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Cancer patients rely on family, friends for advice

Healthcare Strategist Trend Watch, April 20, 2007

More cancer patients are relying on the advice of friends and family when deciding what treatment options to pursue, says a study commissioned by the American Society for Therapuetic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). Sixteen percent of patients surveyed said they made decisions about their cancer treatment after consulting friends and family. In 2003, that number was 7%.

The amount of information available to cancer patients online-both accurate and misleading-may contribute to them asking for advice from loved ones, says Louis Harrison, MD, a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and president of ASTRO's board of directors. Patients ask for advice from family and friends to help them sort through the information, Harrison says.

The survey also shows patients are relying less on the advice of their doctors. In the 2003 survey, 56% of cancer patients made their decision based on the advice of their oncologist, and 45% on the advice of their primary care physician. In the most recent survey, 50% said they relied on advice from their oncologist, and only 41% on the advice of their primary care physician.

Five hundred American adults were randomly interviewed for the study. Of the 500 interviewed, 39% reported someone in their household has been treated for cancer.

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