Patients prefer specific info from docs for prostate cancer

(HealthDay)—Although patients with prostate cancer endorse multiple sources of information, they report greatest satisfaction with information from the treating physician about patient outcomes, according to research to be published in the May issue of The Journal of Urology.

Scott M. Gilbert, M.D., of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted a prospective, multicenter study of 1,204 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Patients completed questionnaires regarding their use of information and satisfaction with information related to selection of treatment.

The researchers found that prostate cancer patients reported description of treatment by the treating physician (33.1 percent), Internet sites (18.9 percent), and books (18.1 percent) as the most helpful sources of information. Variables that were independently associated with patient satisfaction with the information provided were patient age (P = 0.005) and information from the physician about outcomes in their patients (P = 0.01).

"For prostate cancer patients, the impact of treatment on health-related quality of life is an important consideration. Reliable pretreatment information may allow patients to set expectations regarding treatment outcomes and make informed decisions in selecting therapy," a coauthor said in a statement. "Our results indicate that outcome information specific to the treating physician is associated with greater patient satisfaction following treatment, and that this type of information may assist patients in the decision making process."

Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical and biomedical companies.

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