SynthesisTrials2022
Hope and meaning-making in phase 1 oncology trials: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence on patient-participant experiences.
Synthesis in Trials, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06834685 (Evaluating Laser Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy), which is not on this map. Cited by 19 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Evaluating Laser Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy: a Randomized, Non-comparative, Placebo-controlled, Single-blinded, Phase II Clinical Trial in Cancer Patients
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Benefits and Burdens of Research Participation: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review in Palliative and End-of-Life Care.Journal of hospice and palliative nursing : JHPN : the official journal of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Understanding recruitment challenges in Swiss oncology trials: Patient voices from focus groups.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2026Article
- Therapeutic Misconception as a Problem of Nonmaleficence by Way of False Hope.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2026Article
- Assessment of Participant Satisfaction and Overall Experience: A Cross-Sectional Survey to Inform Trial Conduct.Patient preference and adherence · 2026Article
- Article
- Do people prefer to take part in a clinical trial from home or come to site? A discrete choice experiment in type 2 diabetes mellitus.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Accepting to Participate in an Early-Phase Clinical Trial in Oncology: A Qualitative Study on the Patients' Experiences, Understanding, and Inner Motivations.Psycho-oncology · 2025Article
- Oncologists' knowledge, practices and ethical opinions about therapeutic misconception: a French national survey.BMC medical ethics · 2025Article
- Predicting therapeutic clinical trial enrollment for adult patients with low- and high-grade glioma using supervised machine learning.Science advances · 2025Article
- Understanding the Role of Patient-Reported Outcomes for Decision-Making in Early-Phase Dose-Finding Clinical Trials.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Patient and Caregiver Perceptions of Caregiving Contributions During Cancer Clinical Trials: A Mixed-Methods Study.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
- Relevance, Risks, and Benefits of Early-Phases Clinical Trials Participations for Patients With Hematological Malignancies From 2008 to 2023.European journal of haematology · 2025Article
- Early-phase clinical trials in the pandemic era: a four-year experience from an academic cancer center.American journal of cancer research · 2025Article
- Understanding barriers and facilitators to palliative and end-of-life care research: a mixed method study of generalist and specialist health, social care, and research professionals.BMC palliative care · 2024Article
- Decision-making and autonomy among participants in early-phase cancer immunotherapy trials: a qualitative study.BMC cancer · 2024Article
- "There was No Opportunity to Express Good or Bad": Perspectives From Patient Focus Groups on Patient Experience in Clinical Trials.Journal of patient experience · 2024Article
- Development of a Japanese Scale that Evaluates the Level of Nursing Support Provided to Patients for Decision-Making in Cancer Clinical Trials.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPhase 1 drug trials are popular treatment options for patients with advanced disease, despite the greater levels of uncertainty associated with them. However, their meaning and consequences for patient-participants remains under-explored. This review synthesises the qualitative evidence of patients' experiences of participating in phase 1 oncology trials, exploring their decisions to take part and the impacts of these trials on patient wellbeing.
methodsA comprehensive literature search involving medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords was undertaken in the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL, with supplementary searches also conducted. Studies were independently screened for inclusion by two researchers. Included studies were critically appraised and data extracted using standardised forms. Qualitative results were analysed using thematic synthesis.
resultsThree main themes were identified across 13 studies: decision-making and joining the trial; experiences of taking part in the trial and hope and coping. Patients primarily joined trials hoping for therapeutic benefits, sentiments which prevailed and shaped their experiences across their trial journey. Rather than indicate therapeutic misconception based on poor understanding, patient perspectives more commonly pointed to differences between hope and expectation and cultural narratives of staying positive, trying everything and trusting in experts.
conclusionsThese findings challenge information-based models of consent, favouring coping frameworks which account for the role of hope and meaning-making during serious illness. Personalised consideration of existential and quality-of-life matters before and during trials is recommended, including palliative and supportive care alternatives to active treatment. REVIEW REGISTRATION: The review was registered with PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD 42020163250).
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.