Patient-Centered Outcomes for Skin Cancer Management: Utilization of a Patient Delphi Process to Identify Important Treatment Themes

BACKGROUND Patient-reported outcomes are critical to research directed at maximizing patient benefit. The outcomes patients consider most relevant in the treatment of skin cancer have not been directly investigated.OBJECTIVETo develop a ranked list of outcomes deemed most important by patients with skin cancer through a proctored Delphi process.METHODSTwenty-one patients with a history of skin cancer volunteered to participate in the patient summit. The patient members participated in a guided discussion to generate a long list of potentially relevant outcomes. The list was then condensed and ranked through 2 rounds of a proctored Delphi process.RESULTSPatients were diverse in their skin cancer histories and complexities, ages, and states of residence. Twelve themes were rated as highly important by 70% or more of participants. Most of these themes related to patient education and the collaborative nature of the physician-patient relationship. Fear of recurrence and cosmetic outcome were also highly rated. Limitations include a preponderance of older patients and patients from the midwest and northeast.CONCLUSIONPatients with skin cancer overwhelmingly prioritize a shared decision-making process, in which they are actively engaged and value detailed education regarding their disease. This should inform future research directed at skin cancer treatment and current physician-patient interactions.