Perception and Satisfaction of Anticancer Drug Clinical Trials in Cancer Patients

암 환자의 항암제 임상시험에 대한 인식과 만족도

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and satisfaction of cancer patients participating in clinical trials of anticancer drugs and the factors affecting their satisfaction. Methods: The participants were cancer patients who participated in more than two cycles of clinical trials at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea. Questionnaires were used to assess the perception and satisfaction of clinical trials of anticancer drugs. Results: A total of 106 patients participated. The average perception and satisfaction regarding clinical trials among patients on a 5 point scale was 3.99±0.45 and 4.09±0.55 respectively. There was a significant difference in the correlation among participants’ perception and their satisfaction (r =.67, p<.001). Regression analysis revealed that satisfaction was explained by, perception of clinical trials (β =.67, p<.001), participation period 30~59 days (β =.21, p=.009), and participation period over 60 days (β=.20, p=.013). These variables explained 48.7% of the variance of clinical trial satisfaction. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that changes in perceptions of clinical trials are needed to improve satisfaction of anticancer drug clinical trials. This can be used as a basis for improving the quality of clinical trials and education programs for cancer patients participating in clinical trials.