ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2024
Living in the twilight zone: a qualitative study on the experiences of patients with advanced cancer obtaining long-term response to immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Health-related quality of life domains relevant to people in Europe undergoing cancer treatment: a systematic review of qualitative research.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026Pooled it
- Implementation of precision medicine in treating non-communicable diseases: a systematic review.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Experience and Needs of Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer Patients: A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.Psycho-oncology · 2025Pooled it
- Perspectives of patients, partners, primary and hospital-based health care professionals on living with advanced cancer and systemic treatment.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2026Article
- Defining patients living long-term with incurable cancer: A modified hybrid Delphi study.Palliative medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Cycling Through Uncertainty: The Psychological Experiences of Individuals With Lung Cancer Receiving Immunotherapy And/Or Targeted Therapy.Psycho-oncology · 2026Article
- Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents and Young Adults With an Uncertain or Poor Cancer Prognosis: Quantitative Baseline Results of the CORD-AYA Study.Psycho-oncology · 2025Article
- "The Idea of Being Without It is Frightening". Uncertainty and Psychological Dependency for Patients Using Immuno-, Biological, or Precision Therapies: A Qualitative Study.Psycho-oncology · 2025Article
- Characterizing Inquiries About Novel Cancer Therapies: Findings from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service.Journal of immunotherapy and precision oncology · 2025Article
- Exploring the Experiences of Individuals Diagnosed with Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Qualitative Study.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Experiences of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Targeted Therapy Using Journey Mapping: A Qualitative Study.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- The Co-Creation of a Psychosocial Support Website for Advanced Cancer Patients Obtaining a Long-Term Response to Immunotherapy or Targeted Therapy.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Development of the SCNS-TARGET: a new tool to assess unmet needs in cancer patients utilising immuno-, biological or precision therapies.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Article
- Article
- Resilience in advanced cancer patients who obtain a long-term response to immunotherapy or targeted therapy: an Ecological Momentary Assessment study.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2025Observational
- Getting back on track after treatment of cancer: A qualitative interview study of cancer survivors' experiences.PloS one · 2025Article
- Article
- Carrying on with life as a lung cancer survivor: a qualitative study of Australian survivors' employment, finances, relationships, and healthcare experiences.Translational lung cancer research · 2024Article
- What patients with advanced cancer experience as helpful in navigating their life with a long-term response: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThe introduction of immunotherapy and targeted therapy has drastically improved the life expectancy of patients with advanced cancer. Despite improved survival, obtaining long-term response can be highly distressing and comes with uncertainties that affect several life domains. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of long-term responders' lived experiences with obtaining long-term response to immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
methodsWe conducted an exploratory qualitative study using thematic data analysis. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 patients with advanced melanoma or lung cancer who had a confirmed response to or long-term stable disease while on immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
resultsLong-term responders are living in a twilight zone, where they neither feel like a patient, nor feel healthy. This impacts their self-image, interactions with their social environment, and feelings of uncertainty. Due to their uncertain life perspective, long-term responders are going back and forth between hope and despair, while they are longing for their 'old' life, several barriers, such as protective behavior of the social environment, force them to adjust to a life with cancer.
conclusionLong-term responders are facing many challenges, such as searching for a renewed identity, dealing with ongoing uncertainty, and having to adapt to a new normal. This emphasizes the importance of providing this new patient group with tailored information and support. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Healthcare professionals can support patients by normalizing their feelings and providing space for varying emotions. Using patient-tailored scan frequencies could help temper fear of progression.
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