Early Palliative Care Following Aborted Cancer Surgery: Results of a Prospective Feasibility Trial
2024

Early Palliative Care After Aborted Cancer Surgery

Sample size: 25 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Cloyd Jordan M., Khatri Rakhsha, Sarna Angela, Stevens Lena, Heh Victor, Dillhoff Mary, Kim Alex, Pawlik Timothy M., Ejaz Aslam, Wells-Di Gregorio Sharla, Scott Erin, Kale Sachin S.

Primary Institution: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Hypothesis

Early ambulatory palliative care referral following aborted cancer surgery would be feasible and acceptable.

Conclusion

Barriers to early ambulatory palliative care consultation exist after aborted cancer surgery, indicating a need for further research to optimize supportive care strategies.

Supporting Evidence

  • 52% of participants met the primary endpoint of ambulatory palliative care within 30 days.
  • Anxiety and depression scores did not significantly differ at 3-month follow-up compared to baseline.
  • Patients traveled a mean of 70.7 miles for the palliative care visit.

Takeaway

This study looked at how helpful it is to get palliative care after cancer surgery that didn't go as planned, and found that many patients faced challenges in getting that care.

Methodology

A single-institution prospective clinical trial enrolled adult patients with gastrointestinal or hepatopancreatobiliary cancer who had curative-intent oncologic surgery that was unexpectedly aborted.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the non-standardized nature of palliative care consultations and the single-institution setting.

Limitations

The study was conducted at a single institution, which may limit generalizability, and had a relatively small sample size with incomplete follow-up data.

Participant Demographics

Mean age was 65.3 years, 68% male, and 88% White.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.06

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1097/AS9.0000000000000520

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