US cancer patient survey findings "unsettling"

The US Lung Cancer Alliance has published the findings of a study of 600 patients and oncologists, which reveals a "surprising and significant lack of awareness" among patients about clinical trials that they could register with. Among those who are aware, concerns about how clinical trials operate - which are sometimes based on misconceptions - are a further deterrent.

Roy Herbst, chief of the section of thoracic medical oncology and a professor of medicine at the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, said: clinical trials represent the single, most important step in the process of bringing new, improved cancer therapies to patients and the fact that many patients do not enroll in them because they do not feel they have enough information, or even worse, don't know about them, is very troubling."

Prof Herbst added that "thousands of cancer patients are being helped each day by new therapies under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration. This survey shows that there is more work to be done to ensure information gets into the hands of cancer patients so they are able to make informed decisions about whether or not clinical trials are right for them."