Routine Cancer Screening Research Articles

Physician Nonprofessional Cancer Experience and Ovarian Cancer Screening Practices: Results from a National Survey of Primary Care Physicians.

Routine ovarian cancer screening is ineffective; therefore, no professional organization recommends this screening in asymptomatic patients. However, many physicians have recommended screening, exposing patients to unnecessary risk. Little research exists on how nonprofessional experience with cancer influences physicians' screening practices. This study examines the association between physicians' nonprofessional experience with cancer and reported adherence to ovarian cancer screening guidelines. A mail questionnaire with an annual examination vignette and questions about cancer screening recommendations was sent to a random sample of 3,200 U.S. family physicians, general internists, and obstetrician-gynecologists. This analysis included 497 physicians who received a vignette of a woman at average ovarian cancer risk and weighted results to represent these physician groups nationally. The outcome measure was adherence to ovarian cancer screening guidelines. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression estimated adjusted risk ratios for guideline adherence. In unadjusted analyses, 86.0% of physicians without nonprofessional cancer experience reported adherence to ovarian cancer screening guidelines compared with 69.2% of physicians with their own history of cancer, or a family member or close friend/coworker with cancer (p = 0.0045). In adjusted analyses, physicians with cancer themselves or in a family member or close friend/coworker were 0.82 times less likely (CI: 0.73-0.92) to report adhering to ovarian cancer screening recommendations than those without nonprofessional cancer experience. Despite recommendations to the contrary, many physicians reported recommending ovarian cancer screening in low-risk women. Physicians with nonprofessional cancer experience were more likely to report offering or ordering nonrecommended screening than physicians without this experience.

Attitudes towards lung cancer screening in a population sample.

BackgroundLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Routine UK lung cancer screening is not yet available, thus understanding barriers to participation in lung screening could help maximize effectiveness if introduced.MethodsPopulation‐based survey of 1007 adults aged 16 and over in Wales using random quota sampling. Computer‐assisted face‐to‐face interviews included demographic variables (age, gender, smoking, social group), four lung cancer belief statements and three lung screening attitudinal items. Determinants of lung screening attitudes were examined using multivariable regression adjusted for age, gender, social group and previous exposure to lung campaign messages.ResultsAvoidance of lung screening due to fear of what might be found was statistically significantly associated with negative lung cancer beliefs including fatalism (aOR = 8.8, 95% CI = 5.6‐13.9, P ≤ 0.001), low perceived value of symptomatic presentation (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.5‐3.9, P ≤ 0.001) and low treatment efficacy (aOR = 0.3, CI = 0.2‐0.7, P ≤ 0.01).Low perceived effectiveness of lung screening was significantly associated with fatalism (aOR = 6.4, 95% CI = 3.5‐11.7, P ≤ 0.001), low perceived value of symptom presentation (aOR = 4.9, 95% CI = 2.7‐8.9, P ≤ 0.001) and low treatment efficacy (aOR = 0.1, 95% CI = 0.1‐0.3, P ≤ 0.001). In contrast, respondents who thought lung screening could reduce cancer deaths had positive beliefs about lung cancer (aOR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2‐0.7, P ≤ 0.001) and its treatment (aOR = 6.1, 95% CI = 3.0‐12.6, P ≤ 0.001).ConclusionPeople with negative beliefs about lung cancer may be more likely to avoid lung screening. Alongside the introduction of effective early detection strategies, interventions are needed to modify public perceptions of lung cancer, particularly for fatalism.

Effectiveness of a Mailed Colorectal Cancer Screening Outreach Program in Community Health Clinics

