Abstract
The qualitative study ‘Hope as a Lifeline: Imatinib Discontinuation in Patients with Oligometastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours’ is based on the SSG XXV ‘Stop-GIST Trial’, which researched the discontinuation of imatinib (IM) in 12 highly selected Nordic patients with oligometastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST). Our study investigated the experiences and perspectives of the nine patients living in Norway, through their participation in in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study followed a phenomenological and hermeneutical approach, and the data gathered during the interviews were interpreted by means of a thematic analysis. This analysis of the interview data revealed four main themes: (i) getting one’s life back, (ii) fear of recurrence, (iii) hope as a lifeline and (iv) the pros and cons of participating in a clinical trial. In addition, the study elucidated the significance of and opportunities associated with incorporating qualitative methods into clinical trials with a predominantly bio-medical focus. In this project thesis, I discuss the importance of hope for people living with chronic diseases and explore how the use of a qualitative approach in clinical trials could result in a better understanding of patients’ perspectives, thereby leading to improved practice.