Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2019

The lived experiences of colorectal cancer survivors: A systematic review of qualitative research. (#396)

Chloe Y. S. Lim 1 2 , Rebekah Laidsaar-Powell 1 2 , Jane Young 3 4 , Phyllis Butow 1 2
  1. School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Centre for Medical Psychology & Evidence-Based Decision-Making, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  3. Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. RPA Institute of Academic Surgery, Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia

Aims: In 2019, around 16,000 Australian men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cancer in the country. Five-year survival rates for CRC are approximately 70%. Clinicians need to understand the psychosocial outcomes of CRC survivorship to provide optimal care. Qualitative research allows for deep insight into cancer survivors’ psychosocial experiences, yet no systematic reviews on qualitative CRC survivorship experiences have been performed. We aimed to fill this gap.

Methods: A systematic review of qualitative studies on CRC survivorship is underway. Five databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PubMed) were searched from March to July 2019 with terms related to colorectal, cancer, survivorship, and qualitative research. Two raters conducted screening of titles and abstracts, and full-text screening. Data extraction, bias ratings using the CASP appraisal checklist for qualitative research, and thematic synthesis of findings are currently being conducted by two raters. Disagreements will be discussed until a consensus is reached, or a third rater is consulted.

Results: 1401 articles were found after de-duplication. Following title and abstract screening, 177 full text articles were screened. 73 articles were included for data extraction and quality ratings: 45 on survivors’ experiences, 23 on perceptions of the healthcare system, 5 on informal caregiving. The articles examined so far are primarily from the U.S.A, Australia, and the U.K., and explored the following topics: bowel functioning changes; colostomies; social, sexual, psychological, and physical functioning; oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy; health behaviours; spirituality; positive aspects of survivorship. The results of the thematic synthesis will be presented in detail.

Conclusions: Findings from this systematic review will provide a greater understanding on the existing body of research regarding the qualitative experiences of CRC survivors. This will provide guidance for researchers and health professionals to provide better psychosocial support and improve survivorship outcomes for CRC survivors.