Integrated Short-term Palliative Rehabilitation in Incurable Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Integrated Short-term Palliative Rehabilitation to improve quality of life and equitable care access in incurable cancer: A multi-national randomised controlled trial.
IRAS ID
328722
Contact name
Matthew Maddocks
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN16705336
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 10 months, 3 days
Research summary
Cancer is one of the main causes of illness, burden and death in Europe. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the EU estimated 2.7 million new cancer cases. For all cancers, between 53-79% of men and 41-62% of women are diagnosed with incurable disease. Their cancer treatment is life-prolonging but will not cure the disease.
Cancer is also a major and growing contributor to disability. Recent global estimates suggest a loss of 382 disability-adjusted life years per 1000 individuals. Disability is a poorly recognised and undertreated consequence of incurable cancer. Over time, loss of function results in people not being able to continue with their valued roles and routines, to manage usual households and to self-care. Disability reduces quality of life and well-being and is closely related to unplanned hospital admissions and mortality.
Palliative rehabilitation empowers people with incurable conditions to actively manage their condition themselves, enabling them to live fully and enjoy the best health-related quality of life possible, including cancer towards the end of life. It aims to reduce symptoms and help people to stay independent and socially active.
In this study, we are evaluating a rehabilitation intervention that has been designed to meet the needs of people living with advanced cancer. The study is taking place in countries across Europe, and we plan to recruit 340 patients from hospitals. We aim to find out if and how the rehabilitation intervention affects the people who take part in the study. We will also study how it fits in with current healthcare services.REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0991
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion