Supporting People with Active and Advanced Disease: A Rapid Review of the Evidence

Conducted by: Professor Nigel King, Dr Joanna Brooks, Dr Valerie Featherstone and Professor Annie Topping, January 2013 – ongoing

Project leader: Professor Nigel King

Funding: Macmillan Cancer Support

Commissioned by Macmillan’s National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI) team, the key aim of this project is to conduct a rapid review of available literature on selected cancers, in order to identify implications for the development of services to support patients experiencing difficulties associated with active and advanced disease.

The NCSI is a partnership between the Department of Health and Macmillan Cancer Support, which aims to ensure that those living with and beyond cancer get the care and support they need to lead as healthy and active a life as possible, for as long as possible. Often, the needs of individuals who are not at the ‘end of life’ but experience ongoing effects of cancer beyond first-line treatment are neglected and this project aims to address those needs.

The project focuses on five key aspects, defined as priorities by Macmillan’s CSI Survivorship team.

These include:

• Defining the term ‘Active and Advanced Disease’ (AAD)
• Understanding more about the AAD patient group
• The efficacy of interventions and the outcomes that can be expected
• Understanding costs and benefits of interventions
• Developing skills to support the delivery of interventions

The final report to Macmillan Cancer Support will be used to inform subsequent publications and disseminate information of relevance to service users, practitioners and policy makers.