The aim of this project is to better anticipate and respond to the unmet needs of blood cancer patients. Blood cancers affect nearly 10% of the Canadian cancer population. Fortunately, survival rates for this cancer have increased considerably thanks to advances in personalized medicine, notably cell-based therapies. These therapies include stem cell transplants, the cells found in bone marrow that are at the origin of all blood cells, and treatment with CAR-T cells, white blood cells genetically modified to target, attack and destroy cancer cells.
However, people treated with these therapies have different needs due to the complexity of these treatments, long hospital stays, several medical follow-up appointments and particular side effects. In fact, a number of authorities recommend that people affected by cancer should be supported as soon as they are diagnosed. The aim is to support patients throughout their treatment and equip them to face the challenges of life after cancer. Certainly, tools are recommended to patients, but they are not permanently integrated into practice.
The project has two objectives. The first objective will involve participatory research to develop and adapt the components of this accompaniment in collaboration with key people, including people who have experienced blood cancer, healthcare professionals and managers. The second objective will be based on an analysis of implementation using a multiple case study.
With this project, we aim to anticipate unmet needs by offering individualized support to people affected by blood cancer right from the start of their treatment with cell-based therapies. This support will meet people’s emotional, practical and informative needs throughout their care journey. This support will also help people to better manage their illness independently. Finally, this project could serve as a model for creating this type of support for other groups of cancer patients, and for implementing it in other healthcare facilities in Quebec.