The complicated 'Yes': Decision-making processes and receptivity to lung cancer screening among head and neck cancer survivors.
Aaron T Seaman, Kimberly Dukes, Richard M Hoffman and 6 others
PMID 29709410WHAT IT FOUND
Head and neck cancer survivors were very open to lung cancer screening, trusting providers and hoping early detection would help.
They mostly lacked screening knowledge and wanted face-to-face discussions that address their cancer history and false positives.
Key findings
01Head and neck cancer survivors were overwhelmingly receptive to lung cancer screening and focused on early detection rather than screening harms.
02Most participants did not know about low-dose CT screening and did not clearly distinguish screening from diagnostic testing or cancer surveillance.
03Participants preferred face-to-face discussions with credible providers, and they saw decision aids as useful supplements rather than replacements for conversation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was done in one otolaryngology clinic at a tertiary center, so it may not reflect survivors treated elsewhere. Only 19 survivors were interviewed, and all were white, non-Hispanic, even though the team tried to recruit more women and minority participants. Only 3 current smokers were included. The study reports perceptions and preferences, not lung cancer screening outcomes. There are no clinical outcome data for screening in head and neck cancer survivors.
Declared interests
The supplied text lists NIH extramural research support. It does not report author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read survivors' high receptivity to lung cancer screening as proof that screening helps head and neck cancer survivors. The study asked 19 survivors what they thought and wanted, and it reports no clinical outcome data for screening in this group.