PURPOSE: The National Cancer Institute estimates that less than 5% of adult patients with cancer participate in clinical trials. This statistic has to improve in order for clinical trials to be more accurate and generalizable. Several studies have looked into the barriers to accrual among various patient subgroups. However, there are scant data regarding factors that act as barriers to accrual of rural patients. Our study aims to identify these barriers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among patients seen at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at West Virginia University, 1,000 were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire by mail. Data obtained consisted of demographic and clinical information, as well as awareness about clinical trials, willingness to participate, and factors influencing participation. Patients had 6 weeks to respond. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-one (24.1%) patients responded to the survey. Of these, 66.9% had heard about clinical trials, 19.6% reported that their health care team had discussed clinical trials, and 9.1% had participated in clinical trials. Respondents were more likely to be willing to participate in cancer prevention/screening trials than therapeutic trials. Regarding the decision not to participate in a clinical trial, patients cited discouragement from their oncologist, monetary burden, discouragement from family physician, commute, and lack of information as strongly or extremely influential factors. CONCLUSION: Our findings specify the need for patient and physician education through community outreach programs. Oncologists should be trained to discuss clinical trials and to address concerns regarding their availability, utility, and accessibility. Financial counseling may play an important role in improving accrual rates as well.
PURPOSE: The National Cancer Institute estimates that less than 5% of adult patients with cancer participate in clinical trials. This statistic has to improve in order for clinical trials to be more accurate and generalizable. Several studies have looked into the barriers to accrual among various patient subgroups. However, there are scant data regarding factors that act as barriers to accrual of rural patients. Our study aims to identify these barriers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among patients seen at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at West Virginia University, 1,000 were randomly selected to receive a questionnaire by mail. Data obtained consisted of demographic and clinical information, as well as awareness about clinical trials, willingness to participate, and factors influencing participation. Patients had 6 weeks to respond. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-one (24.1%) patients responded to the survey. Of these, 66.9% had heard about clinical trials, 19.6% reported that their health care team had discussed clinical trials, and 9.1% had participated in clinical trials. Respondents were more likely to be willing to participate in cancer prevention/screening trials than therapeutic trials. Regarding the decision not to participate in a clinical trial, patients cited discouragement from their oncologist, monetary burden, discouragement from family physician, commute, and lack of information as strongly or extremely influential factors. CONCLUSION: Our findings specify the need for patient and physician education through community outreach programs. Oncologists should be trained to discuss clinical trials and to address concerns regarding their availability, utility, and accessibility. Financial counseling may play an important role in improving accrual rates as well.
Authors: Victor R Grann; Judith S Jacobson; Andrea B Troxel; Dawn Hershman; Julie Karp; Christa Myers; Alfred I Neugut Journal: Cancer Date: 2005-07-15 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Warren B Sateren; Edward L Trimble; Jeffrey Abrams; Otis Brawley; Nancy Breen; Leslie Ford; Mary McCabe; Richard Kaplan; Malcolm Smith; Richard Ungerleider; Michaele C Christian Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2002-04-15 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Electra D Paskett; M Robert Cooper; Nancy Stark; Thomas C Ricketts; Sara Tropman; Teresa Hatzell; Tim Aldrich; James Atkins Journal: Cancer Pract Date: 2002 Jan-Feb
Authors: Khalid M Almutairi; Wadi B Alonazi; Abdulaziz A Alodhayani; Jason M Vinluan; Mahaman Moussa; Abdulrahman S Al-Ajlan; Khalid Alsaleh; Duna Alruwaimi; Nader E Alotaibi Journal: J Relig Health Date: 2017-04
Authors: Lillian Chen; Jackelyn B Payne; Kaylin V Dance; Conner B Imbody; Cathy D Ho; Amy A Ayers; Christopher R Flowers Journal: Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk Date: 2019-10-19
Authors: S Manne; D Kashy; T Albrecht; Y-N Wong; A Lederman Flamm; A B Benson; S M Miller; Linda Fleisher; J Buzaglo; N Roach; M Katz; E Ross; M Collins; D Poole; S Raivitch; D M Miller; T G Kinzy; T Liu; N J Meropol Journal: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) Date: 2014-01-28 Impact factor: 2.520
Authors: Ryan D Nipp; Hang Lee; Elizabeth Powell; Nicole E Birrer; Emily Poles; Daniel Finkelstein; Karen Winkfield; Sanja Percac-Lima; Bruce Chabner; Beverly Moy Journal: Oncologist Date: 2016-03-14
Authors: Neal J Meropol; Yu-Ning Wong; Terrance Albrecht; Sharon Manne; Suzanne M Miller; Anne Lederman Flamm; Al Bowen Benson; Joanne Buzaglo; Michael Collins; Brian Egleston; Linda Fleisher; Michael Katz; Tyler G Kinzy; Tasnuva M Liu; Seunghee Margevicius; Dawn M Miller; David Poole; Nancy Roach; Eric Ross; Mark D Schluchter Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2015-12-23 Impact factor: 44.544