To achieve patient-centricity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treatment, it is essential to clarify the differences in perspectives between patients and physicians. This cross-sectional analysis of a web survey aimed to clarify the differences in expectations and concerns between mRCC patients and physicians regarding systemic mRCC therapy in Japan.
Surveys from 83 patients and 165 physicians were analyzed.
The top three most significant differences in expectations of systemic therapy between patients and physicians (patient-based physician value) were "Chance of achieving treatment-free status" (-30.1%, p < 0.001), "Longer survival" (+25.8%, p < 0.001), and "Chance of eliminating all evidence of disease" (-25.6%, p < 0.001). The top three most significant differences in concerns for systemic therapy between patients and physicians (patient-based physician value) were "Lack of efficacy" (+36.1%, p < 0.001), "Lack of knowledge of treatment" (-28.2%, p < 0.001), and "Daily activities affected by side effects" (+22.3%, p < 0.001). Diarrhea, fatigue/malaise, and nausea/vomiting were patients' most distressing adverse events; 50.6% of patients had difficulty telling their physicians about adverse events such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
This study demonstrated a gap between patients with mRCC and physicians in their expectations and concerns for systemic therapy. Japanese patients with mRCC suffer from a number of adverse events, some of which are not shared with physicians. This study highlights the importance of communicating well with patients in clinical practice to achieve patient-centricity in systemic treatment for mRCC.
Cancer medicine. 2024 Jun [Epub]
Go Kimura, Yasuhisa Fujii, Takahiro Osawa, Yosuke Uchitomi, Kazunori Honda, Miki Kondo, Ariko Otani, Tetsuya Wako, Daisuke Kawai, Yoshihide Mitsuda, Naotaka Sakashita, Nobuo Shinohara
Department of Urology, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan., Department of Urology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan., Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan., Innovation Center for Supportive, Palliative and Psychosocial Care, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan., Department of Clinical Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan., Department of Nursing, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan., Department of Pharmacy, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan., Eisai Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan., Medilead, Inc., Tokyo, Japan.