Clinical trial · Observational
Integrating Biological, Clinical, and Behavioral Factors to Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes - Carolina Breast Cancer Study
Carolina Breast Cancer Study: Integrating Biological, Clinical, and Behavioral Factors to Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, Phase 4
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 15, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260915-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Phase 4 of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS4) builds on prior phases that examined molecular and epidemiologic differences in breast cancer types and outcomes. Previous findings showed that certain breast cancer subtypes and genetic factors are linked to higher risks. While prior research uncovered subtype-specific risks and relevant genetic loci, persistent disparities especially among African American (AA) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women suggest that tumor biology alone does not fully explain outcome differences. Other important factors, like access to healthcare, treatment adherence, patient engagement must also be evaluated. In addition to collecting biological and clinical data, participants will receive a structured behavioral intervention designed to improve communication with providers and self-advocacy during cancer care. This phase includes a structured behavioral intervention designed to improve health communication and self-advocacy, both of which are hypothesized to improve health outcomes. All participants are prospectively assigned to this single-arm intervention, which includes educational resources, symptom reporting tools, reflective self-assessments, and regular engagement with trained study staff over a defined timeline. This study assesses whether structured research participation can positively influence patient behavior and ultimately reduce disparities in breast cancer care. This study also aims to better understand etiology and prognosis of breast cancer, including subtypes such as Luminal A and B, Basal-like, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive (HER2+) / estrogen receptor negative (ER-) and to address disparities driven by both biology and systemic barriers.
Conditions
Conditions (2)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | Malignant Breast Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
| Breast Neoplasms | Breast Neoplasm | ONTOLOGY_EXACT | 0.98 |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structured behavioral intervention | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (1)
- label
- Newly diagnosed with breast cancer
- description
- Participants with newly diagnosed with breast cancer live in 59 North Carolina counties.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Structured behavioral intervention
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- Patient Communication Self-Efficacy Score
- timeFrame
- Baseline, 19 months, every 12-24 months up to 15 years
- description
- Patient communication self-efficacy will be measured using the Patient's Communication Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale (PCSS), a validated patient-reported instrument comprising 16 items with a three-factor structure: Provide and Collect Information, Express Concerns and Doubts, and Verify Information. The scale assesses patients' confidence in their ability to communicate effectively with healthcare providers about health concerns, ask questions, express uncertainties, and confirm their understanding. Items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not at all confident to 5 = very confident), with total scores ranging from 16 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater perceived communication self-efficacy.
Secondary outcomes (5)
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- Female
- Minimum age
- 20 Years
- Maximum age
- 74 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * women with invasive breast cancer * live in 59 counties in North Carolina Exclusion Criteria: * women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) * live outside of 59 counties of North Carolina
References
Publications (0)
Data not yet available