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Factors that influence a patient's decision to participate in a phase I cancer clinical trial
1Hematology/Oncology Department, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. schuttak@gunet.georgetown.edu
Purpose/Objectives:
To explore factors that influence an individual's decision to participate in phase I cancer clinical trials.
Design:
Exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative study.
Setting:
Outpatient oncology clinic of a comprehensive cancer center in an urban setting.
Sample:
22 patients with cancer who had been asked at some point during their treatment to participate in a phase I cancer clinical trial were invited to participate in a focus group. Eight patients participated.
Methods:
Two focus groups were conducted.
Main Research Variables:
Factors that influenced patients' decisions to participate in a phase I cancer clinical trial.
Findings:
Participants expressed that hope for a cure and trusting the oncologist's advice were the primary factors that influenced their decisions to participate in phase I research. The majority expressed surprise that anyone would participate in an experimental study for altruistic reasons.
Conclusions:
Patients choose to hope for some personal benefit from their participation in phase I clinical trials even though they realized that is not the purpose or goal of the trial.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
Nurses are in an ideal position to offer information to individuals who are deciding whether to participate in a phase I cancer clinical trial. However, most nurses are not seizing this opportunity. Patients are unable to describe nurses' impact on their decision to enter a phase I cancer clinical trial.