Patient experiences in trials of minimally invasive thoracic surgery: A mixed-methods study

Background Minimally invasive thoracic surgery, including robotic-assisted and video-assisted approaches, is increasingly used to treat lung cancer. While technical outcomes are well documented, patient experiences within clinical trials remain under-explored. Objective To evaluate patient experiences of clinical trial participation involving advanced surgical modalities for lung cancer. Methods This dual-center, mixed-methods study evaluated patient perceptions of participation in the DURATION (ctDNA monitoring) and VGT-309 (fluorescent imaging) trials. Twenty-six participants completed quantitative surveys assessing pre-trial expectations, experiences, and collaboration with research teams. Sixteen participants completed semi-structured interviews, analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Twenty-six participants completed surveys and sixteen completed interviews. Motivations for enrollment included advancing science (100%), altruism (80.8%), and personal benefit (61.5%). Satisfaction was universally high, with participants reporting positive surgical experiences, supportive staff interactions, and minimal procedural burden. Most participants (88.5%) expressed willingness to participate in future trials, and 96.2% would recommend trial involvement to others. Qualitative analysis identified seven domains characterizing patient experiences throughout the trial process: motivations for enrollment, communication from the trials team, influences on surgical decision-making, surgical expectations, postoperative care, challenges to participation, and overall experience. Challenges such as perioperative anxiety and logistical demands were minor and did not detract from overall satisfaction. Overall, participants described the trial experience as seamless and personally meaningful. Conclusion Patients undergoing robotic-assisted or video-assisted thoracic surgery within clinical trials report overwhelmingly positive experiences. The integration of patient-centered communication and advanced technology creates a seamless perioperative journey. Clinicians should not hesitate to enroll appropriate patients in trials featuring surgical innovations.