A Qualitative Exploration of Stakeholders' Preferences for Early-Stage Rectal Cancer Treatment.

ABSTRACT: As treatment options for patients with rectal cancer evolve, patients with early-stage rectal cancer may have a treatment choice between surgery and a trial of nonoperative management. Patients must consider the treatments' clinical tradeoffs alongside their personal goals and preferences. Shared decision-making (SDM) between patients and clinicians can improve decision quality when patients are faced with preference-sensitive care options. We interviewed 28 stakeholders (13 clinicians and 15 patients) to understand their perspectives on early-stage rectal cancer treatment decision-making. Clinicians included surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists who treat rectal cancer. Adult patients included those diagnosed with early-stage rectal cancer in the past 5 years, recruited

SUBMITTER: Rubens ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10735060 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature