Trial Information

The Rehabilitation Needs of People Who Have Had an Upper Gastrointestinal or a Gynecological Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

- To explore the patients' perspective of their physical and psychosocial rehabilitation
needs following the diagnosis and treatment for an upper gastrointestinal or a
gynecological cancer.

- To assess patients' experiences of the physical and social impact of cancer in the
treatment and post-treatment phase.

- To explore patients' met and un-met needs.

- To explore the patients' opinion of how it might be possible to manage any of the
issues that arise.

Secondary

- To generate theories and a hypothesis from the data collected for use in a future
interventional study.

OUTLINE: The study consist of a series of focus groups that take place in a private room
within the Royal Marsden Hospital in the United Kingdom. Patients attend only one focus
group session, which is audio-tape recorded. The focus groups discuss and explore the
patient's needs and experiences using a semi-structured interview question schedule over
60-90 minutes. The groups are single-sex groups to allow the patients to express themselves
freely with respect to any sensitive topics they may wish to discuss. If individual patient
issues arise from the group discussions, the lead researcher may refer the patient to a
member of the hospital team, the patient's physician, or for appropriate psychological
support.

Data from the focus group dialogue and patients' baseline demographic information are
analyzed. The results from this study are used to design an interventional study in the
Rehabilitation Department.