Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Chinese bone and soft tissue sarcoma specialists toward neoadjuvant radiotherapy

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy is crucial in the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma, yet it faces multiple challenges. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese orthopedic and soft tissue sarcoma specialists regarding neoadjuvant therapy. This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at multiple hospitals in Beijing between November and December 2023 and enrolled orthopedic and soft tissue sarcoma specialists through purposive sampling. The baseline characteristics, KAP regarding neoadjuvant therapy, and doctor-patient relationship were collected using an investigator-designed self-administered questionnaire. The analysis included 467 participants with non-problematic questionnaires. They were 42.20 years old, and the mean doctor-patient relationship scores were 22.61 ± 5.62. The mean KAP scores were 15.52 ± 2.68 (possible range: 0–18), 34.01 ± 2.87 (possible range: 8–40), and 26.19 ± 2.99 (possible range: 8–30), respectively. Significant differences in KAP were observed across demographic factors, including department affiliation and patient consultation frequency ( P < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between KAP, indicating that higher knowledge was associated with better attitudes and practices ( P < 0.001). The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that knowledge had a direct positive effect on attitude (β = 0.526, P = 0.007) and that attitude had a direct positive effect on practice (β = 0.516, P = 0.005), while knowledge had no statistically significant direct effect on practice but had an indirect effect (β = 0.271, P = 0.002). Orthopedic and soft-tissue sarcoma specialists exhibited good knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive practices regarding neoadjuvant radiotherapy for soft-tissue sarcoma. These findings underscore the need to optimize policies and healthcare services to improve the practice of soft tissue sarcoma management. Not applicable.