Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy

A Prospective Observational Study on the Unmet Supportive Care Needs of Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy

Nowadays, high-quality cancer care is more than just diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Healthcare must respond to the specific needs of the patients to provide patient-centered care. To date, research on the unmet supportive care needs in bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy is scarce. Because the needs of the patients may differ according to the phase in the illness trajectory, it is important that prospective research is carried out. Research in other cancer populations shows that unmet supportive care needs are negatively associated with health-related quality of life, psychological distress, physical activity and the health literacy of the patient. By incorporating the above factors into this study, we can not only map the unmet supportive care needs of the patient, but also explore possible associations between the variables. Since this is the first prospective study on supportive care needs in bladder cancer, this is a hypothesis-generating study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• age is 18 years or older
• Patients diagnosed with bladder cancer who will undergo radical cystectomy
• Patient has to be able to sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Metastatic cancer
• Presence of a second primary tumor with the exception of fully deleted prostate cancer, non-melanoma skin tumor or tumor diagnosed ≥ 5 years ago and under control