Patient advocacy can help to enable skin cancer research
March 9, 2022
Abstract
Recently updated Australian national keratinocyte cancer treatment guidelines show limited advances since the previous guidelines published more than 10 years earlier. Evidence is disjointed and sometimes outdated. Emerging treatments have not been integrated into optimal care pathways. Australians have the highest incidence of keratinocyte cancers and willingly participate in clinical trials, yet we generate relatively little high-quality clinical trial evidence. Why is this and what are the ways forward? We propose increasing access to multidisciplinary teams and encouraging patient advocacy groups that can guide and collaborate with researchers and decision makers to develop better treatments and care delivery models.
Source:
Fogarty G, Paton E, Allen J, et al. Towards better treatment outcomes for Australians with skin keratinocyte cancers-time for the patient voice? J Cancer Prev Curr Res. 2021;12(5):159-162. DOI: 10.15406/jcpcr.2021.12.00472