Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Early Specialized Palliative Care Team Intervention for Patients With Metastatic Cancer: A Cluster Randomized Trial
Brief Summary: Patients with advanced cancer often have numerous physical and psychological symptoms, which can negatively affect their quality of life. A palliative care team of different health care professionals (including doctors, nurses, social workers and therapists) specializes in treating these symptoms and offers support for patients and their families. However, palliative care teams are currently involved only in the last two months of a patient's life or not at all.

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether, compared to conventional cancer care, early involvement by a specialized symptom control and palliative care team in patients with advanced cancer will be associated with: better quality of life, greater patient and caregiver satisfaction with care, better symptom control, improved communication with healthcare providers and improved caregiver quality of life.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

Physician:

* all internal medicine residents at either University of Washington (UW)or the Medical University of South Carolina
* who have a clinical rotation allowing implementation of the intervention.

NP Student:

* All NP Students at UW or MUSC
* in programs that train them to work with the following patient types:
* Adult patents with Cancer or other chronic, life-limiting illnesses
* Older Adults
* Adults Primary Care Patients

Patient:

One or more of the following diagnostic criteria:

* Advanced Cancer;
* Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with FEV1 values \< 35% predicted and/or oxygen dependent;
* Restrictive lung disease with a TLC \< 50% predicted;
* Congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction \<30% or functional deficits matching New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart failure;
* End stage liver disease including Child's Class C cirrhosis, MELD score ≥ 18, a variceal bleed, refractory ascites, or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP);
* a Charlson Comorbidity Score point value ≥6;
* in-patients with a University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Risk of Mortality score of major or extreme;
* OR hospitalized patients ≥ 80 years.

Family:

* The ability to speak English well enough to be able to complete the study procedures
* AND no significant dementia or delirium that would limit the family member's ability to complete instruments.

Nurse-evaluators:

* are working in the hospital or clinic with the resident or NP student enrolled in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* less than 18 years,
* significant dementia, delirium, or psychosis;
* the inability to speak English well enough to be able to complete the study procedures.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age ≥ 18 years
* Dx of stage IV cancer (metastatic); refractory to hormonal therapy for breast or prostate cancer; stage III or IV for lung cancer.
* ECOG performance status ≤ 2 (estimated by primary oncologist)
* Prognosis of \>6 months to 2 years (estimated by primary oncologist)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Insufficient English literacy to complete questionnaires
* Inability of pass the cognitive screening test (SOMC - Short Orientation Memory Concentration test score \<20 or \>10 errors)
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Clinicians who are palliative care providers (physicians and Advanced Practice Providers).
* Patients/family caregivers must be 18 - 100 years of age.
* Patients must have an advanced illness and be receiving palliative care.
* Family caregivers must be caring for a patient who has an advanced illness who is receiving palliative care.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients/family caregivers who do not speak English or require interpreter services will be excluded.
D: DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of advanced cancer (stage IV disease) AND meets all of the following criteria:

  * Referred by participating physician
  * Must speak English
  * Receiving primary oncology care at participating centers, defined as at least 2 visits to the clinic during the past year and a future scheduled appointment
  * Receiving treatment for any malignancy
  * Has access to a telephone

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics

Answer: B