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The initial clinical interview—can it reduce cancer patients’ fear?

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Abstract

Purpose

A common phenomenon among cancer patients is a fear of cancer recurrence or cancer progression (FOP). The aim of the present study was to analyze whether the oncologist is able to reduce patients’ FOP at the initial clinical interview.

Method

A prospective, longitudinal study included patients who were consulting private-practice oncologists in Germany for the first time. Recruitment was carried out by 44 members of the Professional Organization of Office-Based Hematologists and Oncologists. In the patient surveys, data on colon cancer patients’ perceptions of communications with their oncologist and on patient-reported outcomes were collected over a period of 6 months. The present study analyzed the patients’ data before their first consultation (T 0) and within 3 days after the first consultation (T 1).

Results

A total of 169 patients agreed to participate in the study. Backwards multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine whether the change (T 0–T 1) in FOP is associated with demographic, medical, or psychosocial determinants, or with the physician–patient communication. A significant association was found between the change in FOP and interruptions to the conversation, the comprehensibility of the information provided, the extent of perceived empathy from the physician, and the patient’s social support and family status.

Conclusion

Private social support and the initial medical encounter can help reduce FOP. Particularly, oncologists should ensure that they facilitate the presentation of information in a comprehensible way while avoiding interruptions and that they take particular care of patients with poor social support.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their thanks to the patients and physicians whose participation and intensive collaboration made this study possible. The study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (GZ: PF 407/4-1; WI 3210/5-1; NE 1431/4-1) and Köln Fortune (grant no. 146/2011).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science (IMVR), Faculty of Human Sciences and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Eupener Straße 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany

    Sophie Elisabeth Groß, Anika Nitzsche, Tristan D. Gloede, Lena Ansmann, Holger Pfaff & Nicole Ernstmann

  2. Department of Communication, Texas A&M University, 4234 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-4234, USA

    Richard Street

  3. Faculty of Health, Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, 58313, Herdecke, Germany

    Melanie Neumann

  4. Department for Research Methodology, University of Education, Kunzenweg 21, 79117, Freiburg, Germany

    Markus Wirtz

  5. Scientific Institute of Office-Based Haematologists and Oncologists (WINHO), Vor den Siebenburgen 2, 50676, Cologne, Germany

    Walter Baumann

  6. Professional Organization of Office-Based Hematologists and Oncologists e.V. (BNHO), Sachsenring 69, 50677, Cologne, Germany

    Stephan Schmitz

Authors
  1. Sophie Elisabeth Groß
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  2. Anika Nitzsche
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  3. Tristan D. Gloede
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  4. Lena Ansmann
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  5. Richard Street
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  7. Melanie Neumann
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  8. Markus Wirtz
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  9. Walter Baumann
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  11. Nicole Ernstmann
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Correspondence to Sophie Elisabeth Groß.

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Groß, S.E., Nitzsche, A., Gloede, T.D. et al. The initial clinical interview—can it reduce cancer patients’ fear?. Support Care Cancer 23, 977–984 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2450-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2450-6

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