Patient decision aid helps in decision-making process when selecting regimen for CRC

A newly developed patient decision aid (PDA) aids in the shared decision-making in choosing first-line targeted therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), reports a study in Taiwan.

PDAs help CRC patients to “make decisions about preferences and consider the pros and cons of treatment regimens, along with insurance reimbursement options,” according to the investigators, led by Chih-Chien Wu from the Division of Colorectal Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.

Wu and colleagues conducted a needs assessment by carefully reviewing the updated data and interpreting the clinical tool using a serial questionnaire to test for a step-by-step adjustment of the PDA.

Outcomes that patients, their relatives, and the medical team members were most concerned about were as follows: overall survival, progression-free survival, objective response rate, tumour shrinkage to resectable status, total medical cost, severe gastrointestinal perforation, and severe skin reaction.

Quantitative evaluation and beta tests were performed following a serial alpha test for quality. Results revealed average scores of more than 4 points (on a scale of 1‒5) for both perceptibility and utility.

In Taiwan, a discrepancy exists between current treatment guidelines and reimbursement options. This paves the way for a tool to assist patients in their decision-making process when selecting a regimen for metastatic colorectal cancer, especially therapeutic strategies, and subsequent costs, as well as efficacy and safety outcomes.

“Therefore, we developed a PDA to support patients in choosing between treatment options recommended based on the current evidence and those reimbursed by the Taiwanese National Health Insurance,” the investigators said.