Opportunity 5
Opportunity 6
Opportunity 7
Recommendation
Ensure that the psychological burden faced by lung cancer patients is addressed with pathways to access psychological support
services.
Rationale
Indicator 14: While France includes a psychological assessment “according to need,” they do not provide a pathway for obtaining
psychological support services in their lung cancer guidelines. Workshop participants noted the importance of addressing the
psychological, supportive and palliative care needs of lung cancer patients from the time of diagnosis. They note that a visit to a
psychologist following diagnosis is specified in the guidelines. However there is no funding for further psychological treatment;
patients pay for it out of pocket.Recommendation
Ensure that oncologists receive training in supportive and palliative care.
Rationale
Indicator 15: There is no evidence to demonstrate that training in supportive and palliative care is integrated into the training of
oncologists in France. Training ensures that clinicians understand the importance of supportive and palliative care (not just end of
life care) that can meet the needs of their patients.Recommendation
Cancer registries lack clinical data. In France, a clinical cancer registry could provide helpful data.
Rationale
Indicator 16: France’s cancer registry has been evaluated to be at a high quality at a regional basis (though not at a national base),
and its vital registration data collection systems have been evaluated as being of medium quality. Clinicians have suggested
that a stronger clinical component to the cancer registry could help to improve the overall care that lung cancer patients receive.
France’s new Health Data Hub will be an important step forward in achieving improvements. The Hub will improve the ability to
analyse results as it will encompass a clinical registry as well as information on treatment and reimbursement.