Patient Preference and Adherence

Patient Preferences, Shared Decision Making and Treatment Burden in Precision Oncology

Molecular testing, targeted therapies, immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates are changing the choices patients face in cancer care. Patients may need to decide whether to undergo another biopsy, how to weigh uncertain benefit against toxicity, or when to reconsider a treatment that has become difficult to tolerate. Repeated hospital visits, medication schedules, costs and uncertainty about response may all influence what a patient considers acceptable. Genomic testing and newer diagnostic tools raise further questions about how results are explained and used in decisions. This Collection focuses on patient preferences and treatment burden in precision oncology and emerging cancer therapies, particularly when testing is proposed, treatment is started or a change in treatment is considered.

Understanding these preferences matters because clinically reasonable options may place different demands on patients and their families. Some patients may accept substantial toxicity for the possibility of longer survival; others may give greater weight to daily functioning, time at home or the effort required to continue treatment. These priorities may also change during care. Shared decision-making depends on explaining benefits and uncertainties clearly and allowing patients to discuss these trade-offs. Health literacy, language and access to care can affect these discussions and deserve attention when decision support is developed or evaluated. Patient-reported outcomes can help clinicians and patients discuss symptoms and how treatment is affecting daily life. Research should also distinguish barriers to adherence from informed decisions to change or stop treatment.

We welcome original research and reviews on patient preferences, shared decision-making, treatment acceptability, adherence and quality of life in precision oncology and emerging cancer therapies. Topics of interest include preference studies and decision aids; communication of genomic results and uncertain treatment benefit; experiences of targeted therapy, immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates; symptom and monitoring burden; financial hardship; caregiver involvement; and patient perspectives on liquid biopsy or AI-assisted diagnostic tools. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies, clinical evaluations, and narrative or systematic reviews without meta-analysis are encouraged. Studies of diagnostic or digital technologies, including remote symptom monitoring, should evaluate patient understanding, acceptability or participation in care. We are particularly interested in studies conducted during active cancer treatment, including advanced disease, and research involving older adults or underserved groups.

Keywords: Precision oncology, Patient preferences, Shared decision making, Treatment burden, Treatment adherence

Dr. Shengshan Xu, MD, is a researcher in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Jiangmen Central Hospital in Guangdong, China. His research focuses on thoracic oncology, cancer immunology and immunotherapy, and translational cancer research. His work combines biomedical data analysis with critical appraisal of clinical evidence. For this Collection, he aims to connect advances in cancer treatment with patient preferences, treatment burden and clinically meaningful outcomes.

Dr. Shuai Ren, PhD, is a radiologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in Nanjing, China. His research focuses on pancreatic cancer, medical imaging, radiomics and precision diagnosis. He also works on artificial intelligence, molecular imaging and emerging diagnostic and therapeutic technologies. For this Collection, he will contribute a perspective on how new oncology technologies affect diagnostic choices, communication and treatment acceptability.

Dr. Yi Chen, MD, PhD, is an Associate Chief Physician at the Cancer Research Institute, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, China. He earned his PhD in Internal Medicine (Oncology) at Central South University in 2021. His research focuses on tumor immunity, treatment resistance and translational oncology, integrating experimental studies with single-cell and multi-omics analyses. His recent work addresses cancer biomarkers, therapeutic response and immune resistance. He has experience in oncology Article Collection development and scholarly outreach.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer review if they can pass the desk assessments as part of our standard editorial process; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).
The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30th July 2027.
Please contact Saniya Qureshi at saniya.qureshi@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.