Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2021

Research and infrastructure priorities for cancer survivorship in Australia (#61)

Fiona Crawford-Williams 1 , Bogda Koczwara 2 3 , Raymond J Chan 1 4 5 , Janette Vardy 6 7 , Karolina Lisy 8 9 10 , Julia Morris 11 , Mahesh Iddawela 12 13 , Gillian Mackay 14 , Michael Jefford 8 9 10
  1. Cancer Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane , Queesnland, Australia
  2. Department of Medical Oncology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park , South Australia, Australia
  3. Medical Oncology , Flinders University , Bedford Park , South Australia, Australia
  4. College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Caring Futures Institute, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
  5. Division of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Health, Woollongabba, Queensland, Australia
  6. Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  7. Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia
  8. Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  9. Department of Cancer Experiences Research, , Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  10. Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  11. Cancer Council South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  12. Latrobe Regional Hospital, Traralgon , Victoria , Australia
  13. Alfred health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  14. Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish research and infrastructure priorities for cancer survivorship in Australia.

Methods: A two-round modified Delphi study was completed by Australian experts in cancer survivorship. Following an international literature search, 77 priority items were generated and mapped across 4 research categories: physiological outcomes; psychosocial outcomes; population groups; and health services, and 1 category concerning research infrastructure. In round one (R1), panellists ranked the importance of the items on a five-point scale (not at all important to very important). In round two (R2), panellists ranked their top five priorities within each category and specified the type of research needed, such as biological, exploratory, intervention development, or implementation.

Results: Response rates were 76% (63/82) in R1 and 82% (68/82) in R2. After R1, 12 items were added, and 16 items combined or reworded. In R2, the highest prioritized topics and the preferred types of research were:

  • biological research for cancer progression and recurrence, intervention development research for fatigue, cognitive function, and the management of comorbidities, and implementation research for physical activity (physiological outcomes);
  • implementation research for fear of recurrence; intervention development for economic issues, transition back to daily life, and return to work or study issues, and implementation research for distress, anxiety and depression (psychosocial);
  • exploratory research for rare cancers, intervention development for survivors with advanced disease, those in rural locations, survivors of paediatric cancers, and those with low socioeconomic status (population groups); and
  • intervention development and implementation research for quality of care, models of care, self-management, communication, and patient navigation tools (health services).

The availability of patient data; multi-disciplinary, collaborative research; and funding opportunities were the most important infrastructure priorities.

Conclusions: This study has defined priorities that can be used to support coordinated action between researchers, funding bodies, and other key stakeholders.