Men with prostate cancer make emotionally driven treatment decisions influenced by anecdote and misconception rather than consideration of clinical trial evidence, according to a new study. Published in the August 1, 2006 issue of CANCER (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/cancer-newsroom), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study reveals that fear and uncertainty drove initial treatment decisions seeking rapid results, and that there was little interest in seeking second opinions. Furthermore, patient decisions were influenced by misconceptions about disease management options, and men often erroneously applied the anecdotal experiences of others with prostate cancer to their own circumstances, even when the severity of their own disease and available treatment options were significantly different.

While there are several treatment options for men with localized prostate cancer, clinical trials have failed to demonstrate one optimal therapy. Each treatment option has benefits and its own unique and significant adverse side effects. Radical prostatectomy, for example, has only minimal survival benefits compared to even observation, but is associated with complications, such as impotence and urinary incontinence. With no clear-cut medical guidance, patients must assume a greater role in deciding on treatment in the face of disquieting statistics and risk-benefit information.

To characterize the factors that influence men's treatment decisions, Thomas Denberg, M.D., Ph.D. of the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center and colleagues interviewed 20 men newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer before and after treatment.

Three factors characterized the patients' decisions: fear and uncertainty; misconceptions about treatment efficacy and risks; and anecdotal information about other's experiences with prostate cancer. Even though mos
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Contact: David Greenberg
dgreenbe@wiley.com
201-748-6484
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
26-Jun-2006

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