Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41927509›Full record

ArticleCancer medicine2026

Communication Processes and Priorities in Medical Aid in Dying Conversations: A Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study of Multidisciplinary Cancer Clinicians.

Meghan McDarby, Alix Youngblood, Megan Miller, William E Rosa, Haley Buller, Betty R Ferrell

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer medicine, 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
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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

6 authors.

Meghan McDarbyDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9295-1812
Alix YoungbloodDepartment of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Megan MillerSchool of Nursing, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
William E RosaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Haley BullerCity of Hope, California, USA.
Betty R FerrellCity of Hope, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0061-5235

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI SELWYN M VICKERS · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Psychosocial Palliative & Community Research in CancerT32CA009461 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI JENNIFER L HAY, Jamie S. Ostroff · 1985 to 2026
$10.1M
Interdisciplinary Communication Training in OncologyR25CA240111 · NCI · BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE · PI FERRELL, BETTY R · 2020 to 2024
$1.5M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748NCI NIH HHS R25 CA240111NCI NIH HHS T32 CA009461University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMedical aid in dying (MAiD) is a practice that enables eligible individuals with a terminal, life-limiting illness to end their lives in a self-directed way. Multidisciplinary care teams play a vital role in facilitating discussions and patient decision making about MAiD in cancer care settings. However, little is known about how multidisciplinary care teams navigate MAiD discussions to provide effective, person-centered care.

objectivesTo identify the communication priorities and processes that cancer care clinicians believe are most critical for multidisciplinary care teams when discussing MAiD with patients who have cancer.

designCross-sectional online survey. SETTING/SUBJECTS: Multidisciplinary clinicians who participated in a communication training program supported by the National Cancer Institute (N = 160) responded to five open-ended survey questions about communication considerations when working with a hypothetical patient with glioblastoma considering MAiD. Participants were presented with a case scenario and invited to describe how they would communicate with that patient as a member of a multidisciplinary team. A thematic analysis of responses using an iterative, inductive approach was conducted until saturation was reached.

resultsFour themes were identified as communication priorities and processes critical for multidisciplinary teams when discussing MAiD with cancer patients: (1) addressing complexity of MAiD in GBM; (2) thorough palliative care assessment; (3) strategies for clinicians and healthcare systems to optimize MAiD discussions; and (4) person-centered care that de-stigmatizes MAiD.

conclusionsFindings underscore the distinct complexity of MAiD discussions in oncology and highlight the need for tailored, person-centered approaches that go beyond standard end-of-life communication.

Indexed as

CommunicationNeoplasmsSuicide, AssistedTerminal CareAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDecision MakingFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatient Care TeamPatient-Centered CarePhysician-Patient RelationsQualitative ResearchSurveys and Questionnairesassisted dying practicescancer communicationend of lifeend‐of‐life communicationhospicemedical aid in dyingmultidisciplinarypalliative careperson‐centered carephysician‐assisted suicide

Identifiers

PMID41927509
PMCPMC13052221

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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.