In this trial, patients with cancer in the upper gastrointestinal canal who are going to receive first line palliative chemotherapy and patients with colorectal cancer who are going to receive second line palliative chemotherapy will be included. Participating patients will be randomized between early contact with a palliative care unit, or contact with a palliative care unit when needed. The objectives with the trial is to investigate if an early establishment with a palliative care unit will have a positive impact on the patients quality of life, this also applies for the nearest relative, survival, and if a difference in numbers of chemotherapy cycles can be detected.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
108
Lund University Hospital
Lund, Sweden
Quality of Life, such as pain, anxiety.
Evaluation will be performed by different quality of life forms sent to the patient every 6th week, and by telephone contact with a study nurse every 6th week until patients death. The same also applies for the patients nearest relative; quality of life forms will be sent every 12th week for additional 1 year.
Time frame: At baseline, every 6th week until death (approximately 1 year). The patients relative will be followed similarly until patients death and then every 12th week for 1 year.
Survival
Time frame: Approximately 12 months.
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