Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

A qualitative exploration of the perspectives and barriers to cancer clinical trial participation among Chinese speaking Australians (146467)

Fisaha Tesfay 1 2 3 , Pui YI Lee 4 , Yaofeng, Huang 4 , Alexander Li 3 , Eric Yeung 4 , Bernadette Brady 1 5 , Shaz Sazali 1 2 3 , Payam Faizi Faizi Sobbi 1 , Hao Tran 1 , Ben Smith 6 , Nag Sungala 5 , Balwinder Sidhu 5 , Nasreen Kaadan 5 , Lisa Woodland 5 , Rayan Saleh Moussa 7 , Chee Lee 8 9 , Winston Liauw 8 9 , Wei Chua 1 3 5 , Abhijit Pal 1 3 5
  1. Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
  2. UNSW Medicine, UNSW, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
  3. Western Sydney University, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
  4. CanRevive Incorporated, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  5. South Western Sydney Local Health District , Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
  6. The Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney, and Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  7. Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  8. Cancer Care Centre, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  9. SESLHD, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Background: Cancer outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations are inequitable, with lower clinical trial participation being a modifiable factor. Evidence from Australia shows low research and clinical trial participation among CALD patients with limited English proficiency. Prior work highlights the need for multilingual trial literacy resources and bilingual trial navigation to enable trial access and participation among CALD patients. This project seeks to improve clinical trial participation among Australians of Chinese background by identifying barriers and co-designing culturally responsive strategies to strengthen research and clinical trial literacy across the South Western Sydney and South Eastern Sydney Local Health Districts.

Methods: This qualitative study comprised five focus groups with 31 Chinese-background cancer patients, conducted in partnership with CanRevive,  a not for profit cancer support organisation to explore barriers and facilitators influencing clinical trial participation. Sessions were facilitated in Mandarin and Cantonese by bilingual research assistants. Data were transcribed, translated, and inductively analysed using framework analysis.

Results: All participants were cancer patients from Chinese backgrounds, mostly without private insurance and undergoing treatment while with access only to public healthcare system and limited out-of-pocket affordability. Facilitators to clinical trial participation included perceptions that clinical trials provide access to new treatments, contribute to society, and serve as a last treatment option when existing therapies fail. Key barriers include mistrust of clinical research, uncertainty regarding trial participation and treatment options, and insufficient information about clinical trials, including the integration of traditional Chinese medicine with novel and standard treatments.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for culturally and linguistically tailored strategies that address misconceptions about clinical trials and traditional Chinese medicine, improve trial understanding, and build trust among cancer patients of Chinese background and other multicultural communities in Australia.