Aim: To provide the gastrointestinal stromal tumor patient's perspective on side effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and compare this with that of healthcare professionals. Materials & methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 patients with an advanced or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor, as well as six healthcare professionals, and five patients participated in a focus group. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Results: Most participants (n = 29) reported gastrointestinal symptoms followed by tiredness (n = 25), edema (n = 22), muscle cramps (n = 21), skin problems (n = 21), eye problems (n = 11) and trouble sleeping (n = 10). Patients, but not healthcare professionals, reported cognitive problems or symptoms of depression. Conclusion: These results underline the importance of including the patient's perspective, as there is a gap in symptom reporting between patients and healthcare professionals.
Keywords: adverse events; gastrointestinal stromal tumors; interviews; patient-reported outcome; qualitative research; side effects; tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
In this study, the authors report on the side effects of targeted therapies used in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors from the patient's perspective and draw comparisons with reports from healthcare professionals. The authors conducted interviews with both patients and healthcare professionals. Most participants reported gastrointestinal symptoms followed by tiredness, fluid retention, muscle cramps, skin problems, eye problems and trouble sleeping. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients reported cognitive problems and symptoms of depression, which were not reported by healthcare professionals. In conclusion, the authors' results highlight the importance of including the patient's perspective, as there is a gap in symptom reporting between patients and healthcare professionals.