Abstract 5620
Background
Radiotherapy involves many short visits to the hospital during several weeks. Side effects may occur after a few weeks of daily treatment. This includes problems with urination, urgency, bowel problems, and often a disturbed sleep. A research team at Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden attempted to understand how the patients with prostate cancer experience the radiation therapy, as well as how the therapy affects their daily life.
Methods
Ten prostate cancer patients from two different hospitals in Stockholm were asked to keep diaries, and subsequently interviewed about their experiences of radiation treatment. Data were analyzed with Framework content analysis.
Results
Three themes emerged after analysis: Changed life situation because of radiation treatment and its side effects and cancer diagnosis; Guidance by oncology nurses, oncologist and close relatives and own reflection the patients got; New Perspectives after weeks of treatment. With New perspectives they could find routines for their daily life and cope with side effects and cancer diagnosis.
Conclusions
Despite the stressful situation caused by side effects affecting daily life, patients with prostate cancer receiving radiation therapy generally describe their treatment period as positive. In the beginning, the treatment period is perceived as a journey with a sense of uncertainty, which gradually turns into a sense of increased certainty and stability as the treatment proceeds. The patients describe their partner as the most important support and guide through the journey of radiation therapy.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The author.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
The author has declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
2142 - Low NK Cell Abundance Correlates with High Expression of PD-1 in CD8+ T Cells
Presenter: Moon Hee Lee
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5501 - Tobacco smoking is associated with the immune suppressive microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)
Presenter: Christine Chung
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5726 - Evaluation of Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity (ADCC) in lung cancer cell lines treated with combined anti-EGFR and anti-PD-L1 therapy.
Presenter: Francesca Sparano
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2534 - Radiomic Signatures for Identification of Tumors Sensitive to Nivolumab or Docetaxel in Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (sqNSCLC)
Presenter: Laurent Dercle
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3366 - Analysis of gut microbiota in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with immune-checkpoints blockers
Presenter: FEIYU ZHANG
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2089 - Pathogenesis of Myocarditis Following Treatment with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in a Cynomolgus Monkey Model
Presenter: Changhua Ji
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4463 - Effects of dietary restriction in cancer patients receiving irinotecan
Presenter: Ruben Van Eerden
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4841 - Investigating the Link between Burn Injury and Tumorigenesis
Presenter: Lucy Barrett
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4619 - Prognostic value of the neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio in male breast cancer patients
Presenter: Joanna Huszno
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1122 - Platelets from metastatic cancer patients have increased aggregation and activation
Presenter: Meera Chauhan
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract