Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)COMPASNCT07895693
Comprehensive Palliative Care After Stem Cell Transplantation: a Feasability Study
A study testing Early Integrated Palliative Care in people with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), run by Lisa Hentsch at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
People who receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant often face important physical and emotional challenges during their recovery. Even after leaving the hospital, they may experience symptoms such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, uncertainty, or difficulties returning to their usual daily activities. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
- What is being tested?
- Early Integrated Palliative Care
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 27 Aug 2026to 26 Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged 18 years or older.
- Undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT).
- Meet at least one of the following vulnerability criteria: Heavy symptom burden, defined as a score of 3 or higher for at least one symptom on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS); Age 65 years or older; Poor prognosis, defined as a Disease Risk Index (DRI) category of intermediate, high, or very high.
- Able to provide written informed consent.
- Able to communicate in French and complete study assessments.
Who cannot join
- Severe cognitive impairment preventing completion of study questionnaires.
- Inability to provide informed consent.
- Inability to communicate in French.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Switzerland1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Geneva University Hospitals
Geneva, Canton of Geneva, 1205
Federica Bianchi, PhD, +41 77 232 5685, federica.bianchi@hug.ch
Lisa Hentsch, MD
About this study
People who receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant often face important physical and emotional challenges during their recovery. Even after leaving the hospital, they may experience symptoms such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, uncertainty, or difficulties returning to their usual daily activities. Family caregivers may also experience a considerable burden during this period.
Palliative care is specialized supportive care aimed at improving quality of life for people facing serious illness. It focuses on helping patients and families manage symptoms, cope with emotional and practical challenges, and receive care that is aligned with their needs and priorities. While palliative care is increasingly integrated into cancer care, it is not routinely offered to all patients recovering from stem cell transplantation.
Read more
The COMPAS study aims to determine whether it is feasible and acceptable to systematically offer palliative care consultations to patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Participants will receive supportive consultations with a palliative care physician in addition to their usual transplant follow-up care.
The study will evaluate whether patients are willing to participate, whether the consultations can be delivered as planned, and how patients and caregivers perceive this approach. Participants and caregivers will also be invited to complete questionnaires and some may take part in interviews about their experience.
The results of this study will help determine whether a larger future study should be conducted and may contribute to improving supportive care for people recovering from stem cell transplantation.
Read the detailed description
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a potentially curative treatment for patients with blood cancers and other serious blood disorders. Although many patients benefit from transplantation, the recovery period can be challenging. After hospital discharge, patients may experience a range of physical symptoms, emotional difficulties, and practical concerns that can affect their quality of life and daily functioning. Family members and other caregivers may also experience significant stress and burden during this period.
Palliative care is specialized care that aims to improve quality of life for people living with serious illness and for those close to them. It focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering and addresses physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Palliative care can be provided alongside treatments intended to cure or control disease and is increasingly recognized as an important component of comprehensive cancer care.
Despite the potential benefits of palliative care, its integration into the care of patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains limited. In many centers, access to palliative care depends on an individual referral and may occur only when significant problems arise. As a result, some patients may not receive supportive care services that could help them during recovery.
The COMPAS study was developed to explore a more systematic approach to supportive care after transplantation. The study will evaluate whether routinely offering palliative care consultations after hospital discharge is feasible and acceptable for patients and caregivers. It will also provide important information on how such an approach can be integrated into routine clinical practice.
In addition to assessing feasibility and acceptability, the study will generate preliminary data on patients' and caregivers' experiences during the post-transplant period. Understanding these experiences is essential for developing supportive care programs that respond to patients' needs and priorities.
The knowledge gained from this study will help inform the design of future larger studies and may contribute to improving the organization of care for patients recovering from allogeneic stem cell transplantation and for the family members who support them.
- Being tested
- Early Integrated Palliative Care
- Keywords
- Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Palliative Care, Hematologic Malignancies, Supportive Care, Symptom Burden
- Medical subject headings
- Hematologic Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Early Integrated Palliative CareBehavioural
Structured outpatient palliative care consultations provided in addition to standard post-transplant follow-up care after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Early Integrated Palliative Care | Experimental | Participants receive structured outpatient palliative care consultations in addition to standard post-transplant care. Receives: Behavioral: Early Integrated Palliative Care |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Recruitement rate
Proportion of eligible patients who consent to participate in the study
Measured: Up to 24 months
Retention Rate
Proportion of enrolled participants who complete the three planned palliative care consultations and the 3-month follow-up assessment.
Measured: 3 months after hospital discharge
Secondary outcomes (1)
Acceptability of Early Integrated Palliative Care
Acceptability of the intervention as reported by participants through a study-specific acceptability questionnaire.
