Quality of life in older cancer patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quality of life and the experience of survivorship among older cancer patients: the case of bladder cancer.
IRAS ID
142878
Contact name
Renata Bryce
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
This research project aims to explore survivorship in older cancer patients who have received treatment for bladder cancer. In particular, this mixed method study will examine psychological distress, quality of life, comorbidities, social support, and ageing. Cancer is a disease with a high prevalence and incidence amongst those aged 65 and over. Bladder cancer incidence is strongly associated with age rising gradually from age 50-54 in both males and females and more sharply after age 60. In the UK, the average age of diagnosis of bladder cancer is 68 years old. With demographic ageing growing apace in most regions of the world cancer prevalence and incidence is set to increase. However cancer in old age is characterised by complexity and chronicity as the potential long-term symptoms of living with cancer are added to the physical and psychosocial changes associated with normal ageing. Furthermore, due to improvements in early cancer detection, better treatment availability and the growth of the elderly population the number of those surviving cancer is also increasing. Survivorship is an interaction of numerous factors, some of them to be explored in this project are level of psychological distress, quality of life (QoL), comorbidities, social support, family relationships. Bladder cancer is the 7th most common type of cancer worldwide accounting for 3.2% of all cancers affecting both men and women. Whilst there is a large body of research on survivorship and psychological distress in other types of cancer the evidence is scarce amongst the bladder cancer population. Treatment for bladder cancer depends on the stage of the cancer however the standard treatments are radical cystectomy (removal of the bladder), radiation therapy, chemotherapy or transurethral resection (removal of any unusual growths or tumours on the bladder wall). For the purpose of this study only patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who received radical cystectomy or radiation radiotherapy were included. These are the most common treatments adopted and although there is no strong evidence from randomized control trials showing which treatment is most effective, some studies suggest a difference in their impact on QoL. The sample will be drawn from a prospective audit carried out by the Oncology Team at the Heartlands Hospital taking place since 2004. The audit has included thus far 76 participants and selection is currently on-going. Firstly the oncology care team will send to the Cancer Intelligence Unit the list of patients who took part in the audit to identify their status. Secondly, the research package containing information about the study, the quantitative measures, and an invitation to take part in a semi-structured interview will be sent to all patients still alive. Patients can choose to participate in the questionnaire study only or in both questionnaires and interview studies. Replies will be directed to the CI who will then contact those who opted in to arrange a convenient time and date for the interview. The interview will focus on the experience of surviving bladder cancer, the impact it had on their lives, the impact of treatment, their fears of recurrence and expectations for the future.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0591
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion