Integrated short term rehabilitation for thoracic cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing a short term integrated rehabilitation service for people with thoracic cancer: Phase One Focus Groups
IRAS ID
214593
Contact name
Joanne L Bayly
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 14 days
Research summary
At any one time, over 65,000 people are alive in the UK having been given a diagnosis of lung cancer or mesothelioma. The conditions and medical treatment (with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery) cause many symptoms that affect day-to-day life, including breathlessness, weakness and tiredness or fatigue. Despite this, patients report that they wish to remain independent and not be a burden. Rehabilitation treatments can help to relieve these symptoms and support people to stay active and independent whilst living with lung cancer or mesothelioma. Most research studies to date have offered rehabilitation in the form of supervised exercise programmes or specific symptom interventions. People who haven’t yet reported symptoms may not be referred for rehabilitation. The exercise programmes involve moderate to vigorous physical training, over months, and often take place in a hospital setting. They require a lot of commitment from the person with cancer. Many people do not feel able to take part in this kind of programme, so miss out on rehabilitation. This focus group study forms a key phase in the development of an innovative, short term integrated rehabilitation service to help more people access and benefit from rehabilitation. The new service will be tested in a future research trial. Focus groups will help us to determine the core components of the service to best support people to manage their symptoms and remain active and independent through and beyond cancer treatment. The groups will also consider how the service should be evaluated. The focus groups will be held with patients, families and representatives from patient groups as well as with health and social care professionals. They will be conducted in the research centre in the grounds of one of the NHS study sites involved. Participants will be supported to attend according to NIHR Involve Guidance (http://www.invo.org.uk/resource-centre/payment-and-recognition-for-public-involvement/.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2035
Date of REC Opinion
23 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion