Awareness of breast cancer patients in Poland about clinical trials as available treatment options

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bartoszkiewicz, Mikołaj^{a; d;} | Kufel-Grabowska, Joanna^{b; d} | Litwiniuk, Maria^{c; d}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Immunobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland | [b] Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland | [c] Department of Cancer Pathology and Prevention, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland | [d] Chemotherapy Ward, Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznan, Poland

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Mikołaj Bartoszkiewicz, Department of Immunobiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 7 Str, 60-806 Poznan, Poland. Tel.: +48 510 114 175; E-mail: m.bartoszkiewicz@ump.edu.pl. ORCIDs: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8728-5998 (M. Bartoszkiewicz); https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5724-9961 (J. Kufel-Grabowska); https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8428-3877 (M. Litwiniuk)

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Poland and worldwide. Due to growing morbidity and mortality, patients are looking for new therapeutic options. Clinical trials give cancer patients a chance to access innovative treatment often not available in the national healthcare system. Patient awareness of clinical trials is an essential element for the development of the clinical trials market. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this survey was to obtain information from breast cancer patients about their knowledge of clinical trials. METHODS:One hundred people were invited to take part in the study, and were recruited into two groups: 50 patients diagnosed with breast cancer less than 40 years of age, and 50 patients with the same disease over 40 years of age. The survey was completed by female patients online. RESULTS:Most of the subjects correctly understood the assumptions of the clinical trial; most often, both groups of subjects obtained information about medical experiments from the Internet. According to the respondents, the most important motivating factor to participate in the clinical trial was the proposed study drug and their current state of health. Patients would more frequently decide to participate in a clinical trial at the time of cancer progression compared to immediately after diagnosis. Commuting to the research center made recruitment of older patients more difficult (40% of older patients versus 16% of younger patients, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION:Patients with breast cancer are aware of clinical trials and decide to participate in them based on the proposed study drug and their current state of health. Progression of the disease is a factor that increases the willingness to participate in clinical trials.

Keywords: Clinical trials, breast cancer, awareness, study drug

DOI: 10.3233/BD-201014

Journal: Breast Disease, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 33-41, 2021