Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Examining Barriers and Enablers to Radiation Medicine Related Research Conduct and Participant Recruitment in Regional and Rural Australia (146281)

Puma Sundaresan 1 2 3 , Susan Goode 3 , Alisha Moore 3 , Sweet Ping Ng 3 4 , Chindhu Shunmuga Sundaram 1 2 3 , Robert J Dunn 2 , Gerry Adams 3 5 , Georgia Halkett 3 6 , Hien Le 3 7
  1. The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Radiation Oncology Network, Western Sydney Local Health District , NSW Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
  4. Austin Health, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
  5. Genesiscare QLD, Bundaberg, QLD, Australia
  6. Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
  7. Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Background
People living in rural and regional Australia experience inequitable access to oncology clinical trials, including radiation medicine research. Potential contributors include limited trial availability, workforce and infrastructure constraints, complex governance and credentialling requirements, travel burden, and reduced opportunities to be invited. Evidence describing these barriers from the perspective of multidisciplinary radiation medicine professionals across Australia’s diverse radiation oncology services remains limited. We aimed to identify barriers and enablers to radiation medicine research conduct and recruitment of rural and regional patients.

Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of multidisciplinary radiation medicine and cancer service professionals working across Australia. The custom survey collected participant and service characteristics, research and clinical trial experience, available infrastructure and support, perceived barriers to research conduct and patient participation, and potential solutions. Conditional branching tailored questions to respondents’ trial experience. Participation was anonymous and voluntary, and data were collected through REDCap. Survey responses were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results
Among 67 eligible Australian respondents, 82% had prior clinical trial involvement and 80% of represented services had conducted at least one cancer trial within the preceding three years. Major or substantial barriers included limited research staffing (68%), insufficient time for trial activity (64%), patient travel burden (48%), metropolitan-centre prioritisation (45%), and low patient awareness or health literacy (43–45%). Only 18% reported protected research time at their service, whereas 73% considered available radiotherapy technology adequate or very adequate.

Conclusion
Rural and regional radiation medicine research appears constrained primarily by workforce and operational capacity rather than radiotherapy technology. Expanding protected research time, dedicated or shared research personnel, local leadership, and streamlined governance may improve trial readiness and patient recruitment. Coordinated action by services, cooperative groups, funders, and policymakers is needed to reduce geographic inequity in research participation.