AzTrials
AzTrials

Lung CancerMSC-LCNCT06191939

Adapting and Testing a Novel Self-Compassion Intervention to Reduce Lung Cancer Stigma

A study testing Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC) in people with Lung Cancer, run by Loyola Marymount University at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to test a disease-tailored, mindfulness-based intervention (Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer; MSC-LC) in adults diagnosed with lung cancer who are experiencing stigma. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 100 years
Conditions the study is for
Lung Cancer
What is being tested?
Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
79 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
6 May 2024to 22 Jan 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 100 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Is at least 18 years of age as per self report;
  • Has a confirmed lung cancer diagnosis, as per self-report and confirmed by clinician judgment or medical record note;
  • Endorses elevated levels of lung cancer stigma (scores >37.5 on the Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory)
  • Able to read and respond to questions in English

Who cannot join

  • Inability to understand study procedures or informed consent process, or significant personality dysfunction likely to interfere with study participation, as per study clinician's judgment
  • Completed a course of Mindful Self-Compassion or an equivalent meditation training in the last year
  • Use of antidepressant, anxiolytic, antipsychotic, or mood stabilizing medication(s) for which the dose has been initiated or changed within the 8 weeks prior to study entry

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Loyola Marymount University

    Los Angeles, California, 90045

Other trials in United States

About this study

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to test a disease-tailored, mindfulness-based intervention (Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer; MSC-LC) in adults diagnosed with lung cancer who are experiencing stigma. The current project seeks to:

  • Evaluate preliminary evidence for the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of MSC-LC in reducing stigma for adults with lung cancer, compared to a waitlist control condition
  • Elicit interventional impact not captured through quantitative measures with qualitative data from purposively sampled high responders and non-responders from the intervention condition

Participants will randomized to either the MSC-LC intervention (a 10-week, virtually-delivered, group-based psychosocial intervention focused on the development of mindfulness and self-compassion skills) or to a waitlist control group that receives a referral to an NCI list of helpful mental health resources in their community. Researchers will compare the intervention and control groups to see if the MSC-LC intervention reduces lung cancer stigma and increases self-compassion.

Read the detailed description

Lung cancer stigma (i.e., perceived and internalized negative appraisal and devaluation associated with lung cancer) is a pervasive problem experienced by the majority of lung cancer patients. Notably, experiences of lung cancer stigma are strongly associated with poorer quality of life and higher depressive symptoms. Despite these associations, there is a gap in the field regarding empirically supported, patient-focused interventions that target the reduction of lung cancer stigma.

Self-compassion (i.e., directed kindness towards oneself in times of suffering) is a protective psychosocial factor that has been targeted through intervention approaches to reduce shame and self-criticism in non-cancer samples. Additionally, higher self-compassion has been shown to attenuate the relationship between lung cancer stigma and depression, suggesting that fostering self-compassion may be an effective intervention strategy to reduce lung cancer stigma. Mindful Self-Compassion is an empirically supported, 8-week psychosocial intervention demonstrated to increase self-compassion and reduce feelings of shame, distress, depression, and anxiety in non-cancer samples. However, given several anticipated challenges associated with delivering Mindful Self-Compassion to lung cancer patients (e.g., breathing challenges that arise during breath-focused meditations, fatigue that interferes with attending 3-hour sessions), the investigators developed an adapted version of the intervention (Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer; MSC-LC) that is tailored to the needs of adults diagnosed with lung cancer, addresses delivery challenges, and targets the reduction of lung cancer stigma.

This is a pilot trial examining the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of MSC-LC, compared to waitlist control condition. The central hypothesis is that MSC-LC will be demonstrate high feasibility and acceptability as well as preliminary efficacy in reducing lung cancer stigma and promoting self-compassion.

Conditions
Lung Cancer
Being tested
Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC), Enhanced standard of care with waitlist
Keywords
stigma, self-compassion, pilot, adaptation
Medical subject headings
Lung Neoplasms, Social Stigma

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC)Behavioural

    The overall goal of this 10-week, group-based, virtually-delivered, psychosocial intervention is to enhance recognition and responsiveness to difficult thoughts and emotions and to build self-compassion skills that facilitate patients' ability to turn inward to those thoughts and feelings with mindfulness, connectedness, and self-kindness. Each weekly session is designed to be 90 minutes and follows an agenda with highly structured scripts covering self-compassion topics (e.g., pain of disconnection, listening with compassion), which are carefully organized to build upon one another. In each session, didactic topics (e.g., "What is self-compassion?") taught by trained interventionists lead into guided experiential learning practices (e.g., guided meditation), which are then followed by inquiry into the participants' direct experiences of the practices. The treatment manual is adapted based on the Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Guide (from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion).