Approximately 24 million US individuals receive care at federally qualified health centers, which historically have low rates of colorectal cancer screening. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends routine colorectal cancer screening for individuals aged 50 to 75 years. To determine the effectiveness of an electronic health record (EHR)-embedded mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach program implemented in health centers as part of standard care. This cluster randomized pragmatic clinical trial was conducted in 26 federally qualified health center clinics, representing 8 health centers in Oregon and California, randomized to intervention (n = 13) or usual care (n = 13). All participants were overdue for colorectal cancer screening during the accrual interval (February 4, 2014 to February 3, 2015). Electronic health record-embedded tools to identify eligible adults and to facilitate implementation of a stepwise mailed intervention involving (1) an introductory letter, (2) a mailed FIT, and (3) a reminder letter; training, collaborative learning, and facilitation through a practice improvement process. Effectiveness was measured as clinic-level proportions of adults who completed a FIT, and secondarily, any colorectal cancer screening within 12 months of accrual or by August 3, 2015. Implementation was measured as clinic-level proportions of adults who were mailed an introductory letter and ordered a FIT. Twenty-six clinics with 41 193 adults (mean [SD] age, 58.5 [6.3] years; 22 994 women) were randomized to receive the direct mail colorectal screening intervention (13 clinics; 21 134 patients) or usual care (13 clinics; 20 059 patients). Compared with usual care clinics, intervention clinics had significantly higher adjusted clinic-level proportion of participants who completed a FIT (13.9% vs 10.4%; difference, 3.4 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.1%-6.8%) and any colorectal cancer screening (18.3% vs 14.5%; difference, 3.8 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.6%-7.0%). We observed large variation across health centers in effectiveness (FIT completion differences range, -7.4 percentage points to 17.6 percentage points) and implementation (proportion who were mailed a FIT range, 6.5% to 68.2%). The number needed to mail to achieve a completed FIT was 4.8 overall, and 4.0 in clinics that mailed a FIT reminder. An EHR-embedded mailed FIT outreach intervention significantly improved rates of FIT completion and rates of any colorectal cancer screening. Higher rates of colorectal cancer screening occurred in clinics that successfully implemented the mailed outreach program. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01742065.

Impact of counseling on cervical cancer and its screening on women knowledge, health beliefs and protective practices

Background: Cervical cancer can be preventable or detected early especially with a series of regular screening with Pap tests.Aim of the study: The aim of this study were to evaluate the impact of counseling on cervical cancer and its screening on women knowledge, health beliefs and protective practices.Subjects and Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used. A convenient ample of 120 women were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, each group consisted of 60 women were recruited from outpatient clinic at Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Minia General Hospital.Results It can be observed that, 86% of the women in the intervention group had good knowledge compared to only 17% of the control group and the difference is statistically significant. The mean score of perceived susceptibility and barriers in both groups was reduced but the decrease was significantly higher in the intervention group (P<0.004). The mean score of perceived severity and benefits in both groups were increased, but the increased mean score in the intervention group was higher. A highly statistical significant difference was observed between groups regarding protective practices (p = .001).Conclusion: It can be concluded that there was a highly statistical significant improvement in women knowledge was observed and the higher positive beliefs about perceived benefits of preventive health practices, susceptibility, severity, health motivation and reduced the barriers of pap smear this can influence women’s willingness to take preventive test and higher participation in regular Pap smear test in the intervention group. The most commonly barriers to screening cited in our study are lack of knowledge.Recommendations: on the light of this findings it is recommended that, women should be encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and be active participants in the screening program, More educational intervention is needed to encourage adherence to routine cancer screening with raising women’s awareness about cervical cancer, The barriers to Pap smear test are considered by the health authorities in order to overcome barriers of cervical cancer screening. Â

Impact of Provider Participation in ACO Programs on Preventive Care Services, Patient Experiences, and Health Care Expenditures in US Adults Aged 18-64.

Little is known about the impact of accountable care organization (ACO) on US adults aged 18-64. To examine whether having a usual source of care (USC) provider participating in an ACO affects receipt of preventive care services, patient experiences, and health care expenditures among nonelderly Americans. A cross-sectional analysis of the 2015 Medical Organizations Survey linked with the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Survey respondents aged 18-64 with an identified USC and continuous health insurance coverage during 2015. Preventative care services (routine checkup, flu vaccination, and cancer screening), patient experiences with health care (access to care, interaction quality with providers, and global satisfaction), and health care expenditures (total and out-of-pocket expenditures) for respondents with USC by ACO and non-ACO provider groups. Among 1563, nonelderly Americans having a USC, we found that nearly 62.7% [95% confidence interval (CI), 58.6%-66.7%; representing 15,722,208 Americans] were cared for by ACO providers. Our analysis showed no significant differences in preventive care services or patient experiences between ACO and non-ACO groups. Adjusted mean total health expenditures were slightly higher for the ACO than non-ACO group [$7016 (95% CI, $4949-$9914) vs. $6796 (95% CI, $4724-$9892)]; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.250). Our findings suggest that having a USC provider participating in an ACO is not associated with preventive care services use, patient experiences, or health care expenditures among a nonelderly population.

Thyroid nodules: diagnosis and management.

