Early Palliative Care in Advanced Lung and Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Mesothelioma
Pancreatic Cancer
Liver Cancer
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Esophageal Cancer
Gastric Cancer

Interventions: Other: early palliative care

Registration Number: NCT01401907

Lead Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to compare two types of care - standard oncology care and standard oncology care with early palliative care (started soon after diagnosis) to see which is better for improving the experience of patients and families with advanced lung and non-colorectal GI cancer. The study will use questionnaires to measure patients' and caregivers' quality of life, mood, coping and understanding of their illness.

Detailed Description: Subjects and their caregiver will complete a baseline questionnaire and then be randomized to a study group.

Subjects who are randomized to Standard Oncology Care will follow up with their treating oncologist. They will consult with the palliative care team at their request or at the request of the treating oncologist. They will complete questionnaires at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after enrollment.

Subjects who are randomized to the Standard Oncology Care with Early Palliative Care will meet with a palliative care clinician at their next medical oncology visit or infusion visit. They will meet with the palliative care clinician at least every three weeks. They will complete questionnaires at 12 and 24 weeks after enrollment.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 351

Inclusion Criteria

Confirmed metastatic lung cancer (NSCLC, small cell lung cancer, and mesothelioma)or non-colorectal GI cancer (esophageal, gastric and hepatobiliary) not being treated with curative intent
Informed of metastatic disease within the previous 8 weeks
No prior therapy for metastatic disease
Able to read questions in English or willing to complete questionnaires with the assistance of an interpreter
Relative or friend of patient who will likely accompany the patient to clinic visits

Exclusion Criteria

Significant psychiatric or other co-morbid disease

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Early Palliative Care	early palliative care	Subjects receive standard of care with early palliative care.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (Quality of Life Measure)	12 weeks	The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General is a quality of life measure with higher scores indicating better quality of life (range 0-108). We are examining the adjusted mean difference from baseline to 12 weeks in this study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Rate of Clinically Significant Depression Symptoms Based on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale	Week-12 and Week-24	The hospital anxiety and depression scale examines symptoms of depression and anxiety. We compared rates of clinically significant depression symptoms (using a cut off of 8 on the depression subscale score) between study arms at week-12 and week-24.
Coping (Brief Cope)	Up to week-24	compare mean change in approach oriented coping from baseline to week-24. Approach oriented coping scale is composed of active coping, positive reframing, and acceptance subscales. Scores range from 0-8 with higher scores indicate higher approach-oriented coping
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (Quality of Life Measure)	24 weeks	The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General is a quality of life measure with higher scores indicating better quality of life (range 0-108). We are examining the adjusted mean difference from baseline to 24 weeks.
Family Caregiver Psychological Distress (Based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale)	Week 12 and Week 24	We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale to measure overall psychological distress in family caregivers. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale contains two subscales measuring depression and anxiety respectively. When examined continuously, this scale reflects degree of psychological distress with higher scores indicating more psychological distress (range 0-42). We compared overall psychological distress (HADS-total) among family caregivers between the two study arms
Number and Percentage of Participants Who Reported Goal of Their Cancer Treatment is to Cure Their Cancer	Week12 and Week 24	We used the response to an item on Perception of Treatment and Prognosis Questionnaire to compare rates of accurate prognostic understanding between study arms. Participants reported their primary goal of their current cancer treatment: 1) to cure my cancer; 2) to lesson my suffering as much as possible; 3) for me and/or my family to be able to keep hoping; 4) to make sure I have done everything; 5) to extend my life as long as possible; 6) to help cancer research. Participants' responses were dichotomized as 1) to cure my cancer vs. all other.
Number and Percentage of Family Caregivers Who Reported the Goal of Treatment is to Cure Cancer	12 and 24 weeks	We used the response to an item on Perception of Treatment and Prognosis Questionnaire to compare rates of accurate prognostic understanding between study arms. Family caregivers reported their primary goal of the current cancer treatment: 1) to cure my cancer; 2) to lesson my suffering as much as possible; 3) for me and/or my family to be able to keep hoping; 4) to make sure I have done everything; 5) to extend my life as long as possible; 6) to help cancer research. Family caregivers' responses were dichotomized as 1) to cure my cancer vs. all other.
Family Caregiver Quality of Life as Measured by the SF-36	Week-12 and Week-24	The Medical Health Outcomes Survey- Short Form (SF-36) is a measure of QOL. The SF-36 measures eight domains of health-related quality of life: physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role limitation due to emotional health, and mental health. The response choices are scored and summed to yield two physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary measures with ranges from 0-100. Higher scores indicate better quality of life. We compared family caregiver PCS and MCS scores between the two study arms at week-12 and week-24 adjusting for baseline scores.