  • Enhanced standard of care with waitlistOther

    Participants in the enhanced standard of care control condition will be provided with an information sheet from the NCI about how to find helpful organizations and resources in their community. Self-report will be used to describe any supportive care services pursued by the participant. Additionally, control participants will be added to a waiting list for receiving the MSC-LC intervention program. After completing all questionnaire assessments (16 weeks following study entry), the study team will offer the MSC-LC intervention program to participants on the waiting list.

Study groups in NCT06191939
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC)ExperimentalGroup-based psychosocial intervention adapted from Mindful Self-Compassion that focuses on the development of mindfulness and self-compassion skills to reduce lung cancer stigma.
Receives: Behavioral: Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC)
Enhanced standard of care with waitlistActive comparatorControl group that will receive a list of mental health resources and will complete questionnaire assessments during a parallel timeframe as participants in the intervention condition and be placed on a waiting list to receive the MSC-LC intervention after study completion.
Receives: Other: Enhanced standard of care with waitlist

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory

    The Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory is a self-report questionnaire of lung cancer stigma, which includes 25 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores range from 25-125, with higher scores indicating higher lung cancer stigma.

    Measured: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention; primary outcome), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Patient Health Questionnaire-8

    The Patient Health Questionnaire-8 is a self-report questionnaire of depressive symptoms, which includes 8 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Scores range from 0-24, with higher scores indicating higher depressive symptoms.

    Measured: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)

  2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7

    The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 is a self-report questionnaire of anxiety symptoms, which includes 7 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Scores range from 0-21, with higher scores indicating higher anxiety symptoms.

    Measured: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)

  3. Self-Compassion Scale

    The Self-Compassion Scale is a self-report questionnaire of self-compassion, which includes 26 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores range from 26-130, with higher scores indicating higher self-compassion.

    Measured: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)

  4. Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being, meaning and peace subscales

    The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being is a self-report questionnaire on meaning and peace, which includes 8 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores range from 0-48, with higher scores indicating higher self-reported meaning and peace during chronic illness.

    Measured: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted5 Jan 2024
  2. Study start6 May 2024
  3. Primary completion22 Jan 2026
  4. Study completion22 Jan 2026

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
79 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06191939
Sponsor's protocol ID
LMU IRB 2022 SU 27-R
Other IDs
R00CA256351
Acronym
MSC-LC
Status last verified
Apr 2026
First submitted
20 Dec 2023
Last updated
13 Apr 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: Loyola Marymount University supports the international committee of medical journal editors (ICMJE) and the ethical obligation of responsible sharing of data from clinical trials. The protocol summary, a statistical summary, and informed consent form will be made available on clinicaltrials.gov when required as a condition of Federal awards, other agreements supporting the research and/or as otherwise required. Deidentified individual participant data reported in the manuscript will be shared under the terms of a Data Use Agreement and may only be used for approved proposals.

Publications

  • Williamson TJ, Brymwitt WM, Gilliland J, Carter-Bawa L, Mao JJ, Lynch KA, Emard N, Omachi S, Jacobs RL, Tefera MY, Reese MT, Ostroff JS. Mindful self-compassion for lung cancer (MSC-LC): Incorporating perspectives of lung cancer patients, clinicians, and researchers to create an adapted intervention to reduce lung cancer stigma. Transl Behav Med. 2025 Jan 16;15(1):ibae074. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibae074.

    PubMed 39868945
  • Williamson TJ, Brymwitt WM, Ostroff JS, Carter-Bawa L, Germer CK, Hickman SD, Mao JJ, Hamann HA, Riley KE, Studts JL, Reese MT. Mindful self-compassion to reduce stigma among individuals diagnosed with lung cancer (MSC-LC): a pilot study protocol for a parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2026 Mar 20;12(1):57. doi: 10.1186/s40814-026-01808-8.

    PubMed 41862990

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Mindful Self-Compassion for Lung Cancer (MSC-LC) in people with Lung Cancer, run by Loyola Marymount University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Lung Cancer Stigma Inventory (time frame: Study Entry, 5 weeks (mid-intervention), 10 weeks (post-intervention; primary outcome), 16 weeks (long-term follow-up)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06191939, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Apr 2026.

Free account

Keep searching with a free account

You’ve used your 3 free searches for this session. Log in or create a free AzTrials account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in
MSC-LC Clinical Trial NCT06191939 | AzTrials