Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41392891›Full record

ArticleJNCI cancer spectrum2026

Curability of metastatic cancer: a survey of medical oncologists.

Shalini Subramaniam, Kim Tam Bui, Martin R Stockler, Belinda E Kiely

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JNCI cancer spectrum, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Shalini SubramaniamNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-2138-8633
Kim Tam BuiConcord Cancer Centre, Concord, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8815-3551
Martin R StocklerNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3793-8724
Belinda E KielyNHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1662-3523

Funding

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Clinical Trials Centre
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with metastatic cancer are living longer due to treatment advances. We explored oncologists' perceptions about curability in metastatic cancer.

methodsWe invited medical oncologists to complete a 21-item online survey. We conducted descriptive analyses and thematically analyzed free-text responses.

resultsA total of 126 respondents completed the survey. The median age was 39 years (range = 27-75). Most respondents worked in Australian (64%), metropolitan (88%), public practices (56%). The most frequently treated cancer types were breast (55%), lung (52%), and colorectal (50%). In total, 82% reported thinking that patients with metastatic cancer can be cured. Cancer types with the highest perceived chance of cure (median percentage) were testicular (81%), melanoma (32%), and colorectal (16%). At the time of diagnosis of metastatic cancer, 51% reported they would tell a patient that cure was possible. After treatment, 29% reported telling some patients they had been cured, whereas 74% reported telling some patients that they may have been cured. A higher proportion thought cure was a realistic possibility with immunotherapy (83%) rather than chemotherapy (40%), but only 44% and 27%, respectively, reported they would tell this to patients. In total, 46% reported discussing the possibility of cure more frequently with immunotherapy, 5% more frequently with chemotherapy, 7% as frequently with both, and 42% not discussing with either. Respondents identified oligometastatic disease, actionable mutations, and durable responses to immunotherapy as factors associated with cure.

conclusionsMost respondents reported thinking that metastatic cancer is curable but were reluctant to tell individual patients with metastatic cancer they had been cured.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelNeoplasmsOncologistsAdultAgedAustraliaFemaleHumansImmunotherapyLung NeoplasmsMaleMedical OncologyMiddle AgedNeoplasm MetastasisSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID41392891
PMCPMC12783893

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.