Journal
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
Volume 33, Issue 13, Pages 1438-1445Publisher
AMER SOC CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2014.58.6362
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- National Institute for Nursing Research [R01NR011871-01]
- Cancer and Leukemia Group B Foundation Clinical Scholar Award
- Foundation for Informed Medical Decision-Making
- NIH/NINR Small Research Grant [1R03NR014915-01]
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center pilot funding
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Section of Palliative Medicine
- National Palliative Care Research Center Junior Career Development Award
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program [5R25CA047888]
- American Cancer Society [MRSG 12-113-01-CPPB]
- [P30CA023108]
- [UL1 TR001086]
- [R03NR014915]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Purpose Randomized controlled trials have supported integrated oncology and palliative care (PC); however, optimal timing has not been evaluated. We investigated the effect of early versus delayed PC on quality of life (QOL), symptom impact, mood, 1-year survival, and resource use. Patients and Methods Between October 2010 and March 2013, 207 patients with advanced cancer at a National Cancer Institute cancer center, a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and community outreach clinics were randomly assigned to receive an in-person PC consultation, structured PC telehealth nurse coaching sessions (once per week for six sessions), and monthly follow-up either early after enrollment or 3 months later. Outcomes were QOL, symptom impact, mood, 1-year survival, and resource use (hospital/intensive care unit days, emergency room visits, chemotherapy in last 14 days, and death location). Results Overall patient-reported outcomes were not statistically significant after enrollment (QOL, P = .34; symptom impact, P = .09; mood, P = .33) or before death (QOL, P = .73; symptom impact, P = .30; mood, P = .82). Kaplan-Meier 1-year survival rates were 63% in the early group and 48% in the delayed group (difference, 15%; P = .038). Relative rates of early to delayed decedents' resource use were similar for hospital days (0.73; 95% CI, 0.41 to 1.27; P = .26), intensive care unit days (0.68; 95% CI, 0.23 to 2.02; P = .49), emergency room visits (0.73; 95% CI, 0.45 to 1.19; P = .21), chemotherapy in last 14 days (1.57; 95% CI, 0.37 to 6.7; P = .27), and home death (27 [54%] v 28 [47%]; P = .60). Conclusion Early-entry participants' patient-reported outcomes and resource use were not statistically different; however, their survival 1-year after enrollment was improved compared with those who began 3 months later. Understanding the complex mechanisms whereby PC may improve survival remains an important research priority.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available