IMPACT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
IMmunotherapy and PAlliative Care Trajectories (IMPACT): A mixed methods study mapping illness trajectories for people with advanced cancer receiving immunotherapy treatment to identify palliative care need
IRAS ID
307790
Contact name
Sarah Brearley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lancaster University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 15 days
Research summary
Immunotherapy helps the immune system (which protects the body against infection, illness and disease) to recognise and kill some types of cancer cells. We understand how immunotherapy works but very limited attention has been given to understanding the variable responses experienced by cancer patients receiving immunotherapy in real world settings.
People with advanced cancer typically are helped by referral to palliative care services, with benefits seen in pain, symptoms and managing the stress of serious illness. However those receiving immunotherapy may not be referred at the right time because of different expectations about responses to these new treatments. If we understand more about how these patients receiving immunotherapy respond or decline over time we will be able to target referrals better and improve communication about what patients can expect.
Immunotherapy is used in the management of many of the cancers which affect people in North West England. How this treatment is delivered varies across the region, possibly impacting the patient’s experience and treatment journey. This project will investigate the drivers of differences in experience and will inform North West, and possibly national, cancer care.
To investigate this we will track how people experience immunotherapy treatment: looking at side effects, quality of life, ability to carry out daily activities, the cancer response (e.g. if it shrinks or spreads), cancer symptoms (pain, breathlessness etc), experiences of treatment and care, and whether they die and when. We will do this using both existing and routinely collected clinical data, plus new data from surveys and interviews with those receiving immunotherapy. We will use the findings to develop illness trajectories and present this to a panel of experts (including people with cancer) to develop guidance on the type of care they need.REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0655
Date of REC Opinion
8 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion