Work

Nursing Interventions for Pain and Sleep Management in Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Scoping Review

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: AIM: To map nursing interventions for pain and sleep disturbance among adults receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors and identify assessment and research gaps. DESIGN: A scoping review. REVIEW METHODS: Eligible sources were charted using a standardized form and descriptively synthesized by intervention type, outcome, study design and evidence stream. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched on 30 November 2025 for English-language sources published from 1 January 2019 to 30 November 2025. RESULTS: We included 10 sources: one randomized clinical trial, four systematic reviews, three of which included meta-analysis, three observational studies, one mixed-methods study and one structured clinical perspective/review. Four sources provided direct evidence from populations receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors, whereas six provided potentially transferable evidence from broader oncology populations. Electronic patient-reported outcome monitoring produced promising findings in one immune checkpoint inhibitor trial. Broader oncology evidence identified potentially transferable pain-management approaches. Two primary studies explicitly reported sleep-related findings, but neither reported using a dedicated, validated sleep-specific instrument. Sleep-related content within broader symptom or quality-of-life assessments was distinguished from dedicated sleep assessment. No included ICI-specific nursing intervention primarily targeted insomnia. CONCLUSION: Direct evidence for nurse-led pain and sleep interventions during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment remains limited. Findings from broader oncology populations should not be interpreted as evidence of effectiveness in this population. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Oncology nurses may consider assessing pain and sleep separately. Future research should incorporate validated sleep measures and explore interventions tailored to patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. IMPACT: The study addressed the limited nursing evidence for managing pain and sleep disturbance during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The main findings were the scarcity of direct intervention evidence and the absence of validated sleep-specific assessment. The findings will inform oncology nurses, researchers and services caring for adults receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. REPORTING METHOD: The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patients or members of the public were involved in this review, which was based on published evidence.

Source: Nursing Open

DOI: 10.1002/nop2.71022

Authors: Omar Alqaisi, Mohammed Dibas, Safia Samir Darwish, Amaechi Dennis, Patricia Tai

Institutions: Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, An-Najah National University, Batterjee Medical College, Veritas University, University of Saskatchewan

Language: English

Topic: Cancer survivorship and care

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,390