PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Anne Canny
AU  - Bruce Mason
AU  - Jacqueline Stephen
AU  - Samantha Hopkins
AU  - Lucy Wall
AU  - Alan Christie
AU  - Richard JE Skipworth
AU  - Joanna Bowden
AU  - Louise Graham
AU  - Marilyn Kendall
AU  - Christopher J Weir
AU  - Kirsty Boyd
TI  - Advance care planning in primary care for patients with gastrointestinal cancer: feasibility randomised trial
AID  - 10.3399/BJGP.2021.0700
DP  - 2022 Aug 01
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - e571--e580
VI  - 72
IP  - 721
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/72/721/e571.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/72/721/e571.full
SO  - Br J Gen Pract2022 Aug 01; 72
AB  - Background Advance (anticipatory) care planning (ACP) requires discussions between patients and healthcare professionals about planning for future deterioration in health. ACP improves care coordination but uptake is limited and often deferred.Aim To assess the feasibility and acceptability to patients, carers, and GPs of a primary care ACP intervention for people with incurable oesophageal, gastric, or pancreatic cancer.Design and setting A 12-month feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) in a Scottish Cancer Network.Method Patients aged ≥18 years starting palliative oncology treatment were randomised 1:1 to an ACP intervention or standard care. Patients in the intervention group received an oncologist letter supporting them to request a GP review along with a patient information leaflet about ACP. Pre-specified analyses with masking included trial recruitment and retention, ACP completion, and quality-of-life questionnaires (EuroQol EQ-5D-5L and ICECAP Supportive Care Measure) at baseline, 6, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. Qualitative interviews with purposive sampling explored patient, carer, and GP experiences.Results Of 99 eligible participants (269 screened), 46% were recruited (n = 46) and randomised; 25 to intervention and 21 to control. By 12 weeks, 45% (n = 9/20) of the individuals in the intervention and 59% (n = 10/17) in the control group had a documented ACP plan. By 24 weeks, 30% (n = 14) had died; in the remaining participants quality of life was maintained at 24 weeks except for physical symptoms. Social norms associating ACP with dying were prevalent among 23 participants interviewed. No psychological or clinical harms were identified.Conclusion An RCT of ACP for people with incurable cancer in primary care is feasible. Patient, carer, and GP attitudes and behaviours determined acceptability and timing of care planning.