Cancer of Lung

The overarching goal of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program is to reduce the burden of lung cancer by offering an innovative survivorship care approach that improves lung cancer quality of life, overcomes lung cancer stigma, and helps survivors engage with care. The project involves a two-group parallel randomized clinical trial comparing the impact of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program (KLCLCSC) among lung cancer survivors (N=300) against an enhanced usual care condition (bibliotherapy+assessment) on quality of life outcomes.

This study explores how psychological stress may influence the treatment response and long-term outcomes in patients with lung cancer. While advances in surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies have improved survival, emotional well-being remains an often-overlooked factor. We aim to investigate whether high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression at the time of diagnosis or during treatment are linked to poorer responses to therapy or shorter survival. By identifying these associations, the study hopes to highlight the importance of psychological care as part of comprehensive cancer treatment. The findings may inform future strategies to integrate mental health support into routine care for patients with both early-stage and advanced lung cancer.