An exploration of the concerns of patients with inoperable lung cancer

Appraisal of the literature suggests that patients with lung cancer report more unmet supportive care needs and greater psychological distress than patients with other cancers. This study aimed to explore the concerns of patients with inoperable lung cancer and to interpret those concerns to inform specialist palliative care nursing practice. A descriptive qualitative study was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with six participants on a single site. Three main themes were identified: steadfastly living life, family support and separation, and trust in professionals. The latter is crucial for enabling patients to express their concerns, which in turn allows support to be directed appropriately and from a patient-centred perspective.