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William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
Posted: Friday, May 27, 2022
Stephanie Walker, MD, of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, New York, and colleagues conducted a survey analysis to identify actionable steps to diversify clinical trial populations. The findings of the BECOME project, which will be presented during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 1014), revealed that many Black respondents with metastatic breast cancer would consider clinical trial participation. However, of those who responded to the survey, 40% said they had not received information about clinical trials.
“Actionable steps to increase Black patient participation include enhancing awareness about trials by informing patients, increasing education, training health-care providers to deliver patient-friendly information in an unbiased manner, and providing messaging from people of shared racial/ethnic identity and health experience; building trust through clear communication; addressing concerns about side effects, effectiveness, harm, and fair treatment; and helping patients find and access trials,” the investigators remarked.
Of the 424 respondents, 102 self-identified as Black. More than 90% of Black respondents expressed a high level of trust and satisfaction with their oncology team, and 83% were somewhat or very likely to consider trial participation; however, 40% had not discussed trials with their care team. Concerns about treatment side effects (73%) and effectiveness (63%) were among their reasons for not participating in a trial.
Black respondents were more likely to believe unstudied treatments may be harmful than non-Black respondents (57% vs. 31%); they also were less likely to trust trials (73% vs. 91%) and trust that people of all races and ethnicities are treated fairly in trials (32% vs. 56%). Black respondents were more likely to value receiving trial information from someone with the same racial or ethnic identity (67% vs. 10%), who has had breast cancer (73% vs. 44%) or metastatic breast cancer (73% vs. 51%), or who has been in a trial (72% vs. 48%); they were also more likely to be motivated to participate to ensure people of their racial or ethnic group will benefit (83% vs. 51%).
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit coi.asco.org.
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