The pervasive nature of uncertainty —a qualitative study of patients with advanced cancer and their informal caregivers

ConclusionsBoth patients and their informal caregivers were challenged by the uncertainties around living with advanced cancer and the lack of a defined trajectory. This impacted many diverse areas of life. Although distressing, dyads seldom discussed these concerns with each other.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsUncertainty is a recurrent issue for cancer survivors and their families impacting broad aspects of their lives and their ability to move forward; however, patients and caregivers in this study rarely discussed these concerns together. Uncertainty should be discussed periodically, together, and healthcare professionals could facilitate these discussions. The use of one or more ‘trigger questions’ in clinic appointments may provide an opportunity to start these dialogues.
Source: Journal of Cancer Survivorship - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research