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NCT Number: NCT07694310

Uncertainty About the Benefits of New Cancer Drugs and Patients' Treatment Preferences

This study of current or former cancer patients will evaluate the effect of learning about uncertainties with the benefits of a new cancer drug on their hypothetical decisions to take the drug and their perceptions of the drug's effectiveness.

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Key information

Conditions

Cancer Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Many new cancer drugs are approved based on uncertain benefits. Without knowledge of this information, patients may overestimate the benefits of new cancer drugs, resulting in decisions that are not reflective of their individual treatment preferences. A previous study found that learning about uncertainties with a new cancer drug's benefits (such as the drug's small magnitude of effect or limited trial population) reduced the proportion of people who were willing to take the drug. It is unclear whether these findings are generalizable to patients with cancer, who may have different treatment preferences, and may weigh uncertainty about the benefits of new cancer drugs differently from the general public.

In this study, US adults with a current or former cancer diagnosis will be recruited to evaluate the effect of learning about uncertainties with the benefits of a new cancer drug on their hypothetical decisions to take the drug and their perceptions of the drug's effectiveness. Patients will be randomized to 1 of 5 interventions: (1) no uncertainty information (control); or plain-language statements about uncertainties with (2) an unvalidated surrogate endpoint (unknown effect of the drug on survival or quality of life); (3) limited study population (the drug was not studied in patients of similar race or ethnicity); (4) small magnitude of effect (it is unknown whether patients would notice an improvement with the drug), or (5) a combination of all three uncertainties.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • US adults with a current or former cancer diagnosis (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer),
  • 18 years of age and older
  • Fluent in English
  • Residing in the United States.

Exclusion criteria

  • Adults who do not have a former cancer diagnosis or who were diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer
  • Adults who complete the survey in under 150 seconds, and who do not meet the inclusion criteria.

Treatment and study plan

Control

Other

No uncertainty information

Unvalidates surrogate endpoint

Other

Zenova has only been shown to shrink the size of tumors. It is unknown whether Zenova improves how patients feel or how long they live.

Limited study population

Other

Zenova has not been studied in patients similar to Alex (patients with her race and ethnicity). It is unknown whether Zenova will work and what harms it will have for patients like her.

Small magnitude of effect

Other

It is unknown whether patients with non-small cell lung cancer will notice an improvement with Zenova.

Multiple uncertainties

Other

All 3 statements shown above

Primary outcomes

  1. Hypothetical decisions

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    Imagine you were Alex and diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. How likely would you be to take the new drug, Zenova?

    • Response options: Very unlikely, somewhat unlikely, somewhat likely, very likely

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceptions of treatment effectiveness

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    Imagine you were Alex and diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. How likely would you be to take the new drug, Zenova?

    • Response options: Very unlikely, somewhat unlikely, somewhat likely, very likely

  2. Understanding

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    Please rate your agreement with the following statement

    • Zenova has been studied in patients that are similar to Alex (race and ethnicity)
    • Zenova improves how patients feel or how long they live
    • Zenova has a noticeable improvement for patients
    • Response options: Strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, strongly agree

  3. Emotions

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    If you were Alex, how worried would you feel about taking Zenova?

    • Response options: Very worried, slightly worried, not very worried, not worried at all.

  4. Trust

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    To what extent do you think the information about Zenova is trustworthy? To what extent do you think the FDA, which approved Zenova and produced this information, is trustworthy? To what extent do you think Alex's doctor, who recommended and prescribed Zenova, is trustworthy?

    • Response options: Not at all trustworthy, somewhat untrustworthy, somewhat trustworthy, very trustworthy

Other outcomes

  1. Perceived importance in knowing about uncertainty

    Time frame: Assessed immediately after the intervention

    Please rate your agreement with the following:

    The information about Zenova was helpful. Uncertainties about drug benefits and harms should always be communicated.

    • Response options: Strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, somewhat agree, strongly agree.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Avi Cherla

CONTACT

[email protected]

020 7955 7975

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

London School of Economics and Political Science

Other

Collaborators

  • Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

Registry information

Official study title

Uncertainty About the Benefits of New Cancer Drugs and Patients' Treatment Preferences: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 9, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 9, 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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