Measured: 3 months after hospital discharge
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Oct 2026
- Study start27 Aug 2026
- Primary completion26 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion26 Dec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)Studies 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
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Lisa Hentsch
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Lisa Hentsch, University Hospital, Geneva
- Investigators
- Lisa Hentsch, MD, Principal investigator, University Hospital, Geneva
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07895693
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- COMPAS
- Acronym
- COMPAS
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 26 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comprehensive Palliative Care After Stem Cell Transplantation: a Feasability Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07895693
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- COMPAS / COMPAS
- Keywords
- Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Palliative Care, Hematologic Malignancies, Supportive Care, Symptom Burden
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Lisa HentschUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 27 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 26 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 26 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 26 Oct 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.
People who receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant often face important physical and emotional challenges during their recovery. Even after leaving the hospital, they may experience symptoms such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, uncertainty, or difficulties returning to their usual daily activities. Family caregivers may also experience a considerable burden during this period.
Palliative care is specialized supportive care aimed at improving quality of life for people facing serious illness. It focuses on helping patients and families manage symptoms, cope with emotional and practical challenges, and receive care that is aligned with their needs and priorities. While palliative care is increasingly integrated into cancer care, it is not routinely offered to all patients recovering from stem cell transplantation.
The COMPAS study aims to determine whether it is feasible and acceptable to systematically offer palliative care consultations to patients after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Participants will receive supportive consultations with a palliative care physician in addition to their usual transplant follow-up care.
The study will evaluate whether patients are willing to participate, whether the consultations can be delivered as planned, and how patients and caregivers perceive this approach. Participants and caregivers will also be invited to complete questionnaires and some may take part in interviews about their experience.
The results of this study will help determine whether a larger future study should be conducted and may contribute to improving supportive care for people recovering from stem cell transplantation.
Detailed description
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a potentially curative treatment for patients with blood cancers and other serious blood disorders. Although many patients benefit from transplantation, the recovery period can be challenging. After hospital discharge, patients may experience a range of physical symptoms, emotional difficulties, and practical concerns that can affect their quality of life and daily functioning. Family members and other caregivers may also experience significant stress and burden during this period.
Palliative care is specialized care that aims to improve quality of life for people living with serious illness and for those close to them. It focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering and addresses physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. Palliative care can be provided alongside treatments intended to cure or control disease and is increasingly recognized as an important component of comprehensive cancer care.
Despite the potential benefits of palliative care, its integration into the care of patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains limited. In many centers, access to palliative care depends on an individual referral and may occur only when significant problems arise. As a result, some patients may not receive supportive care services that could help them during recovery.
The COMPAS study was developed to explore a more systematic approach to supportive care after transplantation. The study will evaluate whether routinely offering palliative care consultations after hospital discharge is feasible and acceptable for patients and caregivers. It will also provide important information on how such an approach can be integrated into routine clinical practice.
In addition to assessing feasibility and acceptability, the study will generate preliminary data on patients' and caregivers' experiences during the post-transplant period. Understanding these experiences is essential for developing supportive care programs that respond to patients' needs and priorities.
The knowledge gained from this study will help inform the design of future larger studies and may contribute to improving the organization of care for patients recovering from allogeneic stem cell transplantation and for the family members who support them.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Early Integrated Palliative Care | Experimental | Behavioral: Early Integrated Palliative CareParticipants receive structured outpatient palliative care consultations in addition to standard post-transplant care. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Adults aged 18 years or older.
- Undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT).
- Meet at least one of the following vulnerability criteria: Heavy symptom burden, defined as a score of 3 or higher for at least one symptom on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS); Age 65 years or older; Poor prognosis, defined as a Disease Risk Index (DRI) category of intermediate, high, or very high.
- Able to provide written informed consent.
- Able to communicate in French and complete study assessments.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Severe cognitive impairment preventing completion of study questionnaires.
- Inability to provide informed consent.
- Inability to communicate in French.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Early Integrated Palliative CareStructured outpatient palliative care consultations provided in addition to standard post-transplant follow-up care after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. | Behavioural | Early Integrated Palliative Care |
Primary outcome
Recruitement rate
Time frame: Up to 24 months
Proportion of eligible patients who consent to participate in the study
Retention Rate
Time frame: 3 months after hospital discharge
Proportion of enrolled participants who complete the three planned palliative care consultations and the 3-month follow-up assessment.
1 secondary outcome
Acceptability of Early Integrated Palliative Care
Time frame: 3 months after hospital discharge
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 26 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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.
Lisa Hentsch, MD principal investigator
University Hospital, Geneva
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Early Integrated Palliative Care in people with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), run by Lisa Hentsch at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 5 inclusion and 3 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 26 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Switzerland. 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.
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?
Contact Lisa Hentsch, MD (+41 22 372 12 99, lisa.hentsch@hug.ch), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Recruitement rate (time frame: Up to 24 months). 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 26 Oct 2026.