[Patient or disease in oncology?]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Effective oncologic treatment decisions require comprehensive patient information.
• Patient-centered outcomes, including quality of life and functional status, are crucial for informed choices.
• Current oncologic studies frequently lack adequate reporting on these vital patient-centered data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of patient-centered outcomes in oncologic research and care.
• To advocate for a shift from disease-centered to patient-centered outcome reporting.
• To improve shared decision-making in cancer treatment selection.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on outcome reporting in oncologic studies.
• Analysis of patient preferences for treatment outcomes.
• Comparative assessment of disease-centered vs. patient-centered data.

Main Results:

• Patient-centered outcomes (quality of life, function) are highly valued by patients.
• Existing oncologic research designs inadequately capture these patient-centered metrics.
• A significant gap exists in reporting functional and quality of life data.

Conclusions:

• Optimizing oncologic care necessitates prioritizing patient-centered outcomes.
• Research designs must evolve to incorporate comprehensive patient-reported data.
• A patient-centered focus is essential for advancing cancer treatment and research.