Supportive care needs of patients with advanced disease undergoing radiotherapy for symptom control

Many patients with advanced cancer have numerous medical complications and multiple sites involving metastases that cause distressing symptoms. Radiotherapy is often used for the palliative treatment of these patients, especially those with bone metastases. There is a lack of information about the types of supportive care needs these patients experience, the services that are available for them, and whether people want help with their needs. The main purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to identify the supportive care needs (physical, emotional, social, spiritual, psychological, and practical) of patients with advanced cancer who attended the Palliative Radiation Therapy Rapid Response Clinic (PRTRRC) at a comprehensive, ambulatory cancer centre. A second purpose was to determine if patients wanted assistance in meeting those needs. A total of 69 patients participated in this study by completing a self-report questionnaire. The data provided a clear indication that a range of supportive care needs remained unmet for this patient group. Lack of energy, pain, and concerns about the worries of those close to them were the most frequently reported needs. Additionally, patients expressed a range of difficulty managing needs and many of these patients desired help to manage the identified needs. However, despite this reality, significant numbers of patients indicated they did not wish to have assistance with some needs. Suggestions for practice and future research are offered to assist oncology nurses in providing supportive care to these patients.