The Liver Cancer Care pathway is complex, multidisciplinary and extends over a prolonged period of time. Research shows that patient’s experiences depend not only on the treatments they receive, but also on how information is communicated, interpreted, and used to make decisions at critical points along the pathway (1, 2). 

Over the course of the care pathway, care experience is shaped by multiple key moments, transitions and points of contact including diagnostic suspicion, referrals, information received, preparation for surgery or other treatments, the hospital stay, dischargement, recovery at home, clinical follow-up and access to support. Because these shape the care experience, they also allow us to assess how care was perceived. 

Existing literature indicates that patients with liver, biliary, or pancreatic tumours wish to understand the reasons behind clinical decisions and to be involved in their own care. However, the extend of this involvement depends on when information is provided, the language used, and whether patients are given real opportunities to ask questions or express their preferences (3). At the same time, studies in oncology have shown that patient-perceived coordination and support interventions can improve continuity of care, clarify roles and increase satisfaction, particularly in complex and multidisciplinary care pathways (4, 5). 

This is where our research comes in. We aim to further expand the available knowledge of the care experience of patients with liver cancer by identifying their unmet needs, prioritizing them, and beginning to articulate potential solutions to address them.