title: Does cancer research focus on areas of importance to patients?
abstract: The majority of research ideas are proposed by clinicians or scientists and little is currently known about which areas of research patients feel are important. We performed a 4 week pilot patient survey at the Royal Marsden (a specialist cancer centre) to investigate patients' views on priorities for cancer research. A total of 780 patients completed the survey and the top research priorities were identified as: detection and prevention of cancer, scientific understanding, curative treatment and personalised treatment. The top research priorities were remarkably consistent across age, gender and a variety of tumour types. We believe that patients' views should be considered alongside those of clinicians and researchers when devising research proposals and strategies.
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Sing Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moorcraft
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Amrit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sangha
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peckitt
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Patient representative.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pattison
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiseman
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