ImmLungCare – Person-centred and health-promoting care in immunotherapy treatment for lung cancer
Short description
Patients with lung cancer often experience distressing symptoms both at diagnosis and during cancer treatment. New treatment options using so-called immunotherapy have become a common approach for patients with locally advanced lung cancer. However, knowledge about the experience of undergoing immunotherapy is still limited, and we currently know too little about its effects on health and everyday life, as well as what types of support and care patients need. This research project aims to develop nursing care during treatment in order to promote patient participation and strengthen the conditions for coping with the situation patients are going through.
Background
Advances in biomarker research have led to new treatment opportunities for patients with locally advanced lung cancer. Today, this patient group is increasingly offered immunotherapy using so-called checkpoint inhibitors following chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This additional treatment has been shown to improve survival.
Patients with lung cancer often experience both physical and psychological symptoms at diagnosis and during treatment. Despite this, knowledge about how patients and their relatives experience immunotherapy remains limited. There is insufficient research on the impact of treatment on health and everyday life, as well as on the types of support and care required to facilitate treatment, strengthen patients’ sense of participation in care, and increase self-efficacy.
An emerging field of research
At present, there are no studies that encompass both short-term and long-term experiences of patients with locally advanced lung cancer treated with checkpoint inhibitors. Further research is also needed on the experiences of relatives, as well as on how support and care can best be designed during immunotherapy treatment.
Ongoing studies within the project
• To investigate how patients with locally advanced lung cancer perceive their health and support needs during immunotherapy following chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
• To explore how relatives of patients with locally advanced lung cancer experience their own support needs during the patient’s immunotherapy treatment.
• To examine the need for care and cancer rehabilitation interventions during immunotherapy for locally advanced lung cancer.
The project is affiliated with the Centre for Person-Centred Care, GPCC.
