Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology最新文献

Aim: Participant recruitment has always been a major challenge in clinical trials. This study aimed to develop and validate the Join Clinical Trial Questionnaire (JoinCT), exploring the willingness to join a clinical trial and associated factors in patients.

Methods: This questionnaire development study involved four phases: (i) exploring and understanding the subject matter, (ii) questionnaire development, (iii) content validity testing, and lastly, (iv) field-testing of the questionnaire. For the field-testing phase, a cross-sectional self-administered survey of JoinCT was conducted among cancer patients with various socio-demographic backgrounds and medical conditions. Besides content validity, Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate the internal consistency of domains, and confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the model fit of the JoinCT framework.

Results: A total of 389 respondents participated in the survey. Based on the results obtained from a field data collection phase, JoinCT consisted of four independent variables domains, namely "knowledge", "perception of benefits", "perception of risks", and "confidence". The only dependent variable was the willingness to participate in a clinical trial. The minimum Cronbach's alpha was 0.937, and the model fit for the overall framework of JoinCT is also excellent with Comparative Fit Index (> 0.90), root mean square error approximation (< 0.08), and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (< 0.08).

Conclusions: The Join Clinical Trial Questionnaire (JoinCT) was successfully validated with excellent reliability and validity, and a good model fit. The main factors that contribute to willingness to participate in clinical trials are knowledge, perception of benefits, perception of risks, and confidence.

In 2023 the national medical oncology profession gathered in Perth, Western Australia for our 44th Annual Scientific Meeting. The national meeting of the Australian Medical Oncology profession comprised a robust academic program focused on the latest developments in medical oncology clinical practice and research, supplemented by a range of professional and social networking activities. We selected the theme of Frontiers in Cancer Care to reflect our geographic location, the scope of the meeting program and the strong representation from chairs and presenters many based in the West; including A/Prof Andrew Redfern, Prof Sandra Thompson, Prof Paul Cohen and Prof Richard Carey-Smith.

This year's Cancer Achievement Award Winner, Prof Georgina Long AO, was announced at the meeting and gave an inspiring address on Towards Zero Deaths from Melanoma. The meeting line-up featured two international presenters, A/Prof Bishal Gwayali (Canada) who delivered the Keynote Address on Equity in Cancer Care and presented on Pitfalls in Interpreting Cancer Clinical Trials and Common Sense in Oncology; A/Prof Matteo Lambertini (Italy) who presented on Advanced Breast Cancer, Challenging Toxicities in Oncology and Clinician Wellbeing. Other major plenary sessions, symposia, highlight and breakfast sessions focused on Gynecology (e.g., Masterclass with A/Prof Emma Allanson and Prof Linda Mileshkin), Breast and Thoracic (e.g., Expanding Roles of Antibody Drug Conjugates in Cancer Therapy), Genitourinary (e.g., Kidneys, Cardiolo-Oncology and Controlling Kryptonite) and Head and Neck cancers (e.g., Cutaneous Toxicities-EGFR, Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy with Prof Pablo Fernandez-Penas) and a timely session on Indigenous Cancer Care.

A dedicated Trainees (Sarcoma Masterclass) and Young Oncologists (Managing Complex Issues) Education Program was presented along with a joint Dinner Meeting on BRAF-mut CRC Treatments. The Meeting incorporated a large Industry Exhibition, Poster Display and a well-attended Dinner at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. The ASM Abstract and Poster Program offered generous Awards for Oral presentations and will be published online. The program also included an update from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ Training Committee Medical Oncology and opportunities to complete mandatory Supervisor training. The meeting also supported the MOGA National Mentorship Program with the provision of a Networking Lounge.

We would like to thank our many session chairs, presenters, members, and industry for supporting the 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting. We hope you found the meeting a valuable professional experience and enjoyed some of the delights of our home in the West.

Dr Chandra Diwakarla and A/Prof Tim Clay

2023 ASM Co-Convenors

Dianheng Bu¹, Javier Torres^1,2, Arvind Sahu¹ 

¹Goulburn Valley Health, Shepperton, Australia

²Department of Rural Health, Shepparton Medical School, Melbourne University, Shepperton, Australia 

Background: Long-term adherence to endocrine therapy is challenging, even in the clinical trial setting. Non-adherence to treatment has an increased risk of cancer recurrence and poorer survival.¹ The evidence surrounding the adherence rate to endocrine therapy is sparse overall. The study aims to measure the adherence rate to adjuvant endocrine therapy for early breast cancer and factors contributing to non-adherence in the regional setting.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Goulburn Valley Health between January and June 2023. Female patients receiving adjuvant oral endocrine therapy were included. Adherence was measured using the validated 6-item Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ).²

Results: Fifty-one patients (mean age: 60.1 years) participated. The adherence rate, as determined by the SMAQ, was 64.7% (33 out of 51). Age and the number of side effects significantly impacted adherence. Adherent patients had a mean age of 64.3 years, while non-adherent patients had a mean age of 52.4 years (p < 0.001) (Figure 1). The mean number of side effects was 1.8 for adherent patients and 3.8 for non-adherent patients (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found in adherence based on cancer stage, ECOG status, or type of endocrine therapy.

