BMC Cancer. 2019 Jul 31;19(1):753. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-5920-x.
Patient perspectives on molecular tumor profiling: "Why wouldn't you?"
Best MC1, Bartley N2, Jacobs C3, Juraskova I2, Goldstein D4, Newson AJ5, Savard J6, Meiser B7, Ballinger M8, Napier C8, Thomas D8, Biesecker B9, Butow P2; Members of the PiGeOn Project.
Author information
- 1
- University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), Level 6 North, Lifehouse C39Z, Sydney NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia. megan.best@sydney.edu.au.
- 2
- University of Sydney, School of Psychology, Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), Level 6 North, Lifehouse C39Z, Sydney NSW, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
- 3
- University of Technology Sydney, Graduate School of Health, Broadway NSW, Sydney, 2007, Australia.
- 4
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of NSW, High Street, Kensington, NSW, 2032, Australia.
- 5
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Health Ethics, University of Sydney, 92/94 Parramatta Road, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
- 6
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.
- 7
- Psychosocial Research Group, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of NSW, HighStreet, Kensington, NSW, 2032, Australia.
- 8
- Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria street, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia.
- 9
- RTI International, 701 13th St, NW #750, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Abstract
AIM:
This study explored the attitudes of patients with advanced cancer towards MTP and return of results, prior to undergoing genomic testing within a research program.
METHODS:
Participants were recruited as part of the longitudinal PiGeOn (Psychosocial Issues in Genomics in Oncology) study involving patients with advanced/metastatic solid cancer who had exhausted therapeutic options and who were offered MTP in order to identify cognate therapies. Twenty patients, selected by purposive sampling, were interviewed around the time they gave consent to MTP. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Themes identified in the transcripts were cross-validated via qualitative responses to the PiGeOn study survey (n = 569; 63%).
RESULTS:
All interviewed participants gave consent to MTP without reservation. Three themes were identified and further supported via the survey responses: (1) Obvious agreement to participate, primarily because of desire for new treatments and altruism. (2) The black box - while participant knowledge of genomics was generally poor, faith in their oncologists and the scientific process encouraged them to proceed with testing; and (3) Survival is the priority - receiving treatment to prolong life was the priority for all participants, and other issues such as identification of a germline variant were generally seen as ancillary.
CONCLUSION:
Having advanced cancer seemed to abrogate any potential concerns about MTP. Participants valued the research for varied reasons, but this was secondary to their priority to survive. While no negative attitudes toward MTP emerged, limitations in understanding of genomics were evident.
KEYWORDS:
Cancer; Genomic; Interviews; Molecular tumor profiling; Motivation; Patient attitudes; Psychosocial; Qualitative
- PMID:
- 31366375
- PMCID:
- PMC6670204
- DOI:
- 10.1186/s12885-019-5920-x
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