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World J Clin Oncol. Jul 24, 2026; 17(7): 123983
Published online Jul 24, 2026. doi: 10.5306/wjco.123983
Published online Jul 24, 2026. doi: 10.5306/wjco.123983
Cross-sectional survey of factors influencing treatment adherence in elderly cancer patients in rural mountainous Guangyuan, China
Li-Hua Ran, Department of Abdominal Oncology Ward, West China Hospital, Sichuan Uni
Chao-Chao Qin, Oncology Internal Medicine Treatment Unit, Guangyuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangyuan 628000, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Ran LH wrote the main manuscript text; Qin CC reviewed and revised the manuscript. Both authors approved the final version to publish.
AI contribution statement: No artificial intelligence tools were used in the preparation of this manuscript. All content, including study design, data analysis, result interpretation, and manuscript writing, was completed independently by the authors.
Supported by Sichuan Provincial Geriatric Health Development Center and Sichuan Gerontological Society, No. 24SCLN0138.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Guangyuan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 2024028.
Informed consent statement: Written informed consent was obtained from all study participants.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: The datasets analyzed in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Corresponding author: Chao-Chao Qin, MD, PhD, Oncology Internal Medicine Treatment Unit, Guangyuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 215-1 Jianshe Road, Lizhou District, Guangyuan 628000, Sichuan Province, China. qinchaonannong@163.com
Received: June 4, 2026
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: July 20, 2026
Published online: July 24, 2026
Processing time: 51 Days and 21.4 Hours
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: July 20, 2026
Published online: July 24, 2026
Processing time: 51 Days and 21.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This study, through a cross-sectional survey, found that the treatment adherence of elderly cancer patients in rural mountainous areas of Guangyuan was generally poor. Economic toxicity was the strongest factor associated with adherence, with direct medical costs having the greatest impact, followed by fatigue symptoms. Social support served as a significant protective factor. The findings provide a basis for developing targeted intervention strategies for patients in this region.