Can a palliative care team boost quality of life for cancer surgery patients?

NCT ID NCT03611309

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at whether having a palliative care team work alongside surgeons improves quality of life for patients with gastrointestinal cancers like pancreatic or liver cancer. About 379 patients and their family members took part. The main goal was to see if this team approach leads to better well-being 12 weeks after surgery compared to standard surgeon-only care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

palliative care team co-management

What this could lead to

If successful, this approach could improve quality of life and emotional well-being for patients and families facing major cancer surgery.

What could go wrong

This is a completed trial, but the intervention is supportive care, not a cure. Benefits may be modest and not apply to all cancer types or settings.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cholangiocarcinoma digestive system cancer digestive system neoplasm esophageal cancer Esophageal Neoplasms gastric cancer gastric neoplasm Liver Neoplasms malignant pancreatic neoplasm pancreatic neoplasm pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Dana Farber/ Brigham

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

  • Johns Hopkins Hostpital

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States

  • Ohio State University Medical Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

  • Stanford University

    Stanford, California, 94304, United States

  • University of New Mexico

    Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States