Predictors of Willingness to Participate in Window-of-Opportunity Breast Trials

Objective We conducted a pilot survey to evaluate breast cancer patients’ willingness to participate in a preoperative chemoprevention (i.e. window-of-opportunity) study.

Design A 27-question written survey was developed and administered to participants.

Setting A breast cancer specialty clinic at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.

Participants 30 adult patients with newly diagnosed operable breast cancer participated after signing informed consent.

Methods A convenience sample of 30 participants were recruited from July 2005 through January 2006. Subjects were administered the survey in clinic. Univariate ordinal logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of willingness to participate in window-of-opportunity trials.

Results Overall, 26.7% of respondents were willing to participate in a research trial between the time of breast cancer diagnosis and surgery. Univariate ordinal logistic regression models identified that women with a prior history of breast cancer (p=0.060), prior research participation (p=0.006), more education (p=0.034), and self-reported breast cancer knowledge (p=0.043) were more willing to participate. On average, women preferred to have surgery 7 (range 1–14) days after their diagnosis, but the actual average wait time between diagnostic biopsy and surgery was 37.5 days (std dev=23.4 days).

Conclusion There is ample time before breast surgery to conduct preoperative window-of-opportunity trials. Interventions aimed at expanding patients’ breast cancer knowledge may improve accrual to window-of-opportunity studies.