KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The study aimed to investigate the association between pandemic-related anxiety and willingness to participate in BC patients.
- Researchers noticed that despite pandemic-related anxiety, BC trial participation remains challenged by unrelated concerns; further investigation is ongoing.
Breast cancer (BC) patients faced heightened anxiety during the pandemic, while clinical trial procedures underwent modifications to accommodate virtual platforms and local assessments, aiming to enhance participation.
Karen Lisa Smith and her team aimed to assess the relationship between pandemic-related anxiety and willingness to engage in trials and examine the impact of pandemic-driven modifications on participation decisions.
They performed an inclusive analysis by conducting an online survey from August to September 2021, targeting patients diagnosed with BC. The survey evaluated various parameters, including pandemic-induced anxiety, knowledge and attitudes toward clinical trials, willingness to participate during and before the pandemic, and the impact of specific modifications on participation decisions.
Statistical analyses utilized Fisher’s exact tests to assess differences in proportions and two-sample t-tests to evaluate differences in means. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the association between pandemic-related anxiety and the decline in willingness to participate during compared to before the pandemic.
About 385 respondents completed the survey, with 81% reporting moderate to severe pandemic-related anxiety. Mean willingness to participate in a trial was lower during the pandemic than before [2.97 (SD 1.17) vs. 3.10 (SD 1.09), (P < 0.001)]. Severe anxiety correlated with higher odds of reduced willingness to participate during the pandemic compared to before (OR 5.07). Most respondents (>50%) endorsed each modification, except opting out of research-only blood tests, as strategies that would increase their likelihood of participating.
The study concluded that while pandemic-related anxiety correlated with reduced trial participation willingness, primary reasons for reluctance were unrelated to the pandemic, focusing on concerns regarding treatment efficacy, side effects, and care delays. Patients’ favorable perception of trial modifications suggests their endorsement for continued implementation, aligning with recommendations from the National Cancer Institute and other authorities.
The study was conducted by the Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium and supported by the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38466037/
Smith KL, Mead-Harvey C, Mazza GL, et al.(2024). TBCRC 057: Survey about willingness to participate in cancer clinical trials during the pandemic. Cancer Med. 2024 Mar;13(5):e7090. doi: 10.1002/cam4.7090. PMID: 38466037; PMCID: PMC10926883.
