PMID- 38212121 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20240116 LR - 20240315 IS - 2051-1426 (Electronic) IS - 2051-1426 (Linking) VI - 12 IP - 1 DP - 2024 Jan 11 TI - Experience of patients considering or using checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment: a systematic review of qualitative research. LID - 10.1136/jitc-2023-007555 [doi] LID - e007555 AB - Increasing numbers of patients with cancer are considering or undergoing immunotherapy, however, little is known about patients' perspectives on this treatment. We undertook a systematic review for use by clinicians and researchers, consolidating published qualitative research studies on patient experience of checkpoint inhibitor therapy. A search of Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO was carried out for publications in English to 30 June 2022. Publications were selected if they reported a qualitative study of patient experience with checkpoint inhibitor therapy for cancer, either by patients or their families or carers. Quality was appraised using the Johanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool for qualitative studies. A thematic synthesis was conducted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standard was followed. We identified 17 eligible studies published between 2017 and 2022, 9 using mixed methods, and 8 solely using qualitative methods. Most studies reported on the experiences of patients with advanced stage melanoma and were using the earliest approved checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy. Studies met most formal quality criteria but varied in the extent of their qualitative explorations of data; some mixed methods studies had limited reporting of qualitative results. Through thematic synthesis, we categorized study findings into four domains: (1) treatment decision-making; (2) success with immunotherapy; (3) treatment-related adverse events (AEs); and (4) quality of life on immunotherapy. Our review identified several areas with potential for improving the care system. These include, for example: routinely linking patients to peers who have experienced this therapy; improving the capacity of patients and carers to identify and report AEs faster; and supporting patients and carers to live with changed circumstances after successful treatment. Most studies focused on patients who had successful treatment, effectively excluding those who do not respond or who discontinue due to serious side effects; future research targets are suggested. CI - (c) Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. FAU - Yip, Raphael AU - Yip R AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia raphaelyip.md@gmail.com. AD - Medicine, North Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Arnolda, Gaston AU - Arnolda G AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Lamprell, Klay AU - Lamprell K AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Nic Giolla Easpaig, Brona AU - Nic Giolla Easpaig B AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - School of Nursing, Charles Darwin University Faculty of Health, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. FAU - Chittajallu, Renuka AU - Chittajallu R AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Medical Oncology, Riverina Cancer Care Centre, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Medical Oncology, GenesisCare, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Delaney, Geoff AU - Delaney G AD - South-Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Radiation Oncology, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Olver, Ian AU - Olver I AD - School of Psychology, The University of Adelaide Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. FAU - Liauw, Winston AU - Liauw W AD - St George Cancer Centre, Saint George Hospital, Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. AD - St. George Hospital Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. FAU - Braithwaite, Jeffrey AU - Braithwaite J AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Macquarie University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. AD - Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation (CHRIS), Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't PT - Systematic Review DEP - 20240111 PL - England TA - J Immunother Cancer JT - Journal for immunotherapy of cancer JID - 101620585 RN - 0 (Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors) SB - IM MH - Humans MH - Immunotherapy/methods MH - Qualitative Research MH - *Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use MH - *Neoplasms/drug therapy PMC - PMC10806553 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors OT - Immunotherapy COIS- Competing interests: None declared. EDAT- 2024/01/12 00:42 MHDA- 2024/01/15 12:42 PMCR- 2024/01/11 CRDT- 2024/01/11 21:22 PHST- 2023/10/30 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2024/01/15 12:42 [medline] PHST- 2024/01/12 00:42 [pubmed] PHST- 2024/01/11 21:22 [entrez] PHST- 2024/01/11 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - jitc-2023-007555 [pii] AID - 10.1136/jitc-2023-007555 [doi] PST - epublish SO - J Immunother Cancer. 2024 Jan 11;12(1):e007555. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007555.