The European Palliative Care Cancer Symptom Study (EPCCS)

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Total Enrollment

1739 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-06-30

Study Completion Date

2013-10-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The rising incidence of cancer and the rapidly increasing number of people living longer with incurable disease, accentuates the need for optimal symptom management throughout the disease trajectory. Thanks to the medical and technological development, and the increased interest in palliative care research, palliative medicine has gradually become more evidence based. Patients with advanced cancer experience multiple symptoms at the time with fluctuating intensity and severity. Pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, loss of appetite and depression are among the most common and experienced by more than 50%. However, the prevalence rates of these symptoms vary considerably across studies, with a range from 35 to 90 % for pain as an example. These differences may in part be explained by different assessment tools, study methods and design and population characteristics. There is also lack of agreed-upon, common criteria to describe the main characteristics of a palliative care cancer population and few standardized tools for assessment and classification of symptoms exist. These shortcomings limit the possibility to design randomized controlled treatment trials in palliative care; the optimal way to improve clinical symptom management. To do this, a better understanding of how symptoms evolve and how they should be assessed and classified throughout the palliative care disease trajectory is important, supplemented with registrations of the treatment provided. The primary aim of this international research project the European Palliative Care Cancer Symptom study (EPCCS) is to extend the knowledge about and gain new insight in the prevalence and development of the most frequent cancer related symptoms during the course of disease, in a large sample of palliative care cancer patients. The clinical usefulness of the new assessment and classification system developed by the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative (EPCRC) / European Association for Palliative Care Research Network (EAPC RN) will be examined and data on the organization and delivery of palliative care at participating centers will be collected. The project also aims to further develop and consolidate international research collaboration through the European Palliative Care Research Centre (PRC). Taken together, these efforts will increase the understanding of the palliative disease trajectory and provide necessary knowledge and structure for future randomized controlled trials (RCTs)

Related Clinical Trials

Explore similar clinical trials based on study characteristics and research focus.

Computerized Questionnaires in Assessing Symptoms, Pain, Depression, and Physical Function in Patients With Metastatic and/or Advanced Locoregional Cancer

NCT00972634

Cachexia Depression Pain +1 more

COMPLETED

Patient-centred Integrated Palliative Care Pathways in Advanced Cancer and Chronic Disease

NCT02175147

COPD Cancer Heart Failure

UNKNOWN

Identification of In-hospital Patients in Need of Palliative Care Using a New Simplified Screening Tool

NCT04143230

Locally Advanced Cancer Metastatic Cancer Chronic Respiratory Failure +3 more

COMPLETED NA

Palliative Care Referral System (PCRS) for Cancer Patients With Advanced Disease

NCT04936568

Advanced Cancer

COMPLETED NA

Evaluation of Palliative Care Co-treatment by Attending Physicians and Nurses: an Online Survey as Part of the Project

NCT06310889

Palliative Medicine

WITHDRAWN

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Cancer

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Palliative care cancer patients

Inclusion criteria are:

Patient has a cancer diagnosis (radiological, histological, cytological or operative evidence), local, loco-regional or metastatic disease, defined as a palliative care patient; enrolled in a palliative care programme, age 18 years or older, able to provide written informed consent, able to complete the data collection tool, preferably without help, available for follow up registration

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

1. Patient has a cancer diagnosis (radiological, histological, cytological or operative evidence)
2. Local, loco-regional or metastatic disease
3. Defined as a palliative care patient; enrolled in a palliative care programme
4. Age 18 years or older
5. Able to provide written informed consent
6. Able to complete the data collection tool, preferably without help
7. Available for follow up registration

Exclusion Criteria

1. Patients receiving anti-cancer treatment with a curative intent
2. Patients who are unable to complete the registration due to language problems or severe physical problems
3. Patients who have psychotic disorders or obvious cognitive impairment
4. Patients who cannot come for regular follow-up visits, due to geographical or social reasons

Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No