The Lived Experiences of Persons With Early Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Significant Other(s) Following Surgery: a Rapid Ethnographic Approach

NCT ID: NCT06536140

Last Updated: 2025-03-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 16 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-12-01
• Study Completion Date: 2024-10-01

Brief Summary

To understand the lived experiences, thoughts and habits about exercise and PA of persons with early stage non-small cell lung cancer and their significant other(s) following surgery.

Detailed Description

It is important to gather information on the lived lives of persons and their significant other(s) following surgery for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The adaptations these persons make, the challenges they face and their personal experiences need to be investigated so their thoughts and habits about exercise and physical activity (PA) can be better understood. In this way, rehabilitation programs focused on exercise and PA can be better individualized. The individualization of such programs is heavily influenced by the person's experiences, including beliefs and expectations regarding exercise and PA. Observations of and informal conversations with persons with early stage NSCLC and their significant other(s) following surgery will offer insight into the challenges faced by these individuals and the opportunities for exercise and PA, how this does and could fit, within their everyday lives so this can be enhanced. It is important to align exercise and PA to everyday activities, to make it meaningful to individuals (more likely to engage) and to obtain sustained effects in the long term. The investigators expect this study to show the highly personal views and behaviour of these persons, warranting an equally personal communication approach to discuss these issues with these persons in light of developing individualized rehabilitation programs.

Conditions

Lung Cancer

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

NSCLC patients 1-3 months after lung resection surgery with or without (neo-)adjuvant therapy

This study will include twenty persons who underwent surgery for early stage I-IIIA NSCLC (with or without (neo-) adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy/immunotherapy) one to three months before inclusion and their carers significant other(s). This can be one person or multiple persons (e.g. partner, parent, child, brother, sister).

Home observations and interview

Intervention Type: OTHER

If persons want to participate, the person will be invited one week before the first observation for a 'warm-up' phone call (W1) as a preparation for the three observations and follow-up interview.

During the observations, SH will be an active participant, offering to help with activities of daily life with the person, so opportunities are created to observe and ask questions (sensory ethnography). The person will be asked to take pictures or make drawings of important things in the house as the observer will be able to better understand how they feel about exercise and PA (visual ethnography). Six weeks after the last observation (W10), formal follow-up interviews (30-60 min) with questions based on the observations that took place, will be held to explore specific issues in-depth.

Interventions

Home observations and interview

If persons want to participate, the person will be invited one week before the first observation for a 'warm-up' phone call (W1) as a preparation for the three observations and follow-up interview.

During the observations, SH will be an active participant, offering to help with activities of daily life with the person, so opportunities are created to observe and ask questions (sensory ethnography). The person will be asked to take pictures or make drawings of important things in the house as the observer will be able to better understand how they feel about exercise and PA (visual ethnography). Six weeks after the last observation (W10), formal follow-up interviews (30-60 min) with questions based on the observations that took place, will be held to explore specific issues in-depth.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Persons who got surgery for early stage I-IIIA NSCLC, one to three months before inclusion;
• If persons received adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy, the inclusion window is one to three months after the end of adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy. If persons receive adjuvant immunotherapy after the end of adjuvant chemotherapy, persons can be included during the immunotherapy;
• Adults (18+ year);
• Ability to give informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Persons having progressive or recurrent lung cancer;
• Persons who had other malignancies in the last 2 years;
• Persons who do systematically perform or plan to perform structured exercise;
• Persons not living independently at home (e.g. care home, psychiatric institution);
• Psychiatric or cognitive disorders;
• Not understanding and speaking Dutch;
• Not living at home (e.g. nursing home, prison …).

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Hasselt University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Chris Burtin

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Chris Burtin, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hasselt

Locations

Faculteit Revalidatiewetenschappen - Gebouw 7

Diepenbeek, Limburg, Belgium

Countries

Belgium

Other Identifiers

Z-2023064

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id