Related Experiment Videos

Patient and physician attitudes toward breast cancer clinical trials: developing interventions based on understanding

Michelle E Melisko1, Fern Hassin, Lauren Metzroth

  • 1University of California, San Francisco, USA.

Clinical Breast Cancer
|May 19, 2005
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Low enrollment in breast cancer clinical trials stems from patient and physician barriers like randomization reluctance. Addressing these concerns and improving trial awareness can enhance participation in cancer research.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Clinical Research
  • Patient Advocacy

Background:

  • Clinical trials are crucial for advancing cancer therapies but face low enrollment rates, particularly in breast cancer (2-3%).
  • Understanding patient and physician barriers is key to improving trial participation.
  • Growing interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) necessitates exploring its role in clinical trials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify patient and physician barriers to breast cancer clinical trial participation.
  • To implement interventions aimed at increasing awareness and interest in clinical trials.
  • To assess attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) clinical trials.

Main Methods:

  • Surveys administered to breast cancer patients and physicians between 1997-2000.
  • Initiation of regional programs to promote breast cancer clinical trials.
  • Analysis of demographic correlations with perceived barriers and attitudes towards trials.

Main Results:

  • Key patient barriers included reluctance to be randomized, time constraints, and fear of adverse effects.
  • Physician barriers involved randomization, staff time, and enrollment costs.
  • Both patients and physicians showed openness to CAM clinical trials, with attitudes varying by demographics. Favorable views on clinical trials improved over the study period.

Conclusions:

  • Attitudes toward clinical trials are evolving, influenced by patient age and disease stage.
  • Addressing patient-specific concerns and randomization uneasiness is vital for future enrollment strategies.
  • Interventions may positively impact trial perceptions, though direct causality requires further investigation.
Keywords:
Biomedical and Behavioral ResearchEmpirical Approach

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Trials01:16

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are prospective experimental studies conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of treatments, drugs, diet methods, and medical devices. Using statistics in clinical trials enables researchers to derive reasonable and accurate conclusions from the collected data, allowing them to make wise decisions in uncertain situations. In medical research, statistical methods are crucial for preventing errors and bias.
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
Barriers to Effective Communication II01:21

Barriers to Effective Communication II

The barriers to effective communication also include cultural barriers, semantic barriers, gender barriers, and time constraints.
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Nursing Ethical Principles II01:27

Nursing Ethical Principles II

Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Treatment Resistent Cancers02:56

Treatment Resistent Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
Cancer Survival Analysis01:21

Cancer Survival Analysis

Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...
Clinical Trials: Overview01:11

Clinical Trials: Overview

Clinical development focuses on how the drug will interact with the human body and encompasses four key phases of clinical trials, each serving a specific purpose in assessing the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. These phases overlap and build upon one another. Phase I involves a small group of healthy volunteers (typically 20-80 individuals) or, in cases where significant toxicity is expected, patients with the targeted disease, such as cancer or AIDS. The volunteers are tested for...