Care Needs in Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Immunotherapy

Background and Purpose: Lung cancer is a major health concern affecting the Taiwanese population. Immunotherapy represents a novel treatment approach which activates the immune system to combat tumor cells through a series of interactions. However, the side effects associated with immunotherapy can be significant, potentially causing uncertainty and anxiety in patients. Medical decision-making also involves numerous considerations, impacting their psychosocial well-being and subsequent health behaviors. Research in this area remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to (1) explore the quality of life, severity of symptoms, and care needs of lung cancer patients following immunotherapy; (2) investigate the correlations between quality of life, severity of symptoms, and care needs; and (3) identify predictive factors for the care needs of immunotherapy patients.

Research Method: This study adopts a cross-sectional research design, conducted at a medical center and a specialized cancer hospital in Taipei City. Recruitment takes place in hospital wards, treatment rooms, and outpatient clinics, utilizing consecutive sampling. Lung cancer patients who have undergone or are currently undergoing immunotherapy are selected. Structured questionnaires are employed, covering demographics, disease treatment characteristics, severity of symptoms, quality of life, functional disability, supportive care needs, fear of disease progression, and qualitative interviews. Quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS version 22.0. The study aims to enroll 180 participants.

Expected Results: The anticipated findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for clinical healthcare professionals. They can aid in understanding patients' needs, contribute to the development of post-immunotherapy care guidelines for lung cancer patients, and serve as essential references for healthcare reimbursement policies. These outcomes may help alleviate patient burden and enhance quality of life. It is expected that demographic characteristics, disease treatment characteristics, quality of life, severity of symptoms, and the extent of care needs will be positively correlated and serve as important predictors of care needs.

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals diagnosed with malignant lung tumors based on imaging or post-surgical histopathological examination results by specialized physicians.
• Individuals who have received immunotherapy in the past or are currently undergoing immunotherapy.
• Research participants who are conscious, aged 20 years or older, able to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese, capable of completing the questionnaire, willing to participate in the study, and have signed the research consent form.

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals with significant cognitive impairments who are unable to complete the questionnaire.
• Individuals who are unable to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese.