Randomized Trial of a Targeted Palliative Care Intervention for Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Patients with metastatic breast cancer who are approaching the end of life often experience high symptom burden and acute hospitalizations without sufficient communication with care teams about their end-of-life care wishes or the support of palliative or hospice services. The purpose of this multi-site trial is to test the efficacy of a targeted, five-session palliative care intervention designed specifically for those with poor prognosis metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers to improve communication with clinicians and the quality of end-of-life care. This study will lay the groundwork for ultimately delivering scalable, timely, and tailored palliative care interventions for patients with advanced cancer who have long disease trajectories.
• age ≥18 years
• diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer
• identified as at risk of death within 12 months per the Epic End-of-Life Care Index
• functioning independently per an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤2
• receiving their cancer care at one of the participating institutions
• able to complete questionnaires in English or Spanish
• age ≥18 years
• identified by the patient as a family member or friend who is primarily involved in their care
• able to complete questionnaires in English or Spanish