Dr Gill on a Survey of Patient Experiences and Involvement in Decision-Making in CRC

“Patient voice is increasingly important in the conversations that we have about treatment choice. We often, not inappropriately, focus heavily on the data and the statistics. We are increasingly learning that the patient voice is important in terms of implementation and acceptance of treatment.”

Sharlene Gill, BScPharm, MD, MPH, MBA, FRCPC, a professor in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Medical Oncology at The University of British Columbia, discussed the implications of the results of a survey of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) from Canada and Europe, which examined their treatment experiences and involvement in decision making.

Gill was the coauthor of a poster that was presented during the 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress, findings from which showed that a significant proportion of adult patients with metastatic CRC who responded to a 60-question online survey (n = 814) wanted to have a better understanding of their disease and treatment options. Specifically, respondents from Canada (n = 183), the United Kingdom (n = 154), Germany (n = 143), Spain (n = 142), and Portugal (n = 143) indicated that they wanted a better understanding of their diagnosis at respective rates of 37%, 56%, 48%, 46%, and 47%. Moreover, patients reported wanting a better understanding of treatment options, including access to clinical trials, at rates of 54%, 47%, 38%,37%, and 50%, respectively. Patients wanted to have a better understanding of disease progression at respective rates of 43%, 53%, 45%, 42%, and 43%.

Gill noted that these findings underscore the importance of the patient’s voice in conversations regarding treatment choice. Often, the tendency is to focus heavily on the data; however, investigators are learning that the voice of the patient is equally important for facilitating better treatment implementation and acceptance, she added. Additionally, patient organizations should be leveraged globally to proactively connect patients with the appropriate support systems, she concluded.