Aims: Fewer than 5% of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials, with multiple patient, clinician and institutional barriers identified. This study aimed to explore patient factors that impact access to cancer trials in New Zealand.
Methods: A questionnaire that included demographics and factors that might impact trial participation was circulated via nine district health boards (DHBs) and four cancer foundations to patients with a cancer diagnosis.
Results: Between July 2016 and August 2017, 691 patients responded, 62% female and 77% aged >50 years. Most patients (86%) would consider trial participation, which differed by income (p=0.0001) but not by age, tumour type or gender. Patients would consider attending another hospital (44%) or relocating (11%); 10% considered trials a last resort. Advantageous factors to participation included: benefiting others (92%), better treatment (82%), more scans and longer follow-up (47% and 51%). Disincentives included fear of randomisation (78%), treatment toxicities (71%), time and cost of more visits (40%) and unspecified future research (32%).
Conclusion: Identified barriers to trial participation were similar in New Zealand to other developed countries. In this motivated cohort, patients are very interested in trial participation at any stage of their treatment and did not mind extra travel or tests.