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Assessing the impact of diagnosis and the related supportive care needs in patients with cutaneous melanoma

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite the large number of people affected by melanoma, little is known about the specific needs of melanoma patients. Understanding the effects of melanoma diagnosis and the specific supportive care needs of this group of patients is a necessary step towards provision of effective psychosocial care.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 15 patients with malignant melanoma of the skin. The sample size, which was purposive, included 8 females and 7 males from 27 to 78 years old. Data were analysed using the NVIVO 8 software and principles of thematic analysis.

Results

Four major areas were identified: (a) Emotional effects due to body image, fear of the sun and uncertainty for the future; (b) Effects on Relationships, with some patients in need of more support than others from family and work colleagues; (c) Functional effects due to on-going symptoms such as pain and lymphedema; and (d) Health System and Information Needs, around the clarity, quality and timing of the information received from the health care professionals.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that we often fail to pick up melanoma patients’ health and psychosocial needs and fail to refer them appropriately, rather than the services not being available. Interventions should focus on patient and carer education about melanoma and sun protection, psychosocial support and effective information giving. Patient-reported outcome measures should routinely be collected to identify issues of specific concerns to the patients and directing them to the right services based on their individual needs.

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Conflict of interest

ZS is an external adviser for the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, is working closely with Novartis, Roche, GSK, AZ, BMS, Quintiles, Parexel and PPD and has received honoraria from Merck & Co. AM has received honoraria from Merck & Co, Roche UK, ProStrakan and Bayer; received grants from Merck & Co, Roche UK and Acacia Pharma, and is an international advisory board member for Merck & Co. PCL has acted as consultant to Roche, BMS, GSK, Merck and Novartis, and has received support for travel from BMS, Roche and Merck. All remaining authors have declared no conflict of interest.

The authors have full control of all primary data, which can be reviewed by the journal upon request.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Block C, Withington Hall Cotton Lane, Manchester, M20 4UX, UK

    Zoe Stamataki & P. Lorigan

  2. School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    L. Brunton & A. Molassiotis

  3. School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    A. Molassiotis

  4. Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    P. Lorigan

  5. Cancer and Population Studies Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia

    A. C. Green

  6. Institute of Cancer Studies and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    J. Newton-Bishop

Authors
  1. Zoe Stamataki
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  2. L. Brunton
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  3. P. Lorigan
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  4. A. C. Green
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  5. J. Newton-Bishop
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  6. A. Molassiotis
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Correspondence to Zoe Stamataki.

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Stamataki, Z., Brunton, L., Lorigan, P. et al. Assessing the impact of diagnosis and the related supportive care needs in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Support Care Cancer 23, 779–789 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2414-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2414-x

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