SUO 2016: A systematic approach to discussing active surveillance to patients with low-risk prostate cancer - Session Highlights
San Antonio, Texas USA (UroToday.com) Behfar Ehdaie, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discussed active surveillance in low-risk prostate cancer and how urologists can improve discussion with patients.
Given the over diagnosis and increase treatment of prostate cancer with underuse of active surveillance there is an increasing need how we as urologists can communicate active surveillance to our patients. 77% of urologists in a recent survey said they would discuss active surveillance to their low-risk patients, however, far less would actually prescribe this to those same patients. Negotiations are important to realize in the communication to patients. How you say things is equally if not more important than what you say to patients. Shifting the context within which a decision maker considers an option is an underused negotiation tactic. Resetting the default recommending active surveillance as the default management option rather than a secondary or tertiary management option. Leveraging social proof can aid in patient counseling. Out of approximately 1000 patients with low risk prostate, active surveillance increased from 69% to 81% after providers underwent counseling intervention. Further research are needed to understand how providers may increase adherence of active surveillance.
Presented By: Behfar Ehdaie, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Written By: Stephen B. Williams, MD and Ashish M. Kamat
17th Annual Meeting of the Society of Urologic Oncology - November 30 -December 2, 2016 – San Antonio, Texas USA