The value of immunotherapy for survivors of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: patient perspectives on quality of life

ConclusionsThe results of this study, which identify the specific challenges of living in limbo, where patients are able to reclaim a portion of their pre-cancer lives while continuing to wrestle with a terminal prognosis, may inform how cancer research can more effectively define and measure the QoL impacts of IO treatments. Also, they may identify approaches that the cancer community can use to support the needs of patients living in a limbo state. These experiences may not be adequately understood by the cancer community or captured by existing QoL measures, which were designed prior to the emergence of IO and without sufficient incorporation of contextual, patient-driven experience.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsIncreased awareness of the specific experiences that come with long-term survival on IO may direct how resources should be spent for cancer support for patients and their families. Expanding how QoL is evaluated based on patients ’ lived experiences of IO can reflect a more accurate depiction of the treatment’s benefits and harms.
Source: Journal of Cancer Survivorship - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research