Conclusion: The prevalence of adherence to oral adjuvant endocrine therapy for early breast cancer in the regional population was below 65%. Younger age and experiencing more side effects were associated with lower adherence rates. These findings emphasize the need for early interventions to improve adherence and optimize treatment outcomes in this population.

References:

1. Chlebowski RT, Kim J, Haque R. Adherence to endocrine therapy in breast cancer adjuvant and prevention settings. Cancer Prev Res. 2014;7(4):378-387.

2. Ortega Suarez FJ, Sanchez Plumed J, Lorenzo AD. Validation on the simplified medication adherence questionnaire (SMAQ) in renal transplant patients on tacrolimus. Nefrologia. 2011;31(6):690-696.

Caitlin Cocks¹, Sowmya Cheruvu¹, Hilary L. Martin¹

¹Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Australia 

Background: COVID-19 mortality rates of up to 24% have been reported in oncology patient cohorts prior to the availability of antiviral medications and vaccinations.¹ The COVID-19 pandemic was managed in Western Australia (WA) with strict vaccination mandates and border restrictions. This study aims to assess the impact of COVID-19 infection on oncology patients following the WA border o

Co-Convenors

A/Prof Tim Clay

Perth, Western Australia

Dr Chandra Diwakarla

Perth, Western Australia

Chair, Young Oncologist Group of Australia

Dr Nicola O'Neil

Perth, Western Australia

WA Trainee Representative

Dr Andrew Fantoni

Perth, Western Australia

National Trainee Representative

Dr Rhiannon Mellor

Sydney, New South Wales

Project Management

Ms Flavia Portela

General Manager, MOGA

Sydney, New South Wales

Mr Christian Capper

Office and Project Manager, MOGA

Sydney, New South Wales

Ms Kay Francis

Executive Officer, MOGA

Sydney, New South Wales

A/Prof Emma Allanson Gynecological Oncologist, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. A/Prof Allanson is a gynecological oncologist with the Western Australian Gynaecological Cancer Service.

Dr Kim Tam (Tam) Bui Medical Oncologist and Medical Director of the Medical Oncology Clinical Trials Unit, Concord Cancer Centre, Sydney, New South Wales. Dr Bui recently completed a PhD on “scanxiety” as part of her quest to improve the patient experience. Her other interests include digital patient pathways and medical officer wellbeing.

Dr Tamara Butler Research Fellow, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland. Dr Butler is a Research Fellow and an Aboriginal woman interested in improving gynecological cancer outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mrs Liesel Byrne eviQ—ADDIKD Implementation Lead, Cancer Institute NSW, Sydney, New South Wales. Liesel is a cancer pharmacist and has many years of cancer pharmacy experience across Sydney teaching hospitals both in adults and pediatrics before moving to eviQ. Currently, Liesel is leading the implementation of the Anticancer Drug Dosing in Kidney Dysfunction (ADDIKD) Guideline recommendations into eviQ protocols and content.

Prof Richard Carey Smith Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. Prof Carey Smith is a specialist adult and pediatric orthopedic surgeon who has specific expertise in orthopedic oncology (primary and secondary bone and soft tissue tumors), hip and knee surgery (primary and complex revision surgery), and osseointegration surgery. He is an examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons Orthopaedic trainees and is heavily involved in many Orthopedic and Sarcoma boards.

A/Prof Timothy Clay Medical Oncologist, St John of God Subiaco Perth, Western Australia. A/Prof Clay is general medical oncologist in private practice in Western Australia. In addition to clinical care, he has an interest in clinical trials and training junior clinicians in clinical research.

Prof Paul Cohen Clinical Professor, University of Western Australia and St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. Professor Cohen's research interests include patient-reported outcomes and the supportive care of women affected by gynecological malignancies, gynecological cancer genetics, the epidemiology of gynecological malignancies, and biomarkers to predict histological tumor regression in women with high-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. He is Chair of the International Gynaecological Cancer Society Education Committee and the Australia and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) Research Advisory Committee, past chair of the ANZGOG Annual Scientific Meeting, and a board member of ANZGOG.

Dr Michelle Cronje Medical Oncologist, St