Offering a treatment choice in the irradiation of prostate cancer leads to better informed and more active patients, without harm to well-being.
Fulltext:
71298.pdf
Embargo:
until further notice
Size:
178.3Kb
Format:
PDF
Description:
Publisher’s version
Publication year
2008Source
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 70, 2, (2008), pp. 442-8ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
Display more detailsDisplay less details
Organization
Radiation Oncology
Health Evidence
Former Organization
Epidemiology, Biostatistics & HTA
Journal title
International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Volume
vol. 70
Issue
iss. 2
Page start
p. 442
Page end
p. 8
Subject
NCEBP 2: Evaluation of complex medical interventions; ONCOL 3: Translational research; ONCOL 4: Quality of Care; UMCN 1.5: Interventional oncologyAbstract
PURPOSE: To examine, in prostate cancer patients, the effect of (1) being offered a choice between radiation doses in three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, and of (2) accepting or declining the possibility to choose. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 150 patients with localized prostate cancer (T1-3N0M0) were offered a choice with a decision aid between two radiation doses (70 and 74 Gy). A control group of 144 patients received a fixed radiation dose without being offered a choice. Data were collected at baseline (before choice), before treatment (after choice), and 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment completion. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the involvement group, receiving the decision aid, showed increased participation in decision making (p < 0.001), increased knowledge (p < 0.001), and improved risk perception (p < 0.001); they were more satisfied with the quality of information (p = 0.002) and considered their treatment a more appropriate treatment (p = 0.01). No group differences were found in well-being (e.g., general health, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life, anxiety). Within the involvement group, accepting or declining the option to choose did not affect well-being either. CONCLUSIONS: Offering a choice of radiation dose, with a decision aid, increased involvement in decision making and led to a better-informed patient. In contrast to earlier suggestions, a strong increase in involvement did not result in improved well-being; and in contrast to clinical concerns, well-being was not negatively affected either, not even in those patients who preferred to leave the decision to their physician. This study shows that older patients, such as prostate cancer patients, can be informed and involved in decision making.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [238441]
- Electronic publications [122523]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [90373]
Upload full text
Use your RU credentials (u/z-number and password) to log in with SURFconext to upload a file for processing by the repository team.