Evaluating The Efficacy Of Artificial Intelligence-Powered Personalized Support Groups On Psychological Distress In Blood Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study Using The Oncosupport Platform.
Posted Date: Aug 4, 2025
- Investigator: Siddhant Nagar
- Specialties: Cancer, Leukemia, Lymphoma
- Type of Study: Observational/Survey
Blood cancer patients face disproportionately high rates of psychological distress, with more than half of newly diagnosed lymphoma or myeloma patients meeting criteria for clinically significant anxiety and/or depression. Such distress is associated with treatment non-adherence, early discontinuation of chemotherapy, worse clinical outcomes, and diminished quality of life. Unfortunately, existing therapy and social support resources are understaffed, experience high drop-out rates, and often rely on one-size-fits-all models that overlook critical demographic, clinical, and psychosocial differences. This IRB-approved pilot study focuses on blood cancer patients to both address their particularly high psychosocial burden and reduce heterogeneity in group composition—preserving the personalization inherent to our model. While the planned Phase II trial will expand to multiple cancer types, the present study targets a narrower population to maximize feasibility and interpretability. We will conduct a two-arm randomized controlled trial (n = 120) comparing OncoSupport’s novel, AI-powered personalized group therapy platform to standard diagnosis-based support groups. OncoSupport’s matching algorithm incorporates multidimensional patient data—including age, gender, ethnicity, diagnosis, cancer stage, time since diagnosis, socioeconomic status, and self-reported concerns—to curate therapist-led groups that more closely align with individual needs. Each arm will consist of 6 weekly sessions with approximately 10 patients per group, delivered via secure videoconferencing. Primary outcomes are changes in depression and anxiety, measured by clinician-rated Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) scales.
Criteria:
This Single-Site, Two-Arm Randomized Pilot Trial Will Enroll N=120 Adult Patients (=18 Years) With A Current Diagnosis Of Leukemia, Lymphoma, Or Multiple Myeloma Who Meet Predefined Thresholds For Moderate-To-Severe Depression And/Or Anxiety. Eligible Participants Must Be Medically Stable As Confirmed By Their Oncology Provider, English-Speaking, And Able To Participate In Weekly Virtual Group Therapy Sessions. Inclusion Requires A Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D) Score Of =17 And/Or A Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (Ham-A) Score Of =18, Determined During Screening By A Trained Study Coordinator Or Therapist. Exclusion Criteria Include Recent Or Current Intensive Inpatient Psychiatric Care, Active Psychosis Or Mania, Severe Cognitive Impairment, High Suicide Risk, Psychiatric Severity Exceeding The Study’S Therapeutic Capacity (Ham-D =31 Or Ham-A =35), Medical Instability, Or Participation In Another Trial Likely To Confound Results.
Keywords:
Cancer Support, Mental Health, Patient Well-Being
For More Information:
Siddhant Nagar
5133864273
nagarst@mail.uc.edu