Cancer Q and A

Over the course of the past four years, Research To Practice (RTP) has been able to observe through a variety of patient-focused needs assessment activities that numerous fascinating and significant gaps exist in patient-physician relationships. Foremost among these is a discrepancy between the amount of information provided by physicians and that which is desired by patients.

Cancer Q and A is RTP’s first major attempt to bridge this gap and is designed to be a credible and in-depth source of educational information. Using interviews with renowned oncology clinical investigators and cancer patients, the programs feature language that is easily understandable, and the Q and A format presents valuable dialogue that physicians and patients can discuss, process and use in making decisions regarding adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer. The goal for Cancer Q and A is that both medical oncologists and their patients will listen to the program and will use it as a baseline to continue the complex discussions that are part of this often-challenging situation.

Cancer Q and A is available at www.CancerQandA.com, where audio and text versions of the interviews can be downloaded, listened to or read. The website also includes a glossary of common terms and a helpful search feature to find information related to specific topics.

PATIENT PROJECTS

Cancer patients represent one of the most important yet misunderstood constituencies within the cancer crucible. Because of the number of personal factors that play a role in clinical decision-making, patients often view potential treatment options quite differently than their physicians do, especially when quality of life is an issue.

To help clinicians better understand the perspectives of cancer patients, Research To Practice (RTP) has taken a leadership role in incorporating patients into the CME landscape. Over the past years, RTP has launched several projects designed to uncover the factors that shape patient decision-making.

The most recent project highlights the perspectives of 150 people who received adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. The project report includes an in-depth audio discussion of the project findings with NSABP Chairman Dr Norman Wolmark, PowerPoint slides presented at the 2007 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium and the poster presented at the 2007 annual ASCO meeting.

Click here to visit the 2007 Cancer Patient Perspectives report

Click here to visit the 2006 Cancer Patient Perspectives report