Digitally supported community workers helping HPB cancer patients receive early palliative care
Official title: A Pilot RCT of a Digitally-Enhanced Community Health Worker-led Intervention for Early Stepped Palliative Care in Hepatobiliary Cancers
Funded at Loma Linda University · NIH-11437782 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pilot program uses digital tools and community health workers to bring early palliative care and support to people with HPB cancers and their caregivers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loma Linda University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Loma Linda, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $187,824 |
| NIH project number | 1K08MD021861-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437782 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with hepatobiliary cancers and their informal caregivers who are approached in community or outpatient settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to digital tools or CHW support, or those with advanced disease where palliative care is not yet appropriate, may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project will adapt a successful digital CHW-led approach to hepatobiliary cancers to deliver early palliative care, navigation, trial engagement, and financial help. The team will gather input from patients and caregivers to tailor the intervention to liver- and bile-duct related cancers and their unique symptoms. The study will test feasibility and acceptability in a real-world community setting while collecting data on symptom burden and quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better symptom control, more timely palliative support, and easier access to clinical trials and financial resources.
How similar studies have gone: Prior pilot work showed reduced symptom burden with a CHW-led digital intervention in a similar population, supporting potential benefit in HB cancers with tailoring.
Where this research is happening
-
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thiruvengadam, Nikhil Ravi — Loma Linda University
- Study coordinator: Thiruvengadam, Nikhil Ravi
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.