Quality of Life OutcomesEarly Phase 1NCT07696065
Palliative Care Integration in Pediatric Oncology Phase 1 Clinical Trials
A Early Phase 1 study testing Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation in people with Quality of Life Outcomes, run by Phoenix Children's Hospital at 3 sites in United States.
Trial summary
Although cure rates continue to rise, one in five children with cancer still die from their disease, so new therapies are urgently needed. Most advances in childhood cancer treatments have originated through clinical trial research and new therapies must be tested in early phase clinical trials. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 0 to 25 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Quality of Life Outcomes
- What is being tested?
- Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 10 Jul 2026to 14 Jun 2028
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 0 to 25 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients (aged 0-25 years) diagnosed with cancer and undergoing evaluation for enrollment in a phase 1 trial, their caregivers, as well as their primary treating oncologist are eligible for study participation.
Who cannot join
- Previous palliative care exposure
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States3 sites, 3 recruiting
- Not yet recruiting
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814
Brian Pennarola, MD, 240-760-7250, Brian.pennarola@nih.gov
- Not yet recruiting
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee, 38105
Erica Kaye, MD, MPH, 901-595-8188, erica.kaye@stjude.org
- Recruiting
Phoenix Children's Hospital
Phoenix, Arizona, 85016
Mikaela Rollins, BS, 602-933-0715, mrollins@phoenixchildrens.com
About this study
Although cure rates continue to rise, one in five children with cancer still die from their disease, so new therapies are urgently needed. Most advances in childhood cancer treatments have originated through clinical trial research and new therapies must be tested in early phase clinical trials. Phase 1 clinical trials are designed to focus mainly on determining whether a drug is safe, and less on how well it cures a disease. These trials may offer patients and families hope when no other options are available to treat their cancer. However, patients in these trials may also experience treatment-related side effects and earlier death. Patients and families enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials often experience increased levels of distress. This distress may result from physical effects of the disease or treatments, or from worry, sadness, or confusion when making difficult decisions related to care or end-of-life.
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is a field that aims to ease physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual suffering and may be beneficial to patients and families enrolling in phase 1 clinical trials. Over the past decade, PPC has been shown to improve quality of life, patient and family healthcare understanding and satisfaction, communication, shared-medical decision making, advanced care planning, and healthcare cost savings. Despite evidence showing the benefits of PPC, it is not used consistently in pediatric oncology care, particularly in the setting of early phase clinical trials. Including PPC experts is a proven way to improve access to specialty care for vulnerable populations. In this application, investigators propose a study to test the feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact of including PPC consultation for pediatric cancer patients and their families during their enrollment in phase 1 clinical trials.
Read the detailed description
The proposed single-arm pilot study will use a prospective, longitudinal design conducted across three urban, tertiary care hospitals offering pediatric oncology phase 1 clinical trials (Phoenix Children's, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health). These centers were chosen for their geographical diversity and variability in infrastructure and PPC resources to allow for generalizability of findings.
Aim 1: To assess the feasibility of integrating PPC consultation during eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial.
Measures: Feasibility of the intervention (PPC consultation) will be assessed using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM), a high quality, 4-item implementation indicator, to be completed by caregivers of pediatric oncology patients (with or without patient, if patient aged ≥12 years) enrolling in phase 1 clinical trials and their respective oncologists. Additional measures will assess recruitment (total patients/caregivers screened, percent of patients/caregivers eligible to participate in the study, percent of patients/caregivers who assent/consent to study participation), and adherence (the proportion of study assessments completed, and the length of time required to complete study assessments).
Hypothesis: Integration of a PPC consultation at eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial will be feasible, meeting the following targets: mean FIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 50% of caregivers and oncology providers; enrollment: ≥ 70% of eligible patients/caregivers will assent/consent; adherence: ≥ 75% of enrolled participants will complete all PPC study assessments as planned. These target estimates are extrapolated from our preliminary work with this patient population.
Aim 2: To evaluate the acceptability of a PPC consultation with oncologists and caregivers of pediatric patients with cancer during phase 1 clinical trial enrollment.
Measures: Acceptability of the intervention, (PPC consultation) will be assessed using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), a 4-item tool administered to caregivers of patients enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials (+/- patients if ≥ 12 years) and their respective oncologists. Additional measures will assess attrition (the proportion of enrolled patients lost to follow-up/withdrawal).
Hypothesis: Integration of a PPC consultation at eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial will be acceptable, with a mean AIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 70% of caregivers and oncology providers.
Aim 3: To assess patient/caregiver perceptions of the impact of a PPC consultation on quality of life and facilitators/barriers to PPC consultation integration into the standard of care for pediatric patients with cancer enrolling on phase 1 clinical trials. Methods: Investigators will conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews with caregivers (+/- patients if ≥ 12 years) enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials following the completion of a PPC consult by asking: What was the impact of a PPC consultation at the time of enrollment in a phase 1 clinical trial on the quality of life of the participant? These interviews will also explore barriers and facilitators to PPC consultation at this timepoint. Investigators will thematically analyze the audio-recorded interviews. Investigators will also administer the PROMIS-Pediatric Profile-2510, a validated tool for caregivers, children, and adolescents (≥ 8 years), to assess the potential impact of the intervention on health-related quality of life.
