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The relationship between physician and cancer patient when initiating adjuvant treatment and its association with sociodemographic and clinical variables

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyze differences in physician and patient satisfaction in shared decision-making (SDM); patients’ emotional distress, and coping in subjects with resected, non-metastatic cancer.

Methods

602 patients from 14 hospitals in Spain were surveyed. Information was collected regarding physician and patient satisfaction with SDM, participants’ emotional distress and coping, as well as patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics by means of specific, validated questionnaires.

Results

Overall, 11% of physicians and 19% of patients were dissatisfied with SDM; 22% of patients presented hopelessness or anxious preoccupation as coping strategies, and 56% presented emotional distress. By gender, female patients showed a higher prevalence of dissatisfaction with SDM (23 vs 14%), anxious preoccupation (26 vs 17%), and emotional distress (63 vs 44%) than males. Hopelessness was more prevalent in individuals with stage III disease than those with stages I–II (28 vs 18%).

Conclusion

Physicians must be mindful of the importance of emotional support and individual characteristics when communicating treatment options, benefits, and adverse effects of each alternative to oncological patients.

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Funding

The study was supported by the FSEOM-Onvida for Projects on Long Survivors and Quality of Life. SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology) 2015.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Planta-1, Bloque D, Avenida Roma sn, 33011, Oviedo, Spain

    P. Jimenez-Fonseca

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    C. Calderon

  3. Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain

    A. Carmona-Bayonas & A. Ivars Rubio

  4. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Virgen de La Luz, Cuenca, Spain

    M. M. Muñoz

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain

    R. Hernández

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Mallorca, Spain

    M. Mut Lloret

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

    I. Ghanem

  8. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de La Macarena, Sevilla, Spain

    C. Beato

  9. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain

    D. Cacho Lavín

  10. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario del Sureste, Arganda del Rey, Madrid, Spain

    R. Carrión

  11. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain

    C. Jara

Authors
  1. P. Jimenez-Fonseca
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  2. C. Calderon
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  3. A. Carmona-Bayonas
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  4. M. M. Muñoz
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  5. R. Hernández
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  6. M. Mut Lloret
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  7. I. Ghanem
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  8. C. Beato
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  9. D. Cacho Lavín
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  10. A. Ivars Rubio
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  11. R. Carrión
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  12. C. Jara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Jimenez-Fonseca.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This is an academic study.

Ethical approval

The study has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. This study is an observational trial without intervention.

Informed consent

Signed informed consent was obtained from all patients.

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Jimenez-Fonseca, P., Calderon, C., Carmona-Bayonas, A. et al. The relationship between physician and cancer patient when initiating adjuvant treatment and its association with sociodemographic and clinical variables. Clin Transl Oncol 20, 1392–1399 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1870-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1870-z

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