Thyroid nodules are common. Their importance lies in the need to assess thyroid function, degree of and future risk of mass effect, and exclude thyroid cancer, which occurs in 7-15% of thyroid nodules. There are four key components to thyroid nodule assessment: clinical history and examination, serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement, ultrasound and, if indicated, fine-needle aspiration (FNA). If the serum TSH is suppressed, a thyroid scan with 99Tc can distinguish between a solitary hot nodule, a toxic multinodular goitre or, less commonly, thyroiditis or Graves' disease within a coexisting nodular thyroid. Scintigraphically cold nodules are evaluated in the same way as in the setting of normal or elevated serum TSH levels. Thyroid ultrasonography should be performed only for palpable goitre and thyroid nodules and by specialists with expertise in thyroid sonography. Routine thyroid cancer screening is not recommended, except in high risk individuals, as the detection of early thyroid cancer has not been shown to improve survival. FNA may be performed for nodules ≥ 1.0 cm depending on clinical and sonographic risk factors for thyroid cancer. FNA specimens should be read by an experienced cytopathologist and be reported according to the Bethesda Classification System. Molecular analysis of indeterminate FNA samples has potential to better discriminate benign from malignant nodules and thus guide management. Surgery is indicated for FNA findings of malignancy or indeterminate cytology when there is a high risk clinical context. Surgery may also be indicated for suspicion of malignancy; larger nodules, especially with symptoms of mass effect; and in some patients with thyrotoxicosis.

Abstract 4249: Disparities in cancer screening between Latino and non-Latino firefighters: Evidence from the Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative

Abstract Firefighters face an increased risk for work-related exposures to hazardous environmental carcinogens during fire incidence response. A growing body of epidemiologic studies suggest that firefighter site-specific cancer incidence and mortality rates are higher when compared to the general US population. As the fastest-growing ethnic subgroup in the US, Latinos have been increasingly represented in the first responder workforce. Latinos relative to non-Latinos vary in cancer-related risk factors including rates of smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity patterns, and rates of cancer morbidity and mortality. Despite these differences in risk factors, there is limited literature on the cancer screening behavior of Latino firefighters who may be at an increased risk for cancer. In the present study, we characterize sociodemographic and work characteristics in addition to cancer screening behaviors between Latino and non-Latino active firefighters. The Annual Cancer Survey (ACS) research project of the Firefighter Cancer Initiative launched with a 127-item comprehensive cancer questionnaire administered online to a non-probabilistic sample of firefighters employed in South Florida. We present ACS data collected during the first 12-months of this cross-sectional, convenience sample. Firefighters were invited and consented by the study team to complete the ACS using a secure iPad device during their regular work shift. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to predict history of cancer screening behaviors. Among the 3,152 study participants, the mean age was 40.4 years (± 9.1 years standard deviation), 34.3% were Latino, 10% female, and had been employed on average 14.0 years (± 8.6) as a firefighter. The number of Latino firefighters who had not seen a doctor in the past 12 months (5.1%) or visited a primary care physician for routine care (25.5%) was significantly more relative to non-Latino Firefighters (4.2% and 19.3%, respectively; both p<0.01). Across cancer screening behaviors, the number of Latino firefighters who ever had a PSA test to screen for prostate cancer (24.7% vs 38.1%, p<0.01) and a colonoscopy (20.0% vs. 29.0%, p<0.01) was significantly less than non-Latino firefighters. Latino firefighters are significantly less likely than their non-Latino colleagues to report a full body skin exam by their doctor (adjusted odds ratio 0.35; 95% CI 0.29-0.42) while controlling for age, gender, race, educational attainment, household income, health insurance type, routine access to primary care and tenure as a firefighter. Florida firefighters of Latino ethnicity tend to participate less in routine cancer screening practices. Strategies at the fire station or at the individual worker-level are needed to improve cancer screening disparities within this high-risk minority workforce. Citation Format: Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, Natasha Schaefer Solle, Tulay Koru-Sengul, Katerina M. Santiago, Kevin J. Moore, Feng Miao, David J. Lee, Erin N. Kobetz. Disparities in cancer screening between Latino and non-Latino firefighters: Evidence from the Sylvester Firefighter Cancer Initiative [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4249.

Preferred Clinician Communication About Stopping Cancer Screening Among Older US Adults

This cross-sectional survey study investigates how older US adults want their health care clinicians to frame discussions about stopping routine cancer screening.

Screening mammography among nursing home residents in the United States: Current guidelines and practice.

