Older cancer patients with a naturally limited life expectancy Cancer
Conditions
Interventions
The study aims to develop a new tool that allows older cancer patients with a naturally limited life expectancy to determine the extent to which they prioritise quality of life or length of life in th
Sponsors
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Older patients (=70 years old) with a pre-existing limited life expectancy based either on their extreme age (=85 years), frailty or multi-morbidities 2. Able to give informed consent or if lack capacity have an available relative with a legal power of attorney for health and welfare who will be asked to take part on their behalf 3. Recent or previous diagnosis of potentially curable invasive cancer (breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal) and being offered a choice of standard therapy (usually surgery) versus fitness-adapted therapy (systemic hormonal therapy, radiotherapy, stent, “watch and wait”) 4. Caregiver or family member with lasting power of attorney (LPA) for a patient meeting inclusion criteria points 1 and 3 5. There are no language or ethnicity limits as interpreters will be used as required
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Patients with advanced cancer where a cure is not possible (ie. metastatic cancer) 2. Patients where surgery is required to prevent emergency short-term crises (such as bowel obstruction) 3. Patients who cannot give consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. The role of quality of life versus length of life in the frail older patient measured using data collected during in-depth qualitative interviews and questionnaires with patients and carers during Work Package 2 (WP2) 2. Development of a new decision-support intervention tool to support frail older patients facing cancer treatment decisions using Focus Groups during Work Package 3 (WP3) | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify the priorities and information needs of frail, older patients regarding cancer treatment (in particular, cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and their views on the relative importance of maintaining their quality of life and independence, balanced against their wish to undergo potentially burdensome therapies that may extend their life but reduce its quality, using qualitative interviews. 2. Design and disseminate a survey tool to apply to a wider group of cancer patients to establish the generalisability of the results found in the qualitative interviews. 3. Design a decision tool to capture patients’ preferences for quality of life versus length of life using data from the interview and questionnaire phase of the study. User and field testing of the tool on a sample of older patients undergoing treatment for cancer, using focus groups. | — |
Countries
England, United Kingdom
Contacts
Public ContactJenna Morgan
Outcome results
None listed