Actively Recruiting
Feasibility and Acceptability of Primary Palliative Care Intervention in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Led by Massachusetts General Hospital · Updated on 2026-04-24
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
12 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
M
Massachusetts General Hospital
Lead Sponsor
A
American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) often face physical and psychological challenges that reduce their quality of life during hospitalization. Specialty palliative care can help reduce these symptoms and improve quality of life but is not widely available at all HCT centers. This research evaluates Sentinel, a primary palliative care intervention designed to train HCT clinicians to provide palliative care as part of routine practice, assessing its feasibility and acceptability in this setting. Participants will receive the Sentinel intervention before and during their HCT hospitalization. Before admission, a transplant nurse practitioner will conduct a focused palliative care visit to establish rapport, set expectations about the transplant, review possible symptoms, and discuss coping strategies. During hospitalization, physicians and advanced practice providers will integrate palliative care elements into the routine care for patients. Participants will complete patient-reported assessments at four time points: before hospital admission, two weeks into hospitalization, one month after HCT, and three months post-HCT. The study will monitor how feasible the intervention is up to 90 days and evaluate acceptability at 30 days. This approach helps researchers understand how well Sentinel works in practice and gathers important information on patient experiences during and after HCT.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Feasibility and Acceptability of Primary Palliative Care Intervention in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 years or older
- Undergoing autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation at Massachusetts General Hospital
You will not qualify if you...
- Prior receipt of inpatient specialty palliative care on two or more admissions in the past 6 months
- Significant uncontrolled psychiatric disorders such as psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depression
- Other co-morbid diseases like dementia or cognitive impairment that interfere with informed consent or study participation
- Inability to understand English as required for this preliminary study
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 screening and enrollment visit (in-person)
Duration - Prior to HCT admission
Participants will have a focused palliative care visit with a transplant clinician before their hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) hospitalization to build rapport, manage expectations, and discuss coping strategies.
1 baseline visit (in-person)
Duration - Duration of HCT hospitalization
During the HCT hospitalization, participants will receive primary palliative care integrated into their routine care by HCT physicians and advanced practice providers.
Assessments at Week 2 of HCT hospitalization (in-person)
Duration - Up to 3 months post-HCT
Participants will complete patient-reported assessments to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the intervention after hospital discharge.
Visits at 1 month and 3 months post-HCT (in-person or remote)
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02152
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
R
Richard A Newcomb, MD
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Number of Arms
1
Similar Trials
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here