Primary Outcome Measures:
- Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (Quality of life measure) [ Time Frame: 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Quality of end of life care [ Time Frame: 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Health care costs at the end of life [ Time Frame: 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Groups/Cohorts
- Early Palliative Care
- Subjects receive standard of care with early palliative care.
- Standard of Care
- Subjects receives standard of care
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.
Eligibility Criteria
- Study Population
- Primary care clinic Patient caregivers
- 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
