Clinical trials in advanced stage lung cancer: a survey of patients’ opinion about their treatment

Bojan Zaric; Branislav Perin; Aleksandra Ilic; Ivan Kopitovic; Jovan Matijasevic; Ljiljana Andrijevic; Nevena Secen; Jelena Stanic; Milorad Bijelovic; Zdravko Kosjerina; Milan Antonic

doi:10.4081/mrm.2011.427

Clinical trials in advanced stage lung cancer: a survey of patients’ opinion about their treatment

Authors

Bojan Zaric Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Branislav Perin Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Aleksandra Ilic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad,
Ivan Kopitovic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Jovan Matijasevic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Ljiljana Andrijevic Institute for Oncology of Vojvodina, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Nevena Secen Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Jelena Stanic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Milorad Bijelovic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Zdravko Kosjerina Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Milan Antonic Institute for Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic for Pulmonary Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/mrm.2011.427

Keywords:

Chemotherapy, clinical investigation, clinical trial, lung cancer, non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Abstract

Background: The major aim of this study was to investigate what patients with advanced stage lung cancer, enrolled in a clinical trial, thought about their treatment. We also wanted to investigate if there exist any characteristics that could influence patients’ opinion about the clinical trial.

Patients and methods: Over the period from June 2008 to June 2009, 59 eligible patients were enrolled in this study. The major inclusion criteria were: participation in a clinical trial, previously treated advanced stage lung cancer, and good per- formance status (ECOG 0-2). All patients were asked to answer a questionnaire designed to investigate their impres- sions about participation in a clinical trial. The questionnaire was deposited in a sealed box which was opened at the end of the study. We investigated a possible influence of age, gender, education, lung cancer stage, chemotherapy line and tumor type on the patients' opinion about some aspects of the clinical trial.

Results: The majority of the patients were aware they were participating in the clinical trial and a significant number of them were very satisfied with the treatment. Of the investi- gated factors, only the level of education had a statistically significant influence on some of the questions raised in the questionnaire.

Conclusions: Patients participating in clinical trials are satis- fied with their treatment, ready to proceed with it and would recommend it to other patients. It depends mainly on health professionals to maintain this level of confidence and justify their trust.