Decision making in the management of polyp cancers. (V6)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Decision making in the management of adults with malignant colorectal polyps. A phenomenological exploration of the experiences of patients and clinicians.
IRAS ID
183107
Contact name
Robert McSherry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Bowel cancers develop from polyps (fleshy growths). Usually bowel cancers require surgery to remove them, however with more people having bowel screening telescope (colonoscope) investigations, polyps are being removed before they become cancers. Sometimes polyps are removed which, following analysis are shown to contain cancer within them. This leaves a dilemma as to whether a patient should still have surgery, to remove the theoretical risk of leaving behind any cancer cells, or alternatively have their bowel surveyed regularly. Decisions such as these which do not have a clinical best option can be described as ‘preference sensitive’ which means that the decision can be open to patient choice.
The aim of the proposed study is to explore decision making in the management of polyp cancers. This will be achieved by answering two questions within two parts of the study. Part 1 will involve interviewing 10 adult patients who have had treatment for malignant colorectal polyp within the past 12 months. The aim of the interviews will be to explore the experiences of this group with regard to the decision making process between surgery and surveillance at the time of diagnosis.
Part 2 of the research will involve interviewing 10 clinicians involved in treatment decisions for this group of patients. The aim of these interviews will be to explore what the issues and challenges are when making treatment decisions for patients diagnosed with a polyp cancer.
The anticipated outcome is that this study will make recommendations for patient involvement in decision making processes when faced with a diagnosis of malignant colorectal polyp. Currently this is usually a clinician decision, but a ‘shared decision making’ approach could be taken as clinically there is no ‘best option’. Shared decision making means a joint agreement between patient and clinician on the most appropriate treatment option.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0137
Date of REC Opinion
27 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion