Patients With Lung Cancer Value Quality of Life Measures Over Symptom Management
A new white paper released by CancerCare provides evidence and guidance for integrating quality of life measures for patients with lung cancer in routine clinical care.
NEW YORK, NY (March 1, 2016) — A new white paper released by CancerCare, the leading national nonprofit organization providing free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer, found that quality of life (QOL) concerns are more important to lung cancer patients than symptom management. The evaluation also provides insight into how QOL and patient reported outcome (PRO) measures can be used to guide health care professionals in routine clinical care.
The white paper, titled “Improving the Quality of Life for Lung Cancer Patients,” offers the following recommendations based on expert presentations and discussion:
- QOL or PRO factors should be as important as survival when determining individual treatments and overall management of lung cancer patients
- QOL and PRO factors, such as nutrition and exercise, should be incorporated into individual lung cancer treatment plans at diagnosis, and followed throughout the course of the disease
- Social media provides a powerful venue through which the importance of QOL and PRO factors can be highlighted to lung cancer patients and caregivers
The white paper was compiled based on a roundtable discussion, hosted by CancerCare, which focused on creating a forum for lung cancer experts to discuss promoting the relevance of QOL and PRO measures not only within the context of clinical trial outcome measures, but also within the practices of every healthcare professional charged with the care of cancer patients.
"It quickly became apparent throughout our discussions that there needs to be a robust call to action for both the lung cancer advocacy and healthcare provider communities to unite in a movement to bring about the integration of dietary and exercise interventions in the overall therapeutic effort in the treatment of all lung cancer patients,” said CancerCare National Lung Cancer Program Coordinator Win Boerckel, LCSW, who served as conference leader. “The use of social media also provides us with a powerful instrument to bring such an important outcome about."
The complete white paper can be viewed online at www.cancercare.org/lcroundtable.
