Physician management of thyroid cancer patients ’ worry

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand physician management of thyroid cancer-related worry.MethodsEndocrinologists, general surgeons, and otolaryngologists identified by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) patients were surveyed 2018 –2019 (response rate 69% (448/654)) and asked to rate in general their patients’ worry at diagnosis and actions they take for worried patients. Multivariable-weighted logistic regressions were conducted to determine physician characteristics associated with reporting thyroid cancer as “good ca ncer” and with encouraging patients to seek help managing worry outside the physician-patient relationship.ResultsPhysicians reported their patients as quite/very worried (65%), somewhat worried (27%), and a little/not worried (8%) at diagnosis. Half of the physicians tell patients their thyroid cancer is a “good cancer.” Otolaryngology (odds ratio (OR) 1.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–3.21, versus endocrinology), private practice (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.32–4.68, versus academic setting), and Los Angeles (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.45–3.46, versus Georgia) were associated with using “good cancer.” If patients are worried, 97% of physicians make themselves available for discussion, 44% refer to educational websites, 18% encourage communication with family/friends, 13% refer to support groups, and 7% refer to counselors. Physicians who perceived patients being quite/very worried were less like ly to use “goo...
Source: Journal of Cancer Survivorship - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research