WCLC 2025 - Posters & ePosters-EP.15.15 Lived Experiences and Needs of People Living Long-Term With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Cancer: A Qualitative Study

EP.15.15 Lived Experiences and Needs of People Living Long-Term With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Cancer: A Qualitative Study

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This qualitative study by researchers at Dalhousie University explored the lived experiences and needs of individuals living long-term with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) who are receiving targeted therapies or immunotherapies. Advances in precision oncology have improved survival for some mNSCLC patients, yet supportive care tailored to this growing population remains insufficient. Through one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted across Canada, the study identified significant gaps in care.<br /><br />Key findings include delays in biomarker testing and limited disease-specific information, contributing to patients' challenges in navigating treatment options beyond first-line therapies. Participants reported a range of physical symptoms adversely affecting their ability to work, exercise, and engage in daily activities. Emotional needs such as anxiety, stigma, uncertainty about the future, and efforts to find meaning were common and often unmet. Many patients faced financial burdens related to leaving the workforce, complicating long-term disease management. Current support services tend to be short-term, fragmented, and episodic, largely designed for cancer survivors without active disease, making them ill-suited for those living with ongoing symptoms and an uncertain prognosis.<br /><br />The study highlighted that survivorship programs primarily target patients post-treatment completion, excluding those undergoing continuous therapy. This disconnect leaves long-term mNSCLC patients without adequate resources or assistance for their unique circumstances.<br /><br />Implications emphasize the need to redesign supportive care models to address the sustained and complex needs of mNSCLC patients living with active disease. The findings are being used to co-design services better suited for this population in the era of precision medicine, aiming to provide more continuous, integrated, and disease-specific support to improve quality of life and overall care.

Asset Subtitle

Robin Urquhart

Meta Tag

Speaker Robin Urquhart

Topic Multidisciplinary Care: Nursing, Allied Health and Palliative Care

Keywords

metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer

mNSCLC

precision oncology

targeted therapies

immunotherapies

supportive care gaps

biomarker testing delays

physical and emotional symptoms

financial burdens

survivorship program limitations