NQPC-10 (Rare) Cancer patients’ unmet needs (patient-focused healthcare needs) survey

Background: Rare Cancers Japan (RCJ) consists of members of 20 rare cancer patient groups and individual rare cancer patients, including the Japan Brain Tumor Alliance (JBTA), the Pediatric Brain Tumor Network, and the DIPG Symposium Organizing Committee, and aims to solve the challenges of rare cancers. RCJ, together with the National Cancer Center Japan and the Japan Federation of Cancer Patient Groups is currently conducting a survey to clarify unmet needs of patients, as a follow-up survey to surveys conducted in 2018. Since then, a major paradigm shift happened in Japan, with the advent of genomic medicine and development of new treatments. This study plans to identify the latest unmet needs of cancer patients and to clarify the differences between cancer types to provide data for the improvement of healthcare systems.Purpose: Focusing on unmet needs of cancer patients, we conduct an online questionnaire survey of a total of 1,600 cancer patients (including brain tumor patients) regarding the following endpoints (1) detection and diagnosis, (2) treatment, (3) genomic medicine (access to genetic mutation testing), (4) clinical trials, (5) necessary information, medical care and support systems and (6) quality of life. The collected information will be analyzed to clarify the needs of patients and the nature of patient-centered healthcare. Method: The survey will be administered online, including a mix of open-ended and multiple-choice questions. The total number of questions, including respondent demographics, is 38, and the time required to answer them is expected to be between 15 and 20 minutes. Data analysis will take into account cancer type of cancer, gender, age group and region of residence of the respondent.Expected results: By February 2022, the results of the survey are expected to be available, as basis of discussion to improve brain tumor treatment and follow up, from a multidisciplinary perspective.