Psychological Distress and Pancreatic Cancer: A Mixed Methods Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PSYCHPANC: Exploring the understanding and management of PSYCHological distress associated with operable and potentially operable PANcreatic Cancers. A mixed-methods study
IRAS ID
348246
Contact name
Anna Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 0 days
Research summary
Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common UK cancer. Most are diagnosed at a late stage, after metastasis, but around 10-15% undergo a pancreaticoduodenectomy (or Whipple’s procedure). Limited research focuses on exploring and understanding psychological distress in people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, poor mental health negatively impacts on physical health outcomes and there is some research suggesting that people with pancreatic cancer experience higher rates of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression as a result of their diagnosis. Research exploring the patient experience of living with cancer and the impact of treatment is vital in enabling the development of improved support interventions.
Patients with operable or potentially operable pancreatic cancer will be invited to participate. At five points during the first year following diagnosis, they will be asked to complete a questionnaire about anxiety, depression and distress symptoms. Some participants will be invited to a semi-structured interview at one or more timepoint to discuss their responses, explore how they understand and label their experiences, and discuss what support they would like.
Healthcare professionals will be invited to participate in focus groups or individual interviews about their experiences of recognising and managing mental distress, what interventions should be offered, and barriers to introducing new interventions.
All interviews will be recorded with permission, transcribed and anonymised. Transcripts will be analysed thematically using the principles of constant comparison. Participant characteristics and questionnaire results will be reported descriptively.
Findings will be shared through open access journals and conference presentations, and with lay audiences through third sector organizations and social media. Study findings will also be used to develop future research grant applications and contribute to policy and service recommendations.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
25/WA/0078
Date of REC Opinion
13 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion