Implications and next steps
The survey results suggest there is a need for more discussions about clinical trials with patients who have gynecologic cancers, according to Ms. Ellis and Ms. Scroggins.
“We feel that conversations about clinical trials, with health care team members, should be included at every care decision point, even if – or perhaps especially if – the patient belongs to a group perceived to be unlikely to agree to participate in a trial,” Ms. Ellis said.
“These conversations are necessary with all patients-survivors,” she said, “but they are particularly important and necessary with patients from populations underrepresented in the clinical trial system if we want more representative trial populations, more generalizable results, and the potential for better outcomes for all.”
For their part, Ms. Ellis and Ms. Scroggins plan to conduct more research on this topic to gain additional insights.
“We’d like to conduct a larger survey looking deeper into barriers to and reasons for participation, and to work with medical professionals to develop models of communication to encourage consideration of clinical trials,” Ms. Ellis said. “Additionally, we will work to have a more diverse respondent pool across many dimensions.”
Ms. Ellis is a research advocate on the scientific advisory committee of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance in Washington. Ms. Scroggins is the director of global outreach and engagement at the International Gynecologic Cancer Society in Louisville, Ken. They have no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: Ellis A and Scroggins MJ. SGO 2020, Abstract 540.
