RAMBO Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Research Assessment outcome measures for Malignant Bowel Obstruction (RAMBO): The patient, companion and clinician perspective
IRAS ID
269133
Contact name
Simon I R Noble
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) is a common problem faced by patients with advanced cancer, which is when the cancer causes a blockage or blockages in the intestines. The symptoms are very distressing for patients and their families with large, frequent vomits, which may contain part-digested food. In addition, people with MBO may feel sick and bloated, have painful abdominal cramps and be constipated. MBO stops patients from keeping food or water down making it hard for the person to be cared for at home. An operation is usually not possible and treatment aims to ease symptoms using injections and/or tubes to drain any build-up of fluid.
There have been some studies about how to manage MBO, but they have used varied measurements. This makes it impossible to compare studies and agree on the best treatment. Also, we have no idea if the measures we use are important to the patient and their families or whether they are just the ones that researchers, doctors or nurses think are important.
As a first step, we want to agree a standard way of measuring MBO symptoms important to patients, so treatments can immediately be tested consistently in hospitals, hospices and in patients’ homes both in care and in research studies. To do this, we shall start with what we already know by looking at the published research. We shall then ask patients and carers what is most important to them. We will compare this to understand in detail the current gaps and limitations. Finally, we will work with patients, family representatives, researchers and clinicians to agree together on what measures should be used.
We will use standard, internationally agreed techniques to do this work and have registered this proposal with the COMET group (who oversees such work) as a mark of quality.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
19/WA/0340
Date of REC Opinion
27 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion