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Physician-Related Factors Involved in Patient Decisions to Enroll Onto Cancer Clinical Trials

Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, Philadelphia, PA; and Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Corresponding author: Robert L. Comis, MD,President and Chairman, Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups, 1818 Market St, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19103; rcomis{at}ecogchair.org

Purpose: To examine the attitudes of the public and cancer survivors toward their health-related decisions and cancer clinical trials (CCT) with a particular emphasis on the role of the physician, building on a 2003 report in Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Methods: An Internet-based survey was performed in March through April 2005, using a subsample from Knowledge Networks' national probability sample of adults. One sample of 1,027 adults was selected to reflect a cross-section of the public. A second sample of 2,027 cancer survivors was selected from the Knowledge Networks adult panel, representing a probability sample of adult cancer survivors in 2005.

Results: Both the public and cancer survivors rely mainly on their physicians as a key source of health-related information; their physicians are the most trusted health-care professional source of health information, although other sources such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and professional societies are also rated highly. All three sources rank significantly higher than the other 20 sources examined (P < .05). Only approximately 10% of survivors reported that they were aware of the possibility of CCT participation at the time of their diagnosis, and only 3% reported participation in a CCT. Seventy-three percent of patients aware of a CCT were made aware by a physician. Participation in a CCT was directly related to the level of physician involvement reported by the survivor (P < .01).

Conclusion: The physician plays a critical role in CCT recruitment. Future increases in patient participation in a CCT will depend on the willingness of physicians to present, explain, and encourage patient enrollment when a CCT is a clinically relevant treatment approach.

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