NCT04989556

Brief Summary

This trial investigates technology-enhanced palliative care for patients in phase I trials with cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced). The goal of this study is to learn if the technology-enhanced palliative care symptom-monitoring program, when combined with in-person clinic visits and standard remote care visits (by phone or video call), helps increase quality of life and care for patients with advanced cancer participating in phase 1 immunotherapy trials.

Trial Health

55
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
119

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2020

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 20, 2020

Completed
2 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 7, 2020

Completed
10 months until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 4, 2021

Completed
4.8 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 7, 2026

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 7, 2026

Completed
Last Updated

October 14, 2025

Status Verified

October 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

5.7 years

First QC Date

October 7, 2020

Last Update Submit

October 10, 2025

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in global distress score (GDS)

    Will consist of paired t-tests for the global distress score (GDS, calculated as a sum of 9 physical and psychosocial ESAS items, scored from 0-90 in which a range over 35 indicates high distress) between baseline and 2 weeks if the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) scores are approximately normally distributed. If the data are clearly not normally distributed will conduct Wilcoxon signed rank tests.

    Baseline to 2 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Effect size of each palliative care (PC) intervention, utilizing FAMCARE-P-13 (PRO tool assessing patient satisfaction with outpatient palliative oncology care).

    At 6 months after enrollment

  • Effect size of palliative care (PC) intervention, utilizing Global Distress Score (GDS) derived from Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS).

    At 6 months after enrollment

  • Patients' and caregivers' perceptions of receiving each technology-enhanced palliative care intervention

    Up to 12 weeks on phase I trial

Study Arms (3)

Arm I (standard symptom management)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients receive standard symptom management by palliative care team once every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. Patients and caregivers also may participate in an interview with supportive care nurse over 30-45 minutes during week 8.

Other: InterviewOther: Palliative TherapyOther: Quality-of-Life Assessment

Arm II (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients in Phase I immunotherapy trials will receive in-person clinic visits or standard remote care encounters at least once every 4 weeks and the e-ESAS and PC provider-initiated remote contact every week. Patients and caregivers may participate in an interview with supportive care nurse over 30-45 minutes during week 8.

Other: InterviewOther: Palliative TherapyOther: Quality-of-Life AssessmentOther: Questionnaire Administration

Arm III (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients in Phase I non-immunotherapy clinical trials will receive in-person clinic visits or standard remote care encounters at least once every 4 weeks and the e-ESAS and PC provider-initiated remote contact once a week. Patients and caregivers may participate in an interview with supportive care nurse over 30-45 minutes during week 8.

Other: InterviewOther: Palliative TherapyOther: Quality-of-Life AssessmentOther: Questionnaire Administration

Interventions

Participate in interview

Arm I (standard symptom management)Arm II (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)Arm III (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

Receive standard symptom management by palliative care team

Also known as: Comfort Care, PA-Palliative Therapy, palliation, Palliative, Palliative Care, Palliative Treatment, Symptom Management, Symptoms Management
Arm I (standard symptom management)Arm II (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)Arm III (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

Ancillary studies

Also known as: Quality of Life Assessment
Arm I (standard symptom management)Arm II (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)Arm III (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

Complete questionnaire

Arm II (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)Arm III (weekly provider-initiated remote contact)

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • PATIENT: Diagnosis of advanced solid tumor
  • PATIENT: Oncologic plan for a phase I trial
  • PATIENT: High symptom burden (defined as a score of \>= 4 on at least 1 Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale \[ESAS\] symptom, AND a global distress score \[GDS\] of \>= 20)
  • PATIENT: Reliable telephone and internet access
  • PATIENT: Able to communicate verbally in English and provide informed consent
  • CAREGIVER: Able to communicate verbally in English and provide informed consent
  • CAREGIVER: Reliable telephone and internet access

You may not qualify if:

  • PATIENT: Low symptom burden defined as scores \< 4 on all ESAS symptoms OR GDS \< 20
  • PATIENT: Delirium (i.e. Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale \> 8)
  • PATIENT: No reliable telephone or internet access
  • CAREGIVER: Refusal to participate in this study
  • CAREGIVER: No reliable telephone or internet access

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

M D Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

Location

Related Links

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Interviews as TopicPalliative CarePatient Comfort

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data CollectionEpidemiologic MethodsInvestigative TechniquesHealth Care Evaluation MechanismsQuality of Health CareHealth Care Quality, Access, and EvaluationPublic HealthEnvironment and Public HealthPatient CareTherapeuticsHealth ServicesHealth Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

  • David Hui

    M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 7, 2020

First Posted

August 4, 2021

Study Start

August 20, 2020

Primary Completion

May 7, 2026

Study Completion

May 7, 2026

Last Updated

October 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Locations