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Multicenter Study
. 2025 Mar;27(3):e70051.
doi: 10.1111/codi.70051.

Survivorship issues in long-term survivors of locally recurrent rectal cancer: A qualitative study

Niamh McKigney  1 , Sophia Waldenstedt  2   3 , Elisabeth Gonzalez  2 , Jan M van Rees  4 , Henriette Vind Thaysen  5 , Eva Angenete  2   3 , Galina Velikova  6   7 , Julia M Brown  1 , Deena P Harji  1   8 ; LRRC‐QoL Collaborators
Collaborators, Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Survivorship issues in long-term survivors of locally recurrent rectal cancer: A qualitative study

Niamh McKigney et al. Colorectal Dis. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Aim: There are increasing numbers of long-term survivors following curative treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC); however, their experiences remain relatively underreported. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify the long-term survivorship issues relevant to these patients.

Method: Adults who remained disease free >3 years following treatment for LRRC were invited to participate in an international multicentre study. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted either in person, via telephone or via Microsoft Teams and were analysed using a framework method of thematic analysis.

Results: A total of 26 participants were recruited from 11 sites in seven countries. Sixteen (61.5%) participants were male, the median age was 70.5 (33.0-85.0) years, participants were a median of 5.0 (3.0-17.0) years posttreatment, most had undergone surgery for LRRC (n = 24, 92.3%), two participants received neoadjuvant chemo/radiation for LRRC with a complete response. Eight major survivorship themes were identified: (1) experience of long-term follow-up care, (2) unmet needs and areas for improvement, (3) long-term physical effects of cancer and treatment, (4) living with a stoma, urostomy or other urinary device, (5) long-term psychological impact, (6) impact on sexual function and intimate relationships, (7) impact on daily life and (8) feelings surrounding life now, adapting and the future.

Conclusion: Participants experienced a wide range of long-term survivorship issues, reflecting the complexity of both LRRC and its treatment. Despite this, most had adapted well. Further work regarding survivorship care in LRRC is required to address the unmet needs and issues highlighted in this study, such as support regarding sexual function.

Keywords: locally recurrent rectal cancer; long‐term survivorship; unmet needs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Survivorship themes identified.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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