support programs at the start of the study intervention
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Undergoing active professional treatment for cognitive or emotional difficulties or neurological deficits that preclude adherence to the study protocol
• CAREGIVER GROUP: Any other social, emotional, or personal situation that will preclude adherence to the study protocol, at the discretion of the investigator

Sponsors & Collaborators

• OHSU Knight Cancer Institute: lead
• Oregon Health and Science University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Head and Neck Neoplasms

Interventions

Palliative Care; Interviews as Topic

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Patient Care; Therapeutics; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Ryan J Li, MD

  OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Alexandria Lichtl, MD

CONTACT

5037061729; lichtl@ohsu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 15, 2026
• First Posted: June 24, 2026
• Study Start: July 16, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Last Updated: July 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)