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Cancer Patients’ Understanding of Prognostic Information

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Abstract

Prognostic information is necessary for cancer patients to be fully informed about the likely course of their disease. This information is needed for practical planning and treatment decisions. This study sought to examine how cancer patients understand the prognosis information available to them. The setting is an urban safety net hospital. Six focus groups with cancer patients (N = 39) were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim then analyzed using phases of content analysis. Participants in all groups discussed the prognosis almost exclusively in terms of mortality and reported that their physicians and nurses mostly provided prognostic information in terms of months or years for survival. This finding held across all cancer types and stages. Patients tend to think of prognosis information as being only estimated limited survival and find the idea upsetting. Due to this view on prognosis, patients need further explanation regarding where the prognosis information comes from and what prognostic information can tell them in order to make use of it.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the participants who shared their stories and experiences with us. This study was funded by NIH/NCI grant #R01 CA140151.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980149, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

    Laura A. Cartwright, Levent Dumenci, Laura A. Siminoff & Robin K. Matsuyama

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  1. Laura A. Cartwright
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  2. Levent Dumenci
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  3. Laura A. Siminoff
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  4. Robin K. Matsuyama
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura A. Cartwright.

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Cartwright, L.A., Dumenci, L., Siminoff, L.A. et al. Cancer Patients’ Understanding of Prognostic Information. J Canc Educ 29, 311–317 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0603-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0603-9

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