Project Grant R01CA303291

Project Grant Summary

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, School of Nursing, a $599,978 Project Grant effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393). This R01 grant from an Early Stage Investigator supports a prospective cohort study examining the relationship between perceived social obligations and treatment decisions among 315 patients with advanced, poor-prognosis cancer. The research addresses a clinical problem wherein patients with limited life expectancy consent to disease-directed chemotherapy and other toxic treatments that may cause more harm than benefit, driven by perceived social pressures to continue fighting their disease and maintain appearances for family and caregivers.

The grant funds three integrated research aims: Aim 1 will measure associations between patient-reported social obligations and patient-centered outcomes at 3-month follow-up, including sense of peace, emotional struggle, and end-of-life preparedness; Aim 2 will examine health-service utilization outcomes, including hospitalization rates and receipt of intensive treatments in the final 30 days of life; and Aim 3 will employ mixed methods to characterize how social obligations are experienced and manifest in clinical interactions with family members and healthcare providers. Deliverables include prospective longitudinal data, quantitative outcome measures, 12-month follow-up assessments on hospice use and treatment intensity, and qualitative findings describing the mechanisms through which perceived social obligations influence end-of-life care decisions.