
Last year in the UK over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials aimed at improving cancer treatments and making them available to all.
This study was done to find out how people with advanced cancer and their carers learn about, develop and maintain coping skills.
Stress and uncertainty can affect the quality of life and health of people with advanced cancer and their carers. Developing positive ways to cope with the stress and uncertainty of having cancer that has spread to another part of the body can help them keep healthy and have a better quality of life.
The researchers wanted to find out and understand how people with advanced cancer and their carers develop and maintain a positive outlook and sense of wellbeing.
This study found that patients and carers had a range of coping strategies.
This study recruited 54 people,
The research team interviewed everyone who took part at least once, and most of them again between 4 and 12 weeks later. They asked about the techniques people used to cope with the uncertainty of advanced cancer. They looked at how, why and when the patients and carers had developed these techniques. They found that
Some of the people taking part suggested things that might help, including
The research team concluded that people use a variety of coping strategies at different times. They suggest it would be useful to develop initiatives to help people cope that involve other patients and carers, as well as health professionals.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the study. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists () but may not have been published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Catherine Walshe
Dimbleby Cancer Care
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
University of Manchester
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last year in the UK over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials aimed at improving cancer treatments and making them available to all.