Case Study - Supporting a man with learning difficulties to receive radiotherapy

Abstract

The aim of this project was to provide a community-based group intervention incorporating both practical and psychological coping techniques for managing these 'what if' worries that patients can often experience after cancer treatment has completed. Method and Materials: The FCR intervention was co-facilitated by a Clinical Psychologist and a Therapeutic Radiographer as a 6 week programme in both hospital and community-based settings, ensuring optimal access. The programme design was adapted from the Conquer Fear intervention (7) to accommodate a group setting with the incorporation of practical and educational information around breast cancer recurrence. 16 group programme cycles were delivered between February 2017 and March 2019. Participants completed the following evaluation measures before, after and 12 weeks upon completion of the intervention: Quality of life. (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy e Breast Cancer, FACT-B) Psychological flexibility (CompACT) Anxiety (GAD-7) Mood e (PHQ-9) We aimed to improve patients' ability to manage their anxiety through the delivery of bespoke practical and psychological coping techniques to assist with living with uncertainty following their breast cancer diagnosis. Results: Seventy-nine individuals completed the group programme during the two year pilot project over 16 group cycles. Quantitative and qualitative analysis indicate a reduction in fears of cancer recurrence; anxiety with an increase in quality of life, mood and psychological flexibility. Conclusion and Discussion: This approach provided a new service of supported self-management to address the needs of those patients who continue to experience significant anxiety related to fears of recurrence following their completion of breast cancer treatment. Overall, group participants described benefitting from the programme in helping them adjust emotionally after their active cancer treatment finished.

Navigating cancer treatment and care when living with comorbid dementia: an ethnographic study

“…It has also begun to recognise that specific groups of patients may have different perceptions and needs associated with the physical environment in which cancer services are delivered [32,33]. The radiotherapy literature discusses provision of individualised care and adjustments being made to support people with learning disabilities to receive radiotherapy [34,35]. However, with the exception of ward environments during inpatient stays [36], the oncology literature has not extended to consider the specific needs of people with dementia.…”