Impact on Survival of Chaplain Provided Spiritual Care or Psychotherapy Combined With Palliative Care Versus Palliative Care Alone in Patients With Non-Curative Malignancies
The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Summary
This phase III clinical trial will evaluate the impact on survival of adding chaplain-provided spiritual care or psychotherapy/meditation to standard-of-care (SOC) and palliative measures, plus chemotherapy if recommended, and comparing it with SOC and palliative measures, plus chemotherapy if recommended, in patients with non-curative malignancies. The Palliative Care Department at Houston Methodist Hospital provides essential services to patients diagnosed with advanced cancer by sharing information and resources about symptom management, pain treatment and planning for the future. It is also recognized that chaplaincy-based spiritual care of patients can be a valuable part of interdisciplinary interventions in oncology.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: Patients are eligible to be included in the trial only if all of the following criteria apply * The patient provides written informed consent for the trial. * Male or female ≥18 years of age on the day of informed consent signing. * Histologically confirmed metastatic disease with life expectancy of one year or less. * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 3. * Willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the trial including undergoing scheduled visits and interventions. Exclusion Criteria: Patients are excluded from th…
Interventions
- BehavioralChaplain-Provided Spiritual Care
Patients will receive 24 individual, one-on-one sessions with a board -certified chaplain. The goal of these sessions is to elicit the spiritual, existential, and emotional issues or distress arising from your experience of cancer and draw on intrapsychic, spiritual, and narrative resources to develop a sense of meaning of your experience that is aligned with your spiritual and existential values and outlook. Rituals often function as actions to stabilize and support persons experiencing stressful or traumatic moments as well as provide structure for meaning making. The practice of rituals will be included in these sessions as a means of integrating bodily experience into reflection as well as providing a resource for ongoing spiritual support. Rituals may include prayer practices, guided imagery, use of journaling, creation of legacy items, sacred readings, poetry, or other personalized rituals.
- BehavioralPsychotherapy and Meditation Intervention
24 individual, one-on-one psychotherapy/ meditation sessions with a licensed psychotherapist and a meditation instructor. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is an approach for addressing stresses and emotional conflicts in life by talking with a therapist. During psychotherapy, patients will be able to discuss specific challenges in your life and will work with a psychotherapist to develop helpful coping skills. Guided Visualization Meditation will be combined with psychotherapy to help you relax the body and clear the mind. Patients will be guided by an experienced instructor to cultivate a personal sense of inner calm. In these psychotherapy/meditation sessions you will determine the pace that you would like to follow and how deeply you wish to engage with the practice. The sessions will be interactive, and the psychotherapist/meditation instructor will respond to your needs and preferences.
Location
- Houston Methodist Neal Cancer CenterHouston, Texas