Healthcare professionals roles in pancreatic cancer care: patient and family views and preferences

Objectives This study explored the information needs and requirements of patients with pancreatic cancer (PPCs) and their families through patients’ and families’ views and preferences (PVPs) collected by healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to identify differences in PVPs by profession. Methods We conducted an anonymous web-based survey of HCPs in cancer care hospitals in Japan, posing specific questions from patients or families regarding pancreatic cancer within the past year. We qualitatively analysed the data and classified them into several categories according to their content. We also compared the percentage of PVPs in each category in the medical profession. Results We collected 893 PVPs from 353 HCPs and classified them into 15 topics within 5 categories: (1) treatment and care, (2) characteristics of the disease, (3) daily life, (4) feelings of patients or families and (5) communication with HCPs/peer support information. Physicians, nurses and pharmacists received mainly PVPs in categories 1 and 2. Characteristically, cancer counsellors received PVPs in all categories, with higher frequencies for categories 3–5. Conclusions PPCs and families have diverse PVPs, and appear to select different HCPs for consultation based on their specific concerns. Each HCP should recognise that their individual experience may be insufficient in understanding the full spectrum of PVPs; however, cancer counsellors tend to have a broader awareness of them. To support PPCs and families, HCPs should appropriately collaborate with each other, considering that HCPs like cancer counsellors who do not provide direct treatment still play an important role in providing holistic support.