Qualitative Study: Experiences of people with MSCC & MUO

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Qualitative: Grounded Theory Approach Exploring the experiences of people who present with metastatic spinal cord compression with a malignancy of unknown origin.

• IRAS ID

  317014

• Contact name

  Clare Greenbaum

• Contact email

  c.greenbaum@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Lancaster University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 1 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  There are more than 14 million new cancer cases diagnosed per year worldwide and 375,000 in the UK every year (Cancer Research UK, 2022). In the UK, most individuals who present with symptoms of cancer will be managed via the two-week cancer pathway from investigations and diagnosis through to a treatment plan, with the appropriate specialist support at each stage (Mozdiak et al., 2016). However, not all people will present with their cancer in this controlled manner. Five percent of people diagnosed with cancer will present with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), and 20% of these MSCC cases it will be their first presenting symptom of cancer (Quraishi, Gokaslan, & Boriani 2014) due to what is known as malignancy of unknown origin. For those who present with MSCC and MUO there is both the trauma of a neurological emergency which will have implications on function and quality of life; and a new advanced unknown primary cancer diagnosis which will be life limiting (Boyland & Davis., 2019, Wanman et al., 2017).
  
  I am undertaking a PhD study to explore the experiences of people who present with MSCC where no primary cancer site has been identified in order to understand more about their experiences. The participants will be asked to take part in a one detailed interview which may take approximately 60 minutes, usually while they are still an inpatient or shortly after discharge from hospital. The interview will be audio recorded and the information will be used by the researcher to attempt to describe the experiences of people who present with MSCC with no primary cancer diagnosis. Once the interview is completed and transcribed there is no further participation required from the participant.
  

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  22/NW/0372

• Date of REC Opinion

  13 Jan 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion