Values and options in cancer care (VOICE): study design and rationale for a patient-centered communication and decision-making intervention for physicians, patients with advanced cancer, and their caregivers

Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria for oncologists, patients, and caregivers

Participant	Inclusion criteria	Exclusion criteria
Oncologist	● Currently in clinical practice at participating institutions	● Non-physicians and physicians who are not oncologists
	● Oncologist that cares for patients with solid tumors	● Oncologists who exclusively care for patients with hematological malignancies
	● Not planning to leave the practice during the next 6 months
Patient	● Currently a patient of an enrolled physician	● Anticipating bone marrow transplantation or diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma
	● Age 21 years or older
	● Diagnosis of Stage III or IV solid (non-hematological) cancer ^a	● Unable to complete orally-administered surveys in English
	● Able to understand spoken English (study personnel to read materials to low literacy patients)	● Hospitalized or in hospice care at recruitment or for baseline measures
Caregiver	● Caregiver of a patient currently enrolled in the study	● Unable to complete orally-administered surveys in English
	● Age 21 years or older	● Supported the patient primarily through a professional role (e.g., clergy)
	● Able to understand spoken English (study personnel to read materials to low literacy caregivers)

^a Patients with Stage III cancer are included only if they have a limited prognosis. Their oncologist must affirm that they “would not be surprised” if the patient died within 12 months, thereby excluding patients with potentially curable Stage III cancers, such as Stage IIIc testicular cancer or Stage IIIa colon cancer.

ISSN: 1471-2407