ArticleCancer2014
Cancer patients' perceptions regarding the value of the physical examination: a survey study.
Article in Cancer, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prostate Cancer Patients' Perceptions Regarding the Relevance of a Digital Rectal Examination During Their Follow-Up After Radiation Therapy.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
- Shedding Light on Cellular Secrets: A Review of Advanced Optical Biosensing Techniques for Detecting Extracellular Vesicles with a Special Focus on Cancer Diagnosis.ACS applied bio materials · 2024Review
- Best Practices for Providing Patient-Centered Tele-Palliative Care to Cancer Patients.Cancers · 2023Review
- Article
- Supporting Women's BIA-ALCL Decision-making: Role of the Individual Consult in Empowering the Patient-Physician Team.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2021Article
- Patient's perceptions of physical examination in the setting of chronic pain.Irish journal of medical science · 2021Article
- The Usefulness of the Armchair Sign for the Diagnosis of Psychosomatic-Prone Myofascial Pain Syndrome in Patients with Incurable Cancer: A Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Multicenter Observational Clinical Study.Palliative medicine reports · 2021Article
- Article
- To Study the Barriers in Palliative Care to Nonmalignant Cases in COVID-19 Crisis in a Tertiary Health-Care Center.Indian journal of palliative care · 2020Article
- Pandemic palliative care: beyond ventilators and saving lives.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2020Review
- Letting go of the physical exam: embracing telehealth solutions to oncology.Journal of cancer metastasis and treatment · 2020Article
- Physical exam: where's the evidence? A medical student's experience.Family medicine and community health · 2020Article
- Family Physicians' Experiences of Physical Examination.Annals of family medicine · 2019Article
- Emphasizing High Value, Cost-Effective Care in Physical Examination Instruction - A Qualitative Content Analysis of Interviews with Expert Educators.MedEdPublish (2016) · 2018Article
- Myofacial Trigger Points in Advanced Cancer Patients.Indian journal of palliative careArticle
- Hypnotic Intervention for Unexplained Dizziness in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Preliminary Retrospective Observation Study.Indian journal of palliative careArticle
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDespite its clinical utility, progressive reliance on technology can lead to devaluing the physical examination in patients with advanced cancer. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether these patients have a positive or negative perception of the physical examination. A secondary objective was to determine whether these perceptions are related