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Hope for a cure and altruism are the main motives behind participation in phase 3 clinical cancer trials
Author(s) -
Godskesen T.,
Hansson M.G.,
Nygren P.,
Nordin K.,
Kihlbom U.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ecc.12184
Subject(s) - medicine , clinical trial , altruism (biology) , informed consent , cancer , patient participation , randomized controlled trial , palliative care , family medicine , alternative medicine , physical therapy , medline , nursing , psychology , pathology , political science , law , social psychology
It is necessary to carry out randomised clinical cancer trials ( RCT s) in order to evaluate new, potentially useful treatments for future cancer patients. Participation in clinical trials plays an important role in determining whether a new treatment is the best therapy or not. Therefore, it is important to understand on what basis patients decide to participate in clinical trials and to investigate the implications of this understanding for optimising the information process related to study participation. The aims of this study were to (1) describe motives associated with participation in RCT s, (2) assess if patients comprehend the information related to trial enrolment, and (3) describe patient experiences of trial participation. Questionnaires were sent to 96 cancer patients participating in one of nine ongoing clinical phase 3 trials at the D epartment of O ncology, U ppsala U niversity H ospital in S weden. Eighty‐eight patients completed the questionnaire (response rate 92%); 95% of these were patients in adjuvant therapy and 5% participated in clinical trials on palliative care. Two main reasons for participation were identified: personal hope for a cure and altruism. Patients show adequate understanding of the information provided to them in the consent process and participation entails high patient satisfaction.