2011 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 43-51
Abstract
This study aimed to clarify how patients go through cancer clinical trials and to identify nursing interventions to support cancer patients. This study investigated seven advanced cancer patients who participated for the first time in phase 1 or 2 of clinical trials of anticancer drugs. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data on the experiences of participants from trial recruitment to trial completion. These data were analyzed using the phenomenological methods of A. Giorgi. The 29 themes that emerged from the analysis according to the clinical trial process were divided into two periods. The first period is “Patients’ experience of trial recruitment up to decision-making.” During this period, participants faced the fear of death if they were not participating in a cancer clinical trail, by experiencing the impact of cancer diagnosis and disease progression. The second period is “Patients’ experience in the cancer clinical trial from the beginning to the end.” In this period, the fear of death spurred participants to continue the trial as a duty even though the burden of the clinical trial caught them in a dilemma. Moreover, participants were frustrated and perplexed when the trial was suddenly stopped unexpectedly. The results suggest the need for nurses to be aware of the fear that makes advanced cancer patients vulnerable and the need to reduce their burden in order to continue a clinical trial. The results also show the importance of nurses providing support for cancer patients regardless of the outcome of clinical trials.
