A study to find out what patients, their families or carers and health care staff think about chemotherapy for controlling symptoms (ASPECTS)

The aim of this study was to collect information about people’s experiences of having palliative chemotherapy for advanced bowel cancer, non small cell lung cancer or pancreatic cancer.

People with advanced cancer may be offered chemotherapy to help control symptoms or slow the growth of the cancer. This is called ‘palliative’ chemotherapy.

It is often very difficult for people to decide whether to have palliative chemotherapy or not. There are many things to consider. The drugs are likely to have side effects for example. Some people, who may not have very long to live, prefer not to spend their time going to hospital for treatment and having problems with side effects. But others are keen to have treatment if it will help them live a bit longer.

In this study the researchers wanted to find out

• What people with cancer, doctors and nurses thought about palliative chemotherapy

• How specialists talk to people about having palliative chemotherapy