Extend our knowledge about and gain new insight in the prevalence and development of the most frequent cancer related symptoms during the course of disease
Abstract project
Background
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. There is however insufficient knowledge about the development of symptoms over time, as most studies to date are cross-sectional or, if prospective, have a limited time scope. Furthermore, the apparent lack of consensus-based, standardized tools for symptom assessment and classification calls for a need to collect prospective data.
Aim
The primary aim of this international research project is to extend our knowledge about and gain new insight into the prevalence and development of the most frequent cancer related symptoms during the course of disease. This will be sought by conducting an international prospective data collection study, the European Palliative Care Cancer Symptom study (EPCCS), 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. Furthermore, data on the organization and delivery of palliative care at participating centres will be collected.
Partners
Oncology or palliative care centres in the following nations: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA. The centre in Belgium: the Department of Medical Oncology and Palliative Care and the Palliative Support Team of the University Hospital Ghent (Project coordinator: European Palliative Care Research Centre, University of Trondheim, Norway).