CN67 the Unmet Needs of Lymphoma Cancer Survivors: A Rapid Review of the Evidence

There is an increasing number of people living with and beyond a diagnosis of lymphoma worldwide. Yet, knowledge pertaining to lymphoma-specific needs of survivors is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to establish the current understanding of the unmet needs of lymphoma cancer survivors. To appraise current knowledge relating to lymphoma survivors’ unmet needs, a rapid review was chosen, this involves systematic review which balances time constraints in relating to the consideration of bias. A systematic search of CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycInfo and Scopus was conducted. Data relating to lymphoma survivors’ unmet needs were screened, extracted, and synthesised using a thematical approach. Thirty-six articles met the inclusion criteria, over half were published in the last five years (range 2009 – 2020) and mostly originated in the United States (n = 13) and Australia (n = 7). 78% of included studies employed quantitative methods, mostly cross-sectional designs (n = 16) with five studies using qualitative approaches. Participants were recruitment via cancer registries (33%) and from single sites (30%). Disparity in the reporting of demographics inhibits further analysis to generate a more substantive understanding of this cohort. Many lymphoma survivors are dependent on health services, however disruptions to continuity of care at the end of treatment, involving abrupt transition and a sense of abandonment highlights an unmet need relating to health service delivery. Unmet psychosocial needs involved impaired concentration or memory and existential concerns, with loss of strength and physical function resulting in unmet physical needs. A range of financial difficulties have been reported in the literature, showing an assortment of concerns exist for lymphoma survivors. Lymphoma cancer survivors experience a myriad of unmet needs across multiple domains. Key limitations of current literature include the insufficient reporting of demographics and the scant use of qualitative or mixed method approaches. Future research is required to address the sparse focus on lymphoma-specific research and disparate reporting which impairs a comprehensive understanding of lymphoma cancer survivors’ needs.