United States (US) guidelines regarding when to stop routine breast cancer screening remain unclear. No national studies to-date have evaluated the use of screening mammography among US long-stay nursing home residents. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify prevalence, predictors, and geographic variation of screening mammography among that population in the context of current US guidelines. Screening mammography prevalence, identified with Physician/Supplier Part B claims and stratified by guideline age classification (65-74, ≥75 years), was estimated for all women aged ≥65 years residing in US Medicare- and Medicaid- certified nursing homes (≥1 year) with an annual Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessment, continuous Medicare Part B enrollment, and no clinical indication for screening mammography as of 2011 (n = 389,821). The associations between resident- and regional- level factors, and screening mammography, were estimated by crude and adjusted prevalence ratios from robust Poisson regressions clustered by facility. Women on average were 85.4 (standard deviation ±8.1) years old, 77.9% were disabled, and 76.3% cognitively impaired. Screening mammography prevalence was 7.1% among those aged 65-74 years (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.8%-7.3%) and 1.7% among those ≥75 years (95% CI, 1.7%-1.8%), with geographic variation observed. Predictors of screening in both age groups included race, cognitive impairment, frailty, hospice, and some comorbidities. These results shed light on the current screening mammography practices in US nursing homes. Thoughtful consideration about individual screening recommendations and the implementation of more clear guidelines for this special population are warranted to prevent overscreening.

Is the Virtual Colonoscopy a Replacement for Optical Colonoscopy?

To examine the viability of colon cancer screening with computed tomography colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy. Clinical guidelines, published medical research. Virtual colonoscopy, under the right circumstances, is an accurate viable screening tool for patients who may not otherwise desire to or are not able to participate in traditional colonoscopy. Nurses should be aware that routine colon cancer screening is recommended starting at age 50. In addition to the traditional colonoscopy, there are other options if a patient is unwilling or unable to undergo optical colon screening. Nurses should discuss the positive and negative aspects of different types of colon screening and teach proper bowel preparation for colon screening.

High rates of cancer screening among dialysis patients seen in primary care a cohort study.

Routine preventive cancer screening is not recommended for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)1 due to their limited life expectancy. The current extent of cancer screening in this population is unknown. Primary care (PC) reminder systems or performance incentives may encourage indiscriminate cancer screening. We compared rates of cancer screening in patients with ESRD, with and without PC visits. This is a retrospective cohort study using United States Renal Data System (USRDS) billing data and electronic medical record data. Patients aged ≥18 years starting dialysis from 2001 to 2008, Midwest regional dialysis network were categorized with or without a PC visit (defined as an office visit in family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics or preventive medicine during the first two years of dialysis). Cancer screening was based on Current Procedural Terminology codes in USRDS. We identified 2512 incident dialysis patients (60% men, median age 65y). Cancer screening rates were more frequent among those seen in PC: 38% vs 19% (P = 0.0002), for breast; 18% vs 10% (P = 0.047) for cervical; 13% versus 8% (P = 0.024) for prostate; and 18% vs 9% (P = 0.0002) for colon cancer. Multivariable analyses found that those with PC were more likely to be screened after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities.In our practice, cancer screening rates among chronic dialysis patients are lower than those previously reported for our general population (64% for breast cancer). However, a sizeable proportion of our ESRD population does receive cancer screening, especially those still seen in primary care.

Constituent and workload of service providers engaged in cancer screening: findings and suggestions from a multi-center survey in China

Objective: To understand the constituent and workload of service providers engaged in cancer screening in China and provide evidence for the assessment of the sustainability of national cancer screening project. Methods: Using either questionnaire or online approach, the survey was conducted in 16 provinces, where Cancer Screening Program in Urban China (CanSPUC) was conducted, from 2014 to 2015. The medical institutes surveyed included hospitals [71.1% were class Ⅲ(A) hospitals], centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs) and community centers where cancer screening was undertaken during 2013-2015. The questionnaire survey was conducted among the staffs responsible for the overall coordination, management and implementation of the screening project to collect the information about the allocation, workload and compensation of the service providers from different specialties. Results: A total of 4 626 staffs were surveyed in this study, their average age was (37.7±9.5) years, and males accounted for 31.0%. Human resources allocated differed with province. The number of senior staff ranged from 6 (Chongqing) to 43 (Beijing) among the 8 comparable provinces. Among the staffs surveyed, 2 192 were from hospitals, 431 were from CDCs and 1 990 were from community centers, and the staffs who complained heavy workload accounted for 19.9%, 24.6% and 34.1% respectively (P<0.001). Among 227 staffs for overall coordination, 376 management staffs and 3 908 staffs for implementation, those who complained heavy workload accounted for 23.6%, 22.3% and 28.2% respectively (P<0.001). A total of 3 244 staffs (73.8%) got compensations for heavy workload. The compensation types were manly labor fee linked with workload (67.5%) and labor fee regardless workload (26.6%). Conclusion: The province specific differences in human resources allocation indicated the differences in screening project's organizing pattern and capability. It is suggested to conduct routine cancer screening (using specialized staffs), reduce the workload of the first line and community staffs and increase the compensation for the service providers for the sustainability of cancer screening project in China.

Could stool collection devices help increase uptake in bowel cancer screening programmes?

To understand the usage and acceptability of a faecal collection device amongst participants in the National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, with the aim of influencing future uptake. Participants completing faecal occult blood test retests as part of the routine Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in Eastern England. A faecal collection device and questionnaire were sent to all potential retest participants during a one-month period to collect information on prior stool collection methods and ease of use and usefulness of the enclosed faecal collection device. Out of 1087 participants invited, 679 (62.5%) returned their questionnaire. Of these, 429 (63.2%) trialled the faecal collection device at least once, 163 (38.4%) found the device made collecting their sample easier than previously, 189 (44.6%) found it made collection more difficult and 72 (17.0%) said it made no difference. Similar numbers reported finding that the faecal collection device made collecting the sample more pleasant (130, 31.5%), less pleasant (103, 25.0%) and no different (179, 43.4%) compared with previous collection without a faecal collection device. Although a small proportion of participants found the faecal collection device helpful, a considerable majority did not or did not use it at all. Offering faecal collection devices is unlikely to produce a substantial increase in bowel cancer screening uptake.

Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of routine breast cancer screening practices among migrant‐Australian women

Objective:To evaluate breast cancer screening (BCS) practice and explore the relationship between sociodemographic factors and breast awareness (BA), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography in migrant‐Australian women. Method:Secondary analysis was performed on the pooled sample (n=1,744) from five cross‐sectional studies of BCS rates among immigrant‐Australian women, and the associated sociodemographic factors. Results:Only 19% of women participated in routine BA, 27.4% of women in the target group of >40 year presented for an annual CBE, and 60.6% of women in the target group of 50–74 years received a biennial mammogram. Associated sociodemographic factors differed by modality except for length of Australian residency. In multivariable analysis, age, length of Australian residency, marital status, and employment status accounted for more than 50% of the variance in regular BA and CBE. Conclusion:These findings indicate suboptimal BCS rates persist among migrant‐Australian women, and suggest the importance of certain sociodemographic factors in BCS practice. Implications for public health:Further education is required for BA and CBE practice in immigrant‐Australian women, especially for those who have resided in Australia less than 12 years without a partner.

Identifying acute cervicitis in an era of less-frequent routine gynecologic examinations.

Acute inflammation of the uterine cervix can lead to serious problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometritis, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. As intervals for routine gynecologic screening examinations lengthen, cervical infections, especially if asymptomatic, may be missed. Annual wellness examinations and other patient visits outside routine gynecologic cancer screening visits should include brief evaluation with sexual risk assessment and a gynecologic examination if indicated. If cervicitis persists after standard treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), consider Mycoplasma genitalium. Clinicians should be sensitive to the fact that the unexpected presence of infection may cause distress.

African American Women's Involvement in Promoting Informed Decision-Making for Prostate Cancer Screening Among Their Partners/Spouses.

Routine prostate cancer screening is not recommended but African American men who are at higher risk for the disease should be offered the opportunity for shared decision-making with their health-care providers. This qualitative study sought to better understand the potential role of women in educating their male spouses/partners about prostate cancer screening. Nine focus groups were conducted (n = 52). Women were recruited from a variety of community venues. Those eligible were African American and married to or in a partnership with an African American male age ≥ 45. Women provide numerous types of support to their male partners in an effort to facilitate participation in preventive health care. While women agreed that they would like to educate their partners about prostate cancer screening, they had little information about screening guidelines or the potential harms and limitations. The current findings suggest that women are eager information-seekers and can disseminate information to men and facilitate their efforts to make more informed decisions about prostate cancer screening. Women should be included in educational interventions for to promote informed decision-making for prostate cancer screening.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness for Women via Facebook: A Pilot Study.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. Women report being screened for colorectal cancer less often than men, and if colorectal cancer screening guidelines were routinely followed, approximately 60% of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented. Many colorectal cancer screening interventions have not used Facebook, which is the most popular social media site among women. Little is known about engaging women in colorectal cancer screening and risk reduction information using Facebook. The "Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness for Women" Facebook page was created to promote colorectal cancer screening and risk reduction awareness among women. Facebook posts targeted women aged 45-64 years and highlighted colorectal cancer screening methods, guidelines, and colorectal cancer risk reduction strategies. Demographics and data about the women's interactions with the page were collected using Facebook analytics and analyzed. The majority of the 391 users of the Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness for Women Facebook page were women aged 45-54 years (56.5%). The most "liked" posts were related to colorectal cancer risk reduction behaviors. In an effort to increase routine colorectal cancer screening and colorectal cancer risk reduction behaviors, gastroenterology nurses and practices should consider Facebook as a good method to regularly engage women in colorectal cancer screening and colorectal cancer risk reduction information.

Urologic malignancies in kidney transplantation.

With advances in immunosuppression, graft and patient outcomes after kidney transplantation have improved considerably. As a result, long-term complications of transplantation, such as urologic malignancies, have become increasingly important. Kidney transplant recipients, for example, have a 7-fold risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and 3-fold risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC) compared with the general population. While extrapolation of data from the general population suggest that routine cancer screening in transplant recipients would allow for earlier diagnosis and management of these potentially lethal malignancies, currently there is no consensus for posttransplantation RCC or UC screening as supporting data are limited. Further understanding of risk factors, presentation, optimal management of, and screening for urologic malignancies in kidney transplant patients is warranted, and as such, this review will focus on the incidence, surveillance, and treatment of urologic malignancies in kidney transplant recipients.

Influences on anticipated time to ovarian cancer symptom presentation in women at increased risk compared to population risk of ovarian cancer

BackgroundIn the absence of routine ovarian cancer screening, promoting help-seeking in response to ovarian symptoms is a potential route to early diagnosis. The factors influencing women’s anticipated time to presentation with potential ovarian cancer symptoms were examined.MethodsCross-sectional questionnaires were completed by a sample of women at increased familial risk (n = 283) and population risk (n = 1043) for ovarian cancer. Measures included demographic characteristics, symptom knowledge, anticipated time to symptom presentation, and health beliefs (perceived susceptibility, worry, perceived threat, confidence in symptom detection, benefits and barriers to presentation). Structural equation modelling was used to identify determinants of anticipated time to symptomatic presentation in both groups.ResultsAssociations between health beliefs and anticipated symptom presentation differed according to risk group. In increased risk women, high perceived susceptibility (r = .35***), ovarian cancer worry (r = .98**), perceived threat (r = −.18**), confidence (r = .16**) and perceiving more benefits than barriers to presentation (r = −.34**), were statistically significant in determining earlier anticipated presentation. The pattern was the same for population risk women, except ovarian cancer worry (r = .36) and perceived threat (r = −.03) were not statistically significant determinants.ConclusionsAssociations between underlying health beliefs and anticipated presentation differed according to risk group. Women at population risk had higher symptom knowledge and anticipated presenting in shorter time frames than the increased risk sample. The cancer worry component of perceived threat was a unique predictor in the increased risk group. In increased risk women, the worry component of perceived threat may be more influential than susceptibility aspects in influencing early presentation behaviour, highlighting the need for ovarian symptom awareness interventions with tailored content to minimise cancer-related worry in this population.

Breast cancer related perceptions and practices of health professionals working in Brazil's network of primary care units

In 2004 the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) established breast cancer screening guidelines for women in Brazil: annual clinical breast exam for women age 40–49 and biennial mammogram for women age 50–69. Healthcare provider's adherence to these guidelines is currently unknown. The objective of this study is to describe the perceptions and practices related to breast cancer screening among physicians, nurses, and health unit coordinators working in the network of primary healthcare units (HCUs) in Brazil.In 2011, 1600 primary HCUs were randomly sampled from all regions in Brazil. At each HCU the coordinator and one health professional were asked to participate in a telephone survey to gathered information on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to breast cancer screening. Participation rates for coordinators, physicians, and nurses were 78%, 34%, and 65% respectively.Health unit coordinators identified numerous barriers that prevent patients from receiving appropriate screening, many (44%) were unaware of INCA cancer screening guidelines. Despite a high perceived impact of INCA guidelines, a majority of physicians and nurses did not follow them. Most physicians and nurses recommended mammograms on an annual basis (~75%) and 50.9% of nurses and 25.1% of physicians initiated routine breast cancer screening in women under age 40.Physicians and nurses in Brazil screen at younger ages and more frequently than recommended by INCA guidelines. Given that primary HCUs are the source of health care for many women, interventions that educate healthcare providers on the appropriate ages and intervals for breast cancer screening may prove useful.