Photo Credit: Angelp

A strong relationship between patients and healthcare professionals improves patient knowledge and fosters shared decision-making in precision oncology, according to data published in Cancer Medicine. Theresia Pichler, MD, and colleagues wrote that precision oncology, driven by comprehensive biomarker testing (cBT), improves the efficacy of cancer management by tailoring diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment to individual patients. However, navigating this landscape presents unique challenges for patients and healthcare professionals. For their scoping review, the researchers used records from 287 unique studies to examine communication related to cBT between patients and clinicians and identify areas for future research. In the 42 studies included in the final review, patients exhibited high motivation for cBT but showed a limited understanding of related concepts. Dr. Pichler and colleagues concluded that knowledgeable and confident clinicians are more likely to empower patients and garner support from caregivers by conveying relevant and current cBT knowledge and efficiently guiding shared decision-making.