An exploratory study of cancer patients' views on doctor-provided and independent written prognostic information

This is the first study to systematically compare cancer patients' views on prognostic information provided by their doctor and written prognostic information obtained from a major cancer organisation (The Cancer Council New South Wales). Twenty-six adult patients who were recruited from a cancer clinic and an oncologist's private rooms completed a questionnaire and an interview. Participants varied in their views about the relative accuracy of doctor-provided and independent written information and responses to contradictory information. Participants' need for certainty, trust in their doctor and concerns about the effect of undermining that trust, appear to influence whether they would discuss independent information with their doctor, and how they would deal with conflicting information. Although preliminary, this study has identified a number of issues that may need to be taken into account both by people developing written prognostic information and by doctors, who may need to address patient concerns about trust to assist patients to deal with conflicting information.