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NCT Number: NCT06894849

Text -Based Depression Screening Among Cancer Survivors

Depression is common among cancer survivors, but current screening methods are not always effective. To help improve depression screening for cancer survivors, this study will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 60 participants. The goal is to evaluate whether a text message-based approach to depression screening is feasible, acceptable, and potentially more effective than the current standard of care.

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Cancer Survivor Depression Secondary to Other Disease Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States

About this study

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a text message-based depression screening approach for cancer survivors. A total of 60 adult cancer survivors will be enrolled and randomly assigned to either the text message intervention or the usual care depression screening. The intervention involves sending text messages one week before scheduled oncology appointments, inviting participants to complete a depression screening using the PHQ-2, followed by the PHQ-9 for those who screen positive.

The study will assess the feasibility of implementing text message-based screenings, participant acceptability, and compare the efficacy of this method to traditional in-person depression screenings during clinical visits. The primary outcome is feasibility, measured by the proportion of participants completing the screening via text, while secondary outcomes will include acceptability (assessed through participant surveys) and preliminary efficacy (measured by screening completion rates and depression detection).

Eligible participants will be English-speaking cancer survivors aged 18 or older with an upcoming oncology appointment at the Hollings Cancer Center or associated clinics. The study aims to improve current depression screening methods and address challenges such as logistical and system-level barriers in screening cancer survivors for depression.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • age > 18 years
  • diagnosis of cancer
  • upcoming appointment in an HCC or HCN oncology clinic within 14 days
  • English proficiency
  • ownership of a cellphone with SMS text capability.

Treatment and study plan

Text-based depression screening

Behavioral

Starting 1 week prior to the scheduled clinic appointment, patients will receive a text message invitation from HCC to complete depression screening. Participants will be asked to click to continue to the screening PHQ-2. For text message screening cadence, reminder texts will be sent daily for 3 days. Those who screen positive (PHQ-2 >/= 3) will complete the remainder of the items (i.e., PHQ-9).

Usual care (UC)

Behavioral

Usual care (UC) will consist of in-person assessment of depression using a validated brief screening tool (e.g., PHQ-2) synchronous with a clinical encounter with the outpatient oncology team. Although the person completing the screening (e.g., nurse, medical assistant) and other workflow may vary slightly across settings, the 2-items are generally presented orally to the patient during routine intake for a clinical encounter and entered into the EHR. Patients who screen positive will be asked to complete the full PHQ-9.

Primary outcomes

  1. Study Feasibility

    Time frame: 2 weeks after randomization

    >/= 1 response to a text message

Secondary outcomes

  1. Acceptability

    Time frame: 2 weeks

    acceptability will be rated on a likert scale form 0-5 with higher scores representing greater acceptability

  2. Depression screening

    Time frame: 2 weeks

    completion of PHQ-2 (Y/N)

  3. PHQ-2 score

    Time frame: 2 weeks

    The PHQ-2 is a validated 2-item measure of depression screening that is widely used among patients with cancer. The PHQ-2 score ranges from 0 to 6. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms; a PHQ-2 score of ≥ 3 is considered a positive screening.

  4. PHQ-9 score

    Time frame: 2 weeks

    Participants who screen positive for elevated depressive symptoms on the PHQ-2 (i.e, > 3) will complete the PHQ-9, a validated 9-item measure of depression. The PHQ-9 has high sensitivity and specificity for identifying individuals with depressive symptoms, particularly among cancer survivors. The PHQ-9 score ranges from 0 to 27; higher scores represent more severe depressive symptoms. A PHQ-9 score of ≥ 8 indicates clinically significant elevated depressive symptoms among patients with cancer.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Medical University of South Carolina

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of a Text Message-Based Approach to Depression Screening Among Cancer Survivors

Acronym: OASIS1

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 25, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 15, 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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