Analysis of the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients.

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients. Patients and Methods: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to hospitalized patients in the Department of Medical Oncology in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between 20 September 2014 and 20 September 2015. This study included lymphoma patients who were enrolled into a radical treatment clinical trial, and head/neck cancer patients participating in a palliative clinical trial. Results: There were 136 lymphoma patients and 87 head/neck cancer patients who completed and returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire return rate was 100%. More than 90% of the patients in both groups showed trust and acceptance for medical care personnel, and more than 50% of the patients in both groups were in hope of trying new medication, receiving free medication, and receiving new treatment at an earlier rate. As compared with those in the radical trials, patients in the palliative clinical trials were more likely to hope to try new medication (P<0.001) and receive a new treatment at an earlier date (P=0.025), but less likely to hope to receive free medication (P=0.047). Conclusions: This study reveals several shared perceptions and needs of patients in both the radical (lymphoma) and palliative (head/neck cancer) settings and explores the differences in patients' attitudes between radical clinical trials and palliative clinical trials. These findings may provide a basis for improving recruitment of patients for different types of clinical trials and ensuring that patients have a better understanding of clinical trials.

Barriers and facilitators to participation in clinical trial among lymphoma patients from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in China: An observation study.

Recruitment rate of clinical trials in cancer patients is pretty low in China. Little is known about factors influencing trial recruitment in Chinese cancer patients. The aim of present study is to evaluate the barriers and facilitators to participation in clinical trials among lymphoma patients in China.From December 2014 to August 2015, the survey was carried out in the Department of Medical Oncology in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. A self-made questionnaire was used among lymphoma patients (N = 331) to evaluate their attitude toward clinical trials. The questionnaire included 2 parts: patients' basic information and whether they were willing to participate in future clinical trials and their reasons.There were 53.5% patients willing to participate in clinical trials. The most common reasons were thirst for new treatments, trust on hospital and doctors, the idea that clinical trials may be more effective than conventional therapy, and to get more management and monitoring. The following patients are more likely to participate in clinical trials: patients who have children (P = .019) or spouse (P = .037), cannot afford treatment cost (P = .019), have tumor relapse (P = .045), and cared about the medical development (P = .032). Patients who have little knowledge of clinical trials are less likely to participate in clinical trials (P = .047).Popularization of knowledge about clinical trial is helpful to improve clinical trial participation in Chinese lymphoma patients.