title: Awareness, Understanding, and Adoption of Precision Medicine to Deliver Personalized Treatment for Patients With Cancer: A Multinational Survey Comparison of Physicians and Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Two separate multinational surveys of oncologists and patients with cancer were conducted to assess the awareness and use of biomarkers in clinical practice. These data explore the self-reported and physician-assessed levels of patient cancer literacy and factors affecting physicians' choice to use biomarkers in treatment decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interviews were conducted via telephone with patients and online with physicians. Physicians had 3-35 years of experience; were treating more than 15 patients/month; and specialized in breast, lung, or colorectal cancer. Patients had received treatment for breast, lung, or colorectal cancer within the previous 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interviews with 895 physicians and 811 patients were completed. Most patients and physicians reported that patients understood that a tumor could be tested to determine what treatment would be most effective (78% and 73%, respectively) and that patients would be willing to participate in a personalized treatment plan. Whereas 85% of patients felt that they understood their treatment when it was explained to them, only 23% of doctors felt that their patients were always fully informed. Most physicians (90%) reported using biomarkers; among the 10% not performing biomarker analysis, the most cited obstacles were local availability, speed of obtaining results, and cost.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate wide global use of biomarker testing but with regional variations reflecting cultural and local practice. Self-reported and physician-assessed cancer literacy, although generally high, highlighted important regional variations and the need to provide patients with additional information.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Medico-Chirurgico di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale, Seconda Università di Napoli, Naples, Italy fortunato.ciardiello@unina2.it.
authors.forename: Fortunato
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciardiello
authors.affiliation: Cardiff University and Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabernero
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seufferlein
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taieb
authors.affiliation: N.N. Petrov Cancer Center, St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moiseyenko
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Brigette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Hospital Prof. Dr. Bernardo A. Houssay, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Oncology Unit, University Hospital KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vansteenkiste
authors.affiliation: Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esser
authors.affiliation: Digestive Oncology Unit, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tejpar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Biomarkers; Colorectal cancer; Individualized medicine; Personalized medicine; Surveys