Authors
Kah Poh Loh, Supriya G Mohile, Ronald M Epstein, Colin McHugh, Marie Flannery, Eva Culakova, Lianlian Lei, Megan Wells, Nikesha Gilmore, Dilip Babu, Mary I Whitehead, William Dale, Arti Hurria, Marsha Wittink, Allison Magnuson, Alison Conlin, Melanie Thomas, Jeffrey Berenberg, Paul R Duberstein
Publication date
2019/7/15
Journal
Cancer
Volume
125
Issue
14
Pages
2506-2513
Description
Background
Older patients with advanced cancer who are 100% certain they will be cured pose unique challenges for clinical decision making, but to the authors’ knowledge, the prevalence and correlates of absolute certainty about curability (ACC) are unknown.
Methods
Cross‐sectional data were collected in a geriatric assessment trial. ACC was assessed by asking patients, “What do you believe are the chances that your cancer will go away and never come back with treatment?” Response options were 100% (coded as ACC), >50%, 50/50, <50%, 0%, and uncertain. The willingness to bear adversity in exchange for longevity was assessed by asking patients to consider trade‐offs between survival and 2 clinical outcomes that varied in abstractness: 1) maintaining quality of life (QOL; an abstract outcome); and 2) specific treatment‐related toxicities (eg, nausea/vomiting, worsening memory). Logistic regression …
Total citations
201920202021202220232024414101143