Abstract 5187
Background
The practice of oncology is challenging, especially when dealing with terminally ill patients and end of life. This is not without an emotional impact on oncologists, with potential negative effect on patient care and personal lives. We aimed to outline the main factors that makes of patients’ death an emotionally difficult experience, and to identify practical coping strategies.
Methods
An online survey was completed by 128 oncologists from three North African countries and France, on March-April 2019. All surveys were anonymous and confidential. The questionnaire included socio-demographic information, and sections about patients’ death and coping strategies.
Results
Most respondents were female (83.5%) and young oncologists (20-40 years-old), with less than 10 years professional experience (85.3%), but seeing more than 50 patients per week, and experiencing 0-2 deaths per month. They were mostly from Tunisia (n = 99), Morocco (n = 25), Algeria (n = 2) and France (n = 2). The majority was medical oncologists (57.9%), then radiation oncologists (29.4%). More than two-thirds of the oncologists reported that young age, long-term relationship and family denial towards the prognosis were the main factors making death or therapeutic failure announcement the most difficult. Unexpected evolution leading to death, and the non-access to more effective treatment in our countries had an emotional impact on 70% of the oncologists. A variety of coping strategies was identified: mainly peer support from colleagues and/or family and friends (53.5%), practicing hobbies (39.4%), seeking support in praying and faith (26.3%). Addictive behavior and/or medications were reported in 9.1%, significantly in single respondents (p 0.051). A majority (n = 83) reported a change in their character noticed by their families since the practice of oncology. The oncologists expressed becoming better able to set priorities (48%), more humble and human (61.4%) and motivated to improve their quality of health care (33.9%).
Conclusions
Dealing with patients’ death and confronting therapeutic failure have obviously an effect on oncologists’ personal life. We need to be aware of this issue, and to propose different coping strategies and interventions.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
4325 - Multiple synchronous mechanisms may contribute to osimertinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients: insights of the MATCH-R study
Presenter: Diego Enrico
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2185 - Sequential treatment with afatinib followed by 3rd generation EGFR-TKI – subgroup analysis of the GIDEON trial: a prospective non-interventional study (NIS) in EGFR mutated NSCLC patients in Germany
Presenter: Wolfgang Brückl
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1524 - Effectiveness of sequencing TKIs in patients with EGFR mutation-positive Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A French National medico administrative claim database analysis
Presenter: Nicolas Girard
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5733 - Phase II study of osimertinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation: A multicenter trial of the Korean Cancer Study Group (LU17-19)
Presenter: Tae Min Kim
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5440 - Different stories for different EGFR exon 19 deletion variants
Presenter: Chao Zhao
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2982 - Safety and activity of alflutinib in patients with advanced EGFR T790M mutation non-small cell lung cancer who progressed after EGFR-TKI therapy
Presenter: Yuan-Kai Shi
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4002 - Afatinib followed by osimertinib in patients with EGFR mutation-positive (EGFRm+) advanced NSCLC: updated data from the GioTag real-world study
Presenter: Maximilian Hochmair
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2941 - Treatment patterns of EGFR mt+ NSCLC IV pts: Real world data of the NOWEL network
Presenter: Julia Roeper
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4154 - TP53 mutations predicts worse prognosis in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients receiving TKIs in first- or further line of treatment
Presenter: Matteo Canale
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1175 - HER3 ligand heregulin expression and clinical implication in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer treated with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Presenter: Kimio Yonesaka
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract