US cancer patients "unaware of trials"

About 85% of 5,972 cancer patients interviewed in a new US study havesaid that they were either unaware or unsure that they could take part in a clinical trial for their treatment and, of these, 75% said they would have been willing to enroll had they known this was possible.

The study, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, also found that 16% of respondents had known about the trials but had decided not to participate. Their reasons included: - the belief that the treatment used in the trial would be less effective than the "standard treatment" - 30%; - fear that they might receive a placebo rather than the treatment being trialled - 31%; - fear of being treated "like a guinea pig" - 22%; and - concern that their insurance would not cover the cost of treatment under the trial - 20%.

In contrast, 97% of patients who had participated in a trial told the survey that they had been treated with dignity and respect, and also that the quality of care they received had been "excellent" or "good." 93% reported that they had found the overall experience of the trial to be positive, and 76% said they would recommend trial participation to other cancer patients.