Metastatic and Secondary Breast Cancer (MSBC) Survey

In January 2021 Make 2nds Count awarded a grant to Professor Janet Dunn, Head of Cancer Trials at Warwick Clinical Trials Unit within Warwick Medical School.

With this funding Prof Dunn and her team, in collaboration with Make 2nds Count and secondary breast cancer patients, University of Liverpool, University of Southampton and the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, designed and delivered a large scale UK survey of 768 secondary breast cancer patients.

The MSBC Survey aimed to investigate the experiences of patients living with secondary breast cancer and if they had been offered clinical trial opportunities, as well as identifying barriers into the recruitment of clinical trials.

The MSBC Survey is one of the largest surveys of its kind and the results of this patient led study are reported in this stakeholder report. 

Results of the Survey

  • The majority of secondary breast cancer patients have never had a conversation with their clinician about clinical trials. Only 23% of oncologists had raised the subject of clinical trials with patients, and only 32% of patients had raised the subject with their clinician themselves. 
  • 74% had never searched an online clinical trial registry, however 87% would likely use a patient friendly registry specific to secondary breast cancer.
  • Early access to new treatments (96%) and helping future patients by taking part in research (93%) were identified as benefits of clinical trials.
  • 63% were discouraged by the possible side effects of being on a trial. Many reported that they thought they would be treated as ‘a guinea pig’, that a trial was a last resort, or that they would be given a placebo.
  • Many surveyed were open to travel, with 57% of patients willing to travel abroad to take part in a clinical trial.
  • Only 39% of patients felt very involved in making decisions about their treatment.

Read the full publication here.

Next Steps for the Study

This large UK study has provided insights into the experiences and attitudes of patients with secondary breast cancer in relation to clinical trial research.

At Make 2nds Count we are determined to address the barriers to clinical trials patients are facing. We pioneered the Clinical Trials Service which supports patients interested in finding out more about clinical trials.