title: Impact of a cancer clinical trials web site on discussions about trial participation: a cluster randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer patients want access to reliable information about currently recruiting clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oncologists and their patients were randomly assigned to access a consumer-friendly cancer clinical trials web site [Australian Cancer Trials (ACT), www.australiancancertrials.gov.au] or to usual care in a cluster randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome, measured from audio recordings of oncologist-patient consultations, was the proportion of patients with whom participation in any clinical trial was discussed. Analysis was by intention-to-treat accounting for clustering and stratification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty medical oncologists and 493 patients were recruited. Overall, 46% of consultations in the intervention group compared with 34% in the control group contained a discussion about clinical trials (P=0.08). The mean consultation length in both groups was 29 min (P=0.69). The proportion consenting to a trial was 10% in both groups (P=0.65). Patients' knowledge about randomized trials was lower in the intervention than the control group (mean score 3.0 versus 3.3, P=0.03) but decisional conflict scores were similar (mean score 42 versus 43, P=0.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Good communication between patients and physicians is essential. Within this context, a web site such as Australian Cancer Trials may be an important tool to encourage discussion about clinical trial participation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, Department of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. rachel.dear@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Dear
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barratt
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Askie
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Butow
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McGeechan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crossing
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Currow
authors.forename: M H N
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tattersall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003657:Decision Making; D004346:Drug Information Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D057240:Patient Preference; D018579:Patient Selection; D010820:Physicians