Informational needs during active surveillance for prostate cancer: A qualitative study.
Stacy Loeb, Caitlin Curnyn, Angela Fagerlin and 6 others
PMID 28886974WHAT IT FOUND
Men on prostate cancer active surveillance and their providers wanted clearer information about test results, surveillance plans, prognosis, and trusted resources.
Only a quarter of men said they understood active surveillance versus watchful waiting.
Key findings
01Patients and providers identified main information needs: more detail about prostate cancer, active surveillance, alternative management, more varied resources, social support, and verified information.
02Many men did not understand how active surveillance differs from watchful waiting, and only a quarter indicated they understood the difference.
03Providers said patients and families may benefit from AS-specific support and better information for family members.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Patients came from two urban sites in one US area, so their needs may not match patients elsewhere. People who choose to take part in research may differ from those who do not, and clinical data were not available for nonparticipants. There was no set active surveillance protocol at the study sites, so what patients were told and monitored varied by provider. Providers were from the US, and their views may not apply to other countries. The study described information needs and self-reported lifestyle changes; it did not test whether any resource or lifestyle change affects prostate cancer.
Declared interests
NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support are listed; no author disclosure statement appears in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the self-reported diet and exercise changes as evidence that lifestyle changes control prostate cancer. This qualitative study described information needs and did not measure cancer outcomes or test any resource or lifestyle programme.