Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37069548›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2023

"What I wanted to do was build myself back up and prepare": qualitative findings from the PERCEPT trial of prehabilitation during autologous stem cell transplantation in myeloma.

Orla McCourt, Abigail Fisher, Joanne Land, Gita Ramdharry, Anna L Roberts, Georgios Bekris, Kwee Yong

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Self-management engagement in adults with hematologic cancers: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Orla McCourtTherapies & Rehabilitation, Inpatient Therapy Office, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University College Hospital, T-1/Lower Ground Floor, 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU, UK. o.mccourt@nhs.net.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7572-2540
Abigail FisherUCL Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Joanne LandResearch Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.
Gita RamdharryQueens Square Centre for Neuromuscular diseases, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, UCL Institute of Neurology, UCLH NHS Trust, University College London, London, UK.
Anna L RobertsUCL Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Georgios BekrisUCL Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Kwee YongResearch Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK.
University College London · GBNational Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery · GBUniversity College Hospital · GB

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research ICA-CDRF-2017-03-067
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe addition of qualitative methodology to randomised controlled trials evaluating complex interventions allows better understanding of contextualised factors and their potential influence on trial delivery and outcomes, as well as opportunities for feedback on trial participation to improve future trial protocols. This study explored the experiences of participation in cancer rehabilitation research during active cancer treatment. Participants were people living with haematological cancer myeloma, undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) recruited to the PERCEPT myeloma pilot trial.

methodsA qualitative semi-structured interview study, embedded within a pilot randomised controlled trial of a physiotherapist-led exercise intervention delivered before, during and after ASCT among people living with myeloma. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsInterviews from 16 trial participants (n = 8 intervention group; n = 8 control group; mean age 61 years, 56% male) were analysed. Four main themes were identified: (1) "It's not just beneficial for me, it's for people after me as well"; (2) Disparities in experience of recovery - expectations, feeling prepared and support; (3) "What I wanted to do was build myself back up and prepare"; (4) Active ingredients - participants' experience of the trial intervention. Participants reported both altruistic and perceived personal gain as motivators for enrolling in the trial. Disappointment caused by allocation to control arm may have led to participants seeking exercise elsewhere, indicating possible contamination of control condition. Disparities in experience of recovery from transplant were evident with intervention participants reporting greater trajectory of recovery.

conclusionsThe findings from this embedded qualitative study highlight numerous considerations required when designing pilot and efficacy trials of complex interventions. The addition of qualitative investigation offers greater understanding of motivations for participation, intervention mechanisms at play as well as effects of participation that may impact interpretation of quantitative outcomes.

trial registrationQualitative findings from a prospectively registered pilot trial (ISRCTN15875290), registered 13/02/2019.

Indexed as

Hematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationMultiple MyelomaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPreoperative ExerciseQualitative ResearchRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTransplantation, AutologousAutologous stem cell transplantCancer rehabilitationExerciseHaematological cancerMyelomaPhysiotherapyPrehabilitationQualitative researchRecruitmentResearch participation

Identifiers

PMID37069548
PMCPMC10107576
OpenAlexW4366179305

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.