This thesis demonstrates how shared decision-making in kidney cancer can be improved. In current practice, patients are still only involved to a limited extent, and available treatment options vary between hospitals. Newly developed decision aids help patients to better understand treatment options and their pros and cons, and to clarify their preferences. Following their introduction, the level of shared decision-making during consultations increased. The decision aids were positively assessed by both patients and healthcare providers. They were used by a large proportion of patients and contributed to more structured discussions. At the same time, challenges remain, such as time constraints and variations in the implementation of the decision aids. Further integration into daily care is needed to improve shared decision-making in a sustainable way.
Cato Caroline Bresser (1996) studied medicine in Groningen. During her clinical rotations, she developed an interest in urology. She worked as a junior doctor in Urology and, in 2022, she began her PhD research into shared decision-making in renal cell carcinoma at the St. Antonius Hospital, as an external PhD candidate affiliated with Radboud university medical center. She is currently working as a GP resident.