Phone contacts and treatment discontinuation predict survival cancer patients in a subsidized drug access program
Summary
Aim: Survival of patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma is lower in in low- and middle-income countries, but factors leading to these outcomes are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify predictive factors associated with overall survival among cancer patients undergoing therapy in seven low- and middle-income countries. Materials & methods: A multicenter cohort was conducted in Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and Ukraine. Results. A total of 460 patients were included. Phone-based support during patient follow-up and number of patients seen by the physician provided a positive impact, while the number of adverse events remains a predictor of death and physician decision to stop treatment. Conclusion: Furthers research on the potential benefit of phone-based programs to support patients with chronic diseases treatments should be explored in less developed countries.
Plain language summary
What is this article about?
The high cost of cancer medication and a shortage of doctors who specialize in cancer care makes it hard for many patients in low- and middle-income countries to get cancer treatment. To find out what other factors play a role in cancer patient survival, this study looked at cancer patients who received medication at no or at low cost depending on what they could afford. It also looked at what factors play a role in the decision by the physicians treating these patients to recommend that the patient stop taking the cancer medicine.
What were the results?
We found that patients who were contacted by telephone during their treatment to find out how they were doing, if they were taking their medication, if they were experiencing side effects, etc., were more likely to be alive at the end of the study. We also found that doctors who see more cancer patients were less likely to recommend that patients stop taking their cancer medication.
What do the results of the study mean?
These results mean that reaching out to patients by phone to help them stay on their cancer medication and make sure they have support in managing side effects or scheduling appointments can help them live longer. Based on this finding, it may be helpful to include this kind of phone contact as part of routine cancer treatment. These results also show that physicians who have more experience treating cancer patients are more likely to recommend that their patients stay on their medication, which can also help improve survival. This suggests that helping more physicians gain experience with newer cancer medications could help their patients live longer.
Tweetable abstract
Study shows that phone-based support during patient follow-up and number of patients seen by the physician provided a positive impact on survival among cancer patients.