Oncology trials are the cornerstone of cancer research, driving advancements in treatment, testing innovative therapies, and improving survival rates. These trials are essential to bringing new treatments to the market. However, despite their critical role, oncology trials face significant retention challenges that can hinder progress and delay life-saving breakthroughs.
Patient retention is a persistent issue in oncology trials, with high dropout rates driven by complex travel requirements, financial burdens, and limited accessibility. Many patients struggle to stay engaged in long-term studies due to the physical and emotional toll of treatment, logistical difficulties, and lack of personalised support. When patients drop out, it not only affects the study’s outcome but also prolongs the time it takes to develop new cancer therapies, and it ends up being costly to recruit another cohort of trial patients.
To overcome these challenges, we must rethink the oncology trial experience with a patient-first mindset – one that prioritises accessibility, personalised support, and flexibility. By addressing the barriers oncology patients face, we can create a more sustainable and effective clinical trial process, leading to faster, more reliable breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
Understanding the burden in oncology trials
Participating in an oncology trial can be a daunting experience for patients, requiring significant time, effort, and resilience. These studies often involve frequent site visits, extensive monitoring, and strict eligibility criteria, adding to the overall strain on participants. Patients face numerous challenges, from navigating logistical hurdles to managing treatment-related side effects, all of which can contribute to high dropout rates.
Key challenges impacting retention in oncology trials:
- Frequent travel requirements: Many oncology trials require regular in-person visits to clinical sites, often with fixed appointment times. For patients already undergoing intensive treatments, this can be physically and emotionally exhausting
- Financial strain: Costs related to transportation, accommodation, and missed workdays can make trial participation financially burdensome, particularly for patients from lower-income backgrounds
- Geographical barriers: Many oncology patients might live in rural or underserved areas, making travel to study sites difficult and requiring additional support for transportation and coordination
- Side effects and treatment burden: Harsh side effects from chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other treatments can make it difficult for patients to stay engaged throughout the study, particularly if they lack sufficient symptom management support
- Patient recruitment challenges: Rare cancers and other limiting factors pose unique recruitment challenges due to the small patient population, emphasising the importance of ensuring enrolled patients remain in the study until completion
- Lack of clear communication: Complicated consent forms, unclear trial expectations, and language barriers can make patients feel uninformed and hesitant to continue participation
- Lack of personalised support: Without dedicated guidance, patients may feel lost navigating the trial process, managing symptoms, and balancing treatment with personal responsibilities
Addressing oncology trial retention with a patient-first approach
To improve retention rates in oncology trials, the industry needs to adopt strategies that reduce unnecessary burdens while ensuring patients receive the care and support they need. A patient-first approach involves minimising logistical challenges, enhancing engagement, and providing personalised experiences that make participation more manageable.
- Reducing logistical challenges in oncology trials
- Providing safe and comfortable travel and accommodation support to ease the financial and physical strain on participants and their caregivers
- Implementing decentralised and hybrid trial models that allow for remote monitoring, home health visits, and digital check-ins, wherever possible
- Utilising home-based assessments and mobile nurses for blood draws and symptom monitoring to reduce the need for frequent site visits
- Enhancing patient engagement and support
- Assigning dedicated patient support services to guide oncology trial participants through the study process, offering reassurance and clarity
- Using clear and accessible communication, including multilingual materials and simplified consent forms, to ensure patients fully understand trial expectations and potential side effects
- Keeping participants engaged through regular study updates and personalised follow-ups, fostering a sense of involvement and commitment through a patient-centric approach
- Personalising the patient experience in oncology trials
- Leveraging digital health technologies for real-time symptom tracking and support, helping oncology patients manage treatment side effects proactively
- Offering flexible scheduling to accommodate patients’ daily lives, treatment regimens, and responsibilities, reducing unnecessary stress
- Allowing patients to participate in select components of a study where feasible, ensuring that participation is manageable and aligns with their treatment needs
How mdgroup can help overcome retention challenges in oncology trials
At mdgroup, we specialise in delivering personalised support solutions that make oncology trial participation easier for patients. We believe that happy patients result in efficient trials, and our comprehensive patient-driven services do just that:
- Patient concierge support to assist with travel, accommodation, and logistics, reducing the burden on patients with intensive treatment regimens
- Decentralised and hybrid trial solutions to reduce the need for frequent site visits, enabling more accessible participation through home visits with our expert healthcare practitioners
- Dedicated patient navigators who provide experienced guidance and personalised support throughout the trial journey, addressing concerns unique to cancer patients – 24/7
- Advanced technology and streamlined payments are our innovative platforms for seamless payment processing and reimbursement, ensuring patients are promptly compensated for their participation and minimising financial stress
By prioritising the needs of oncology patients, we help sponsors and CROs improve retention, enhance trial efficiency, and ultimately bring life-changing cancer treatments to market faster.
Our tailored patient support services were instrumental in a Phase III mantle cell lymphoma trial, where we provided comprehensive patient concierge services to remove logistical barriers and improve engagement. By offering personalised assistance with travel, accommodation, and home nursing support, we helped reduce patient burden and enhance retention. Read the full case study here.
Prioritising a patient-centric approach in oncology trials
By shifting towards a patient-centric approach tailored specifically for oncology trials, we can significantly improve retention rates and accelerate the development of groundbreaking cancer treatments. Prioritising the needs of patients not only enhances the trial experience but also contributes to the faster delivery of life-changing therapies to those who need them most. The future of oncology research depends on reimagining trials with patients at the heart of the process.