Aim 4: To explore Oncologist perspectives on effective peer communication strategies for encouraging PPC involvement in Phase 1 Oncology trials, at study completion, we will invite oncologists who participated in the study to participate in an optional one time 15-minute semi structured recorded interview.
- Conditions
- Quality of Life Outcomes
- Being tested
- Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation
- Keywords
- pediatric, palliative care, phase 1 oncology trials
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pediatric Palliative Care ConsultationBehavioural
Formal PPC consultation will be completed by a subspeciality-trained PPC physician at each participating site for all study participants during the eligibility screening period for the phase 1 trial. Subsequent standard of care PPC follow-up visits will occur every 2-4 weeks to allow for variations in phase 1 trial structure.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation | Experimental | Formal PPC consultation will be completed by a subspeciality-trained PPC physician at each participating site for all study participants during the eligibility screening period for the phase 1 trial. Subsequent standard of care PPC follow-up visits will occur every 2-4 weeks to allow for variations in phase 1 trial structure. Receives: Behavioral: Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility
Feasibility will be defined as a mean FIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 50% of caregivers and oncology providers; enrollment: ≥ 70% of eligible patients/caregivers will assent/consent; adherence: ≥ 75% of enrolled participants will complete all PPC study assessments as planned. Themes identified from qualitative findings, specifically from caregivers/patients' experiences with the PC team (either positive or negative) will be compared alongside quantitative data in a matrix to assess for overlap or variances in findings related to intervention feasibility, acceptability, and impact.
Measured: 2 years
Acceptability
Acceptability will be defined as a mean AIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 70% of caregivers and oncology providers. Themes identified from qualitative findings, specifically from caregivers/patients' experiences with the PC team (either positive or negative) will be compared alongside quantitative data in a matrix to assess for overlap or variances in findings related to intervention feasibility, acceptability, and impact.
Measured: two years
Secondary outcomes (2)
Barriers and Facilitators to Palliative Care Integration
To assess participants' perceptions of how PPC integration at the time of phase 1 trial enrollment impacted quality of life and facilitators/barriers to PPC consultation, investigators will conduct a one-time, semi-structured interview with the caregiver/patient (> 12 years) within 1 week following the third PPC visit or phase 1 study completion.
Measured: two years
Impact on quality of life
Investigators will administer the PROMIS-Pediatric Profile-25 survey (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) at baseline and within 1 week following the third PPC visit or phase 1 study completion. Patients' reported outcomes in the context of the PPC intervention will be assessed, including mobility, anxiety, depression, fatigue, peer relationships, and pain interference/intensity. This tool was validated for adolescents aged ≥ 8 years, translated into several languages for non-English-speaking participants, and requires 5-10 minutes for completion.
PROMIS results are always reported on a T-score metric, which compares participants' results to a reference population (usually the U.S. general population). The greater the score, the more severe the symptoms (i.e. Less than 55: Normal or better-than-average; 55 - 60: Mild symptoms; 60 - 70: Moderate symptoms; Greater than 70: Severe symptoms).
Measured: two years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Jul 2026
- Study start10 Jul 2026
- Primary completion14 Jan 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion14 Jun 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Quality of Life OutcomesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Phoenix Children's Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Andrea Cuviello, Phoenix Children's Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07696065
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 26-101
- Other IDs
- U54AG093230
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 2 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 29 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Palliative Care Integration in Pediatric Oncology Phase 1 Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07696065
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 26-101
- Conditions
- Quality of Life Outcomes
- Keywords
- pediatric, palliative care, phase 1 oncology trials
- Phase
- Early Phase 1
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Phoenix Children's HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Study start
- 10 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Jan 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 14 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Although cure rates continue to rise, one in five children with cancer still die from their disease, so new therapies are urgently needed. Most advances in childhood cancer treatments have originated through clinical trial research and new therapies must be tested in early phase clinical trials. Phase 1 clinical trials are designed to focus mainly on determining whether a drug is safe, and less on how well it cures a disease. These trials may offer patients and families hope when no other options are available to treat their cancer. However, patients in these trials may also experience treatment-related side effects and earlier death. Patients and families enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials often experience increased levels of distress. This distress may result from physical effects of the disease or treatments, or from worry, sadness, or confusion when making difficult decisions related to care or end-of-life.
Pediatric palliative care (PPC) is a field that aims to ease physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual suffering and may be beneficial to patients and families enrolling in phase 1 clinical trials. Over the past decade, PPC has been shown to improve quality of life, patient and family healthcare understanding and satisfaction, communication, shared-medical decision making, advanced care planning, and healthcare cost savings. Despite evidence showing the benefits of PPC, it is not used consistently in pediatric oncology care, particularly in the setting of early phase clinical trials. Including PPC experts is a proven way to improve access to specialty care for vulnerable populations. In this application, investigators propose a study to test the feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact of including PPC consultation for pediatric cancer patients and their families during their enrollment in phase 1 clinical trials.
Detailed description
The proposed single-arm pilot study will use a prospective, longitudinal design conducted across three urban, tertiary care hospitals offering pediatric oncology phase 1 clinical trials (Phoenix Children's, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health). These centers were chosen for their geographical diversity and variability in infrastructure and PPC resources to allow for generalizability of findings.
Aim 1: To assess the feasibility of integrating PPC consultation during eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial.
Measures: Feasibility of the intervention (PPC consultation) will be assessed using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM), a high quality, 4-item implementation indicator, to be completed by caregivers of pediatric oncology patients (with or without patient, if patient aged ≥12 years) enrolling in phase 1 clinical trials and their respective oncologists. Additional measures will assess recruitment (total patients/caregivers screened, percent of patients/caregivers eligible to participate in the study, percent of patients/caregivers who assent/consent to study participation), and adherence (the proportion of study assessments completed, and the length of time required to complete study assessments).
Hypothesis: Integration of a PPC consultation at eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial will be feasible, meeting the following targets: mean FIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 50% of caregivers and oncology providers; enrollment: ≥ 70% of eligible patients/caregivers will assent/consent; adherence: ≥ 75% of enrolled participants will complete all PPC study assessments as planned. These target estimates are extrapolated from our preliminary work with this patient population.
Aim 2: To evaluate the acceptability of a PPC consultation with oncologists and caregivers of pediatric patients with cancer during phase 1 clinical trial enrollment.
Measures: Acceptability of the intervention, (PPC consultation) will be assessed using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), a 4-item tool administered to caregivers of patients enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials (+/- patients if ≥ 12 years) and their respective oncologists. Additional measures will assess attrition (the proportion of enrolled patients lost to follow-up/withdrawal).
Hypothesis: Integration of a PPC consultation at eligibility screening for pediatric oncology patients enrolling in a phase 1 clinical trial will be acceptable, with a mean AIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 70% of caregivers and oncology providers.
Aim 3: To assess patient/caregiver perceptions of the impact of a PPC consultation on quality of life and facilitators/barriers to PPC consultation integration into the standard of care for pediatric patients with cancer enrolling on phase 1 clinical trials. Methods: Investigators will conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews with caregivers (+/- patients if ≥ 12 years) enrolled in phase 1 clinical trials following the completion of a PPC consult by asking: What was the impact of a PPC consultation at the time of enrollment in a phase 1 clinical trial on the quality of life of the participant? These interviews will also explore barriers and facilitators to PPC consultation at this timepoint. Investigators will thematically analyze the audio-recorded interviews. Investigators will also administer the PROMIS-Pediatric Profile-2510, a validated tool for caregivers, children, and adolescents (≥ 8 years), to assess the potential impact of the intervention on health-related quality of life.
Aim 4: To explore Oncologist perspectives on effective peer communication strategies for encouraging PPC involvement in Phase 1 Oncology trials, at study completion, we will invite oncologists who participated in the study to participate in an optional one time 15-minute semi structured recorded interview.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation | Experimental | Behavioral: Pediatric Palliative Care ConsultationFormal PPC consultation will be completed by a subspeciality-trained PPC physician at each participating site for all study participants during the eligibility screening period for the phase 1 trial. Subsequent standard of care PPC follow-up visits will occur every 2-4 weeks to allow for variations in phase 1 trial structure. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 0 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Patients (aged 0-25 years) diagnosed with cancer and undergoing evaluation for enrollment in a phase 1 trial, their caregivers, as well as their primary treating oncologist are eligible for study participation.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Previous palliative care exposure
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatric Palliative Care ConsultationFormal PPC consultation will be completed by a subspeciality-trained PPC physician at each participating site for all study participants during the eligibility screening period for the phase 1 trial. Subsequent standard of care PPC follow-up visits will occur every 2-4 weeks to allow for variations in phase 1 trial structure. | Behavioural | Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation |
Primary outcome
Feasibility
Time frame: 2 years
Feasibility will be defined as a mean FIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 50% of caregivers and oncology providers; enrollment: ≥ 70% of eligible patients/caregivers will assent/consent; adherence: ≥ 75% of enrolled participants will complete all PPC study assessments as planned. Themes identified from qualitative findings, specifically from caregivers/patients' experiences with the PC team (either positive or negative) will be compared alongside quantitative data in a matrix to assess for overlap or variances in findings related to intervention feasibility, acceptability, and impact.
Acceptability
Time frame: two years
Acceptability will be defined as a mean AIM score of ≥ 3 (coded 1-5) for > 70% of caregivers and oncology providers. Themes identified from qualitative findings, specifically from caregivers/patients' experiences with the PC team (either positive or negative) will be compared alongside quantitative data in a matrix to assess for overlap or variances in findings related to intervention feasibility, acceptability, and impact.
2 secondary outcomes
Barriers and Facilitators to Palliative Care Integration
Time frame: two years
Impact on quality of life
Time frame: two years
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Early Phase 1 study testing Pediatric Palliative Care Consultation in people with Quality of Life Outcomes, run by Phoenix Children's Hospital at 3 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Early Phase 1 (sometimes called Phase 0) studies give a very small amount of a treatment to a few people, mainly to see how the body handles it.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility (time frame: 2 years). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jul 2026.