Marc P. Freiman|Jack A. Clark|Christopher G. Slatore|Michael K. Gould|Steven Woloshin|Lisa M. Schwartz|Renda Soylemez Wiener
Patients’ Knowledge, Beliefs, and Distress Associated with Detection and Evaluation of Incidental Pulmonary Nodules for Cancer: Results from a Multicenter Survey
Boston Medical Center|University Medical Center|Boston University|Boston University|Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital|VA Portland Health Care System|Oregon Health & Science University|Kaiser Permanente|Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice|Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice|Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital|Boston Medical Center|University Medical Center|Boston University
h2abstracth2h3introductionh3 pulmonary nodules detected 1 million americans year prior qualitative work suggests detection incidental pulmonary nodules burdensome patients whether findings generalize broader sample patients unknown categorized patients knowledge beliefs distress associated detection evaluation pulmonary nodule well impressions clinician communication h3methodsh3 administered crosssectional survey adults incidental pulmonary nodule recruited rural medical center urban safety net hospital veterans affairs hospital h3resultsh3 490 individuals mailed surveys 244 50 responded median nodule size 7 mm mean patient age 67 years 29 respondents female 86 white quarter respondents 26 reported clinically significant distress related nodule primary outcome measured impact event scale patients reported multiple concerns including uncertainty nodules cause 78 possibility cancer 73 possible need surgery 64 25 patients accurately estimated lung cancer risk within 15 actual risk overall correlation perceived actual risk iri 0007 ipi 093 23 patients receive information cancer risk provider likely find information reassuring 16 scary 7 h3conclusionh3 quarter patients incidental pulmonary nodules experienced clinically significant distress knowledge cancer risk evaluation poor clinician communication may help bridge knowledge gaps alleviate distress patients