O1-16-2 - Japanese Cancer Patients' Preferences for Discussing Life Expectancy with Their Radiation Oncologist

Abstract

Background: Cancer patients' preferences for life expectancy disclosure vary between individuals and across cultures. This study aimed to describe Japanese cancer patients': willingness to answer survey questions about life expectancy, preferences for discussing life expectancy with their radiation oncologist, and agreement with their radiation oncologists' regarding whether a life expectancy discussion had occurred.Methods: Adult cancer patients (n = 150) undergoing radiotherapy treatment at a Japanese university hospital during 2012 completed a survey on a touchscreen tablet. This represented 57% of eligible patients. Patients who were aware of their diagnosis were asked to complete additional questions about life expectancy. Responses were linked to a survey completed by participants' radiation oncologist.Results: Of 145 survey respondents who were aware of their cancer diagnosis, 81% answered the optional life expectancy section. The majority of respondents (98%) wanted their radiation oncologist to tell them everything they could when discussing life expectancy. However, 80% of patients wanted their radiation oncologist to ask them before the discussion, and 51% wanted their radiation oncologist to discuss it with their partner or family first. Radiation oncologists reported they had spoken to over two thirds of patients about how cancer may influence their life expectancy, whilst less than one third of patients reported having discussed life expectancy with their radiation oncologist.Conclusions: Life expectancy survey questions appeared to be acceptable to most respondents. There was some variation in patients' preferences for life expectancy discussions with their radiation oncologist. Given the poor concordance between patient and clinician perceptions of whether life expectancy disclosure had occurred, there is a need to identify approaches to prognosis disclosure that will aid communication between Japanese cancer patients and their radiation oncologists.