Improving advance care planning for advanced cancer patients

Planning Advance Care Together (PACT) to Improve Engagement in Advance Care Planning among Advanced Cancer Patients

NIH-funded research Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-10914153

This study is creating a friendly mobile app called PACT to help patients with advanced cancer and their families talk about and plan for end-of-life care, making it easier for everyone to share their wishes and complete important documents.

Quick facts

Grant typeR37 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionFred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-10914153 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing advance care planning (ACP) for patients with advanced cancer by developing a mobile application called Planning Advance Care Together (PACT). The study aims to address the barriers that prevent patients from engaging in ACP, particularly the importance of involving family members in decision-making. Through iterative design and testing, the application will facilitate discussions about end-of-life care preferences and help patients complete advance directives. By promoting these conversations, the research seeks to improve the quality of care and reduce suffering for patients and their families.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are advanced cancer patients who are interested in discussing their end-of-life care preferences and completing advance directives.

Not a fit: Patients who are not diagnosed with advanced cancer or those who are not interested in advance care planning may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could empower advanced cancer patients and their families to engage more effectively in advance care planning, leading to better alignment of care with patients' wishes.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has indicated that engaging family members in advance care planning can significantly improve patient outcomes, suggesting that this approach may be effective.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Advanced CancerCancer PatientCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.