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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05102500

Second Opinions in Oncology

The long-time goal is to understand what decision-making process and patient characteristics factor into a patient deciding to stay with their initial physician versus seeking treatment with a second opinion.

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Key information

Conditions

Breast Cancer Breast Diseases Breast Neoplasms Colonic Diseases Colorectal Cancer Colorectal Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Endocrine Gland Neoplasms Endocrine System Diseases Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatic Diseases Pancreatic Neoplasms Rectal Diseases Skin Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases

Age range

18 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Colorado Hospital

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

About this study

The long-time goal is to understand what decision-making process and patient characteristics factor into a patient deciding to stay with their initial physician versus seeking treatment with a second opinion. To do this, the PI will examine the second opinion retention rates and patient characteristics of three distinct populations: breast cancer patients, pancreatic cancer patients and colorectal cancer patients. The study team hypothesize the majority of breast cancer and colorectal cancer patients who seek a second opinion at the University of Colorado, will preferentially choose to return to their first provider, whereas patients with pancreatic cancer who seek a second opinion at the sponsor's institution will be more likely to go on to receive care at the University of Colorado. The PI predicts the difference in second opinion retention rates between these three populations is due to the ability of the second opinion pancreatic cancer provider's ability to offer more treatment or a different treatment plan at the sponsor institution relative to the patient's first provider. The study team also predict that socioeconomic status and education will have a positive correlation with changing to with a second opinion physician whereas geographic distance and treatment plan similarity will have a negative correlation. The study team will assess this hypothesis by conducting a retrospective cohort study of breast, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer patients who received a second opinion at the University of Colorado. From this cohort, the study team will identify patients who both received their care at the sponsor institution and patients who returned to their initial provider to receive care. The study team will invite these patients to participate in semi-structured interviews to better understand how and why the patient made their treatment decisions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Cancer patients who are 18 years of age or older who received a second opinion at the University of Colorado.
  • A subset of these patients will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients under the age of 18.
  • Patients who did not receive a second opinion at the University of Colorado.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Second opinion retention rates for cancer patients at University of Colorado

    Time frame: 12 months

    a. The study team will perform a retrospective chart review to identify patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer or pancreatic cancer who were seen by a surgeon at the University of Colorado for a second opinion and to examine whether or not the subject stayed at the Cancer Center to receive cancer care. The study team predict the second opinion retention rate - the percent of patients who received a second opinion at the Cancer Center and ultimately received care at this institution - will be significantly higher for pancreatic cancer patients than for breast and colorectal cancer patients.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Univariate statistical analysis affecting second opinion retention rates

    Time frame: 12 months

    a. The study team will perform univariate analysis on patient, disease, and treatment characteristics for the second opinion patients who did and did not receive cancer care at this institution to identify factors associated with high and low second opinion retention rates. The study team hypothesize patient factors (socioeconomic status, education, and geographic distance), disease factors (more advanced disease or less common tumor subtypes), and treatment factors (offering more or different treatment) will affect the second opinion retention rates for breast and pancreatic cancer patients.

Other outcomes

  1. Patient opinions on decision making process through semi-structure interviews

    Time frame: 12 months

    a. The study team will identify patients who both received their care at the second opinion institution and patients who returned to the initial provider to receive care. The study team will invite these patients to participate in semi-structured interviews to better understand how and why treatment decisions were made.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Examining the Decision-Making Process and Characteristics of Cancer Patients Who Sought Second Opinions at the University of Colorado

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2024
First posted
Nov 1, 2021
Registry last updated
Feb 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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