• A recent study found that lack of supportive care can lead to worse quality of life (QOL) in people with lung cancer.
• Analysis of six studies found that most people want more information about their test results and would like for health care providers to address their fears of cancer returning.
• Supportive care can play an important role in improving the day-to-day lives of those living with lung cancer.

The impact of a lung cancer diagnosis isn’t limited to physical symptoms. The condition can directly and indirectly impact a person’s mental and emotional well-being. A recent study found that many people living with lung cancer don’t always get their needs met, which can negatively affect their quality of life. Researchers hope that this information may be used to better meet the needs of those with lung cancer and provide additional support and services.

“The complex range of needs associated with lung cancer has emphasized the importance of supportive care to improve the QOL of patients regardless of prognosis,” the study authors wrote. Supportive care can be provided in many ways — emotionally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually — to meet the needs of people with lung cancer.

Lung Cancer and Quality of Life

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, yet the five-year survival rate is lower than that of other cancers. While diagnostics and treatments are constantly improving, lung cancer cases are typically not found until they have reached advanced stages and can be difficult to treat.

People living with lung cancer also tend to have different experiences than those with other types of cancer. Symptoms of both the cancer and treatment can be difficult to deal with — including shortness of breath, pain, and fatigue — along with increased rates of depression and anxiety. There is also a social stigma associated with smoking behaviors and the perception that those with lung cancer are responsible for their disease.

All of these factors can have a negative impact on the mental and physical well-being and overall QOL for those with lung cancer. With this, supportive care is an important part of improving the day-to-day lives of those living with the disease. Many studies have investigated how supportive care plays a role in the QOL of people with other types of cancer, and the authors set out to research this in lung cancer.

Unmet Needs Include Lack of Energy and Insufficient Health Information

The researchers used six databases that contained information on people living with lung cancer. In the end, six studies from these databases were selected with a total of 562 participants. Four of the studies used the Cancer Survivors Survey of Need that asks questions about daily living, psychological health, patient care and support, and more.

These four studies found that the most commonly cited unmet needs were:

• Lack of energy and tiredness (75 percent)
• A lack of information about test results (58 percent)
• Fear that the cancer will spread (52 percent)

The two remaining studies used the Cancer Survivors Unmet Needs Survey, which asks similar questions. From these studies, the researchers found that again, there was a fear of the cancer returning (42 percent) and the need for up-to-date information (44 percent).

In total, five of the six studies also found that the more unmet needs a person with lung cancer has — both physical and psychological — the worse their quality of life.

The researchers concluded that people living with lung cancer may benefit from having their needs assessed periodically as their condition advances. “The findings of the current review suggest that there is a need for well-designed psychosocial interventions, targeting patients at specific points in the survivorship trajectory, to address a range of unmet supportive care needs,” the researchers wrote. More research, they noted, “could support the development of clear guidelines on the assessment of need and delivery of supportive care for lung cancer survivors, both patients and caregivers, and in turn promote and maintain QOL.”