Measuring cancer clinical trial understanding.

Researchers, practitioners, and participants in cancer clinical trials must have a clear understanding of clinical trials if participation in them is to be solicited ethically and effectively. A valid and reliable measure of cancer clinical trial understanding did not exist prior to a 2005 study conducted for the Coalition of Cooperative Cancer Groups. This report outlines a measure derived from that study, discusses the rationale for its component items, examines its psychometric properties, and demonstrates the relationship of this measure to the enrollment decision.

Physician-related factors involved in patient decisions to enroll onto cancer clinical trials.

The development of new cancer therapies requires additional, and more complex, clinical trials. But only approximately 3% to 5% of adult cancer patients participate in cancer clinical trials. This study seeks to identify and understand the attitudes of the public and cancer survivors toward health-related decisions and cancer clinical trials to identify the key factors that must be addressed to increase that percentage.