In total, 266 patients started a treatment for metastatic lung cancer and completed the questionnaire on their treatment goals. Of these patients, 164 patients were deceased during the study period, resulting in 164 relatives being eligible for participation of which 118 (72%) participated in an interview (Fig. 1). Refusing of participation during the informed consent procedure was in most of the cases because the patient didn’t want to bother their relatives with the study in which he or she participated. Decline in participation during the telephonic interview was because the relative already died, telephonic number was not in use or the phone was not picked up after trying several times on different days and times.
Fig. 1 Flowchart of participants. The red box concerns the participants in the current study which is part of a larger study in which 266 patients with metastatic lung cancer participated. In that study, patients could participate multiple times in the study resulting in 247 individual patients from whom the relatives could be approached. Only relatives of deceased patients were eligible to participate. In the end, 118 relatives participated in this interview study. * consent from patient and relative was asked at the start of the treatment. ** Patients were allowed to participate twice in the questionnaire study when they sequentially received another treatment