Knowledge and Perceptions of Oncology Care Among Non-oncology Clinicians: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Non-oncologist clinicians are frequently the first point of contact for patients with cancer; however, their knowledge, attitudes, and referral behavior toward oncology services are incompletely characterized, particularly in medical colleges and private and government hospital networks serving nonmetropolitan populations.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 101 non-oncologist clinicians practicing in India, utilizing a 26-item structured questionnaire administered electronically.Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages.The single quantitative item, which assessed the perceived benefit of aggressive cancer treatment on a scale from 0 to 10, was reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and median with interquartile range (IQR).Associations were evaluated using Pearson's chi-square test, with Monte Carlo permutation correction applied when necessary, and Cramér's V. Differences between groups for the quantitative item were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test or the Kruskal-Wallis H test.Results: Most respondents, 91 (90.1%), had no formal oncology training, yet 63 (62.4%) encountered cancer patients at least weekly, and 88 (87.1%) were not fully comfortable managing cancer-related symptoms without an oncology referral.Attitudes toward oncologists (94; 93.1% "essential in cancer care") and palliative care (100; 99.0% agreement on benefit) were favorable, while only 16 (15.8%)felt "very familiar" with newer cancer therapies.Patient preference against referral 42 (41.6%)and cost 31 (30.7%) were the leading barriers.Practice setting was associated with communication quality with oncologists (χ² = 18.04, df = 8, p = 0.021, Cramér's V = 0.30), and region of practice with consistency of oncologist involvement in longterm care (χ² = 16.75, df = 8, p = 0.033, V = 0.29); formal training was not associated with any outcome.Conclusions: Healthcare professionals generally have a positive attitude toward oncology and palliative care; however, many lack formal training.Communication and continuity of care also remain challenging, mainly because of differences in healthcare settings and locations rather than individual training.Regular oncology education and simple, standardized communication systems between healthcare providers could help improve cancer care, especially in centers without dedicated oncology services.