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Mobile Health App (PACT) for Advance Care Planning in Cancer

This study is testing a mobile app called Planning Advance Care Together (PACT) to help people with advanced cancer and their support persons discuss and plan for future medical care (advance care planning). The app aims to make it easier for you and your loved ones to communicate your wishes with your doctors. You might be eligible if you have locally advanced or metastatic solid cancer, or relapsed/refractory blood cancer, and have internet access. Researchers will measure how many people join the study and how many complete the app activities to see if the app is practical to use. The study status is currently unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study where 400 participants will be randomly assigned to either use the PACT app or receive standard care. There is no specified phase for this trial.
What's involved
If you use the PACT app, you will use it for up to 4 weeks and receive one check-in call. If you are in the standard care group, you will continue with your usual care for up to 4 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
After the main study intervention, participants will be followed up at 3 and 6 months.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT04515810

Mobile Health Application (PACT) to Improve Engagement in Advance Care Planning

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalHealth services
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
~400 participants
Updated 2026-08-17 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Internet-Based InterventionBest PracticeTelephone-Based InterventionQuestionnaire AdministrationPost-intervention qualitative feedback interview

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 4 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Feasibility: Accrual rates [Patients]
Measured over At 3 months post-randomization
+23 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Locally Advanced Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Recurrent Hematologic Malignancy
Refractory Hematologic Malignancy

Explore related trials

Hematologic NeoplasmSolid Neoplasm

NCT04515810

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 4 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium

    Seattle, Washingtonstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Northwell Health

    Manhasset, New Yorkstudy coordinator listed

    Not yet recruiting

  • NYP/Weill Cornell Medical Center

    New York, New Yorkstudy coordinator listed

    Not yet recruiting

  • Mount Sinai Hospital

    New York, New Yorkno site contact published

    Active, not recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Megan J Shen, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium

Who to contact

Claudia De Los Santos, B.S.
[email protected]
206-667-1565
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

PATIENT: Diagnosis of poor prognosis advanced cancer defined as locally advanced or metastatic solid cancer and/or disease progression following at least first line systemic therapy and/or relapsed or refractory hematologic cancer.
PATIENT: Have internet access through a computer or a mobile device; the principal investigator (PI) will ensure that those who have access to a computer or mobile device have access to a computer or mobile device with internet access to ensure they can complete study procedures.
PATIENT: The ability to provide informed consent.
PATIENT: Identification of a loved support person if one is available; patients who are unable to identify a support person willing to participate with them will be allowed to continue in the study on their own.
PATIENT: 18 years of age or older.
SUPPORT PERSON: The person (family member or friend) whom the patient indicates being a support person.
SUPPORT PERSON: English speaking.
SUPPORT PERSON: 18 years of age or older and able to provide informed consent.
PROVIDER: Current clinical practice and/or research with advanced cancer patients.
PROVIDER: A history of 3+ years working with advanced cancer patients.
PROVIDER: 18 years of age or older. Providers across disciplines (e.g., social work, oncology) will be enrolled.

Exclusion

PATIENT: Not fluent in English.
PATIENT: Severely cognitively impaired (as measured by Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire scores of \>= 6) to be delivered by trained study research staff during screening.
PATIENT: Too ill or weak to complete the interviews (as judged by the interviewer).
PATIENT: Currently receiving hospice at the time of enrollment.
PATIENT: Children and young adults under age 18.

What this trial measures

  • Feasibility: Accrual rates [Patients]At 3 months post-randomization

    Will assess the percentage of eligible approached patients who consent to enroll in the study

  • Feasibility: Accrual rates [Support persons]At 3 months post-randomization

    Will assess the percentage of eligible approached support persons who consent to enroll in the study

  • Feasibility: Rates of intervention completion [Patients]At 3 months post-randomization

    Will assess the percentage of enrolled patients who complete the intervention

  • Feasibility: Rates of intervention completion [Support persons]At 3 months post-randomization

    Will assess the percentage of enrolled support persons who complete the intervention

  • Acceptability of the PACT application: Acceptability E-Scale [Patients]At 3 months post-randomization

    The Acceptability E-Scale is a 6-item scale, scored on a 5-point Likert scale (e.g., 1=very difficult; 5= very easy), with previously demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.76), with higher values indicating higher levels of acceptability.

  • Acceptability of the PACT application: Acceptability E-Scale [Support persons]At 3 months post-randomization

    The Acceptability E-Scale is a 6-item scale, scored on a 5-point Likert scale (e.g., 1=very difficult; 5= very easy), with previously demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=.76), with higher values indicating higher levels of acceptability.

  • Usability of the PACT application: System Usability Scale (SUS) [Patients]At 3 months post-randomization

    Usability of the PACT application will be assessed among patients using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The SUS is a 10-item scale, scored on a 5-point Lilkert scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree), with higher values indicating higher levels of usability

  • Usability of the PACT application: System Usability Scale (SUS) [Support persons]At 3 months post-randomization

    Usability of the PACT application will be assessed among support persons using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The SUS is a 10-item scale, scored on a 5-point Lilkert scale (1=strongly disagree; 5=strongly agree), with higher values indicating higher levels of usability

  • User satisfaction [Patients]At 3 months post-randomization

    User satisfaction: Patients will engage in an exit interview that assesses their overall satisfaction with the app on a Likert scale ranging from 1-10 (1=not at all satisfied; 10 = extremely satisfied), with higher values indicating higher levels of satisfaction

  • User satisfaction [Support persons]At 3 months post-randomization

    User satisfaction: Support persons will engage in an exit interview that assesses their overall satisfaction with the app on a Likert scale ranging from 1-10 (1=not at all satisfied; 10 = extremely satisfied), with higher values indicating higher levels of satisfaction

  • User engagement as measured by number of views [Patients]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    User engagement will be assessed through tracking of activity (i.e., number of views) over a 3-month period following randomization.

  • User engagement as measured by number of views [Support persons]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    User engagement will be assessed through tracking of activity (i.e., number of views) over a 3-month period following randomization.

  • User engagement as measured by time spent on app [Patients]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    User engagement will be assessed through tracking of activity (i.e., time spent on app) over a 3-month period following randomization.

  • User engagement as measured by time spent on app [Support persons]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    User engagement will be assessed through tracking of activity (i.e., time spent on app) over a 3-month period following randomization.

  • Change in level of engagement in advance care planning [Patients]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    Patients will be assessed using the reliable and valid Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: Action Measures. This scale is composed of four sub scales with a total of 18 items. All items are rated on a yes=1 and no=0. Scores can range from 0 (no action taken) to 18 (all actions taken).

  • Change in level of engagement in advance care planning [Patients]Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

    Patients will be assessed using the reliable and valid Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: Action Measures. This scale is composed of four sub scales with a total of 18 items. All items are rated on a yes=1 and no=0. Scores can range from 0 (no action taken) to 18 (all actions taken).

  • Change in level of engagement in advance care planning [Support persons]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    Support persons will be assessed using an adapted support person version of the reliable and valid Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: Action Measures. This scale is composed of four sub scales with a total of 18 items. All items are rated on a yes=1 and no=0. Scores can range from 0 (no action taken) to 18 (all actions taken).

  • Change in level of engagement in advance care planning [Support persons]Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

    Support persons will be assessed using an adapted support person version of the reliable and valid Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: Action Measures. This scale is composed of four sub scales with a total of 18 items. All items are rated on a yes=1 and no=0. Scores can range from 0 (no action taken) to 18 (all actions taken).

  • Change in documentation of advance care planning conversations [Patients]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    This will be measured using our previously utilized 8-item measure of discussing EoL care, living will, HCP, and DNR orders with family and doctor (all yes/no questions).

  • Change in documentation of advance care planning conversations [Patients]Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

    This will be measured using our previously utilized 8-item measure of discussing EoL care, living will, HCP, and DNR orders with family and doctor (all yes/no questions).

  • Change in documentation of advance care planning conversations [Support persons]Baseline to 3 months post-intervention

    This will be measured using our previously utilized 8-item measure of discussing EoL care, living will, HCP, and DNR orders with patient and patient's doctor) (all yes/no questions).

  • Change in documentation of advance care planning conversations [Support persons]Baseline to 6 months post-intervention

    This will be measured using our previously utilized 8-item measure of discussing EoL care, living will, HCP, and DNR orders with patient and patient's doctor) (all yes/no questions).

  • Change in completion of advance directivesBaseline to 3 months post-intervention

    This will be assessed by asking patients whether they have completed a Do Not Resuscitate order (DNR), living will, or identified a Health Care Proxy (HCP). All yes/no questions.

  • Change in completion of advance directivesBaseline to 6 months post-intervention

    This will be assessed by asking patients whether they have completed a Do Not Resuscitate order (DNR), living will, or identified a Health Care Proxy (HCP). All yes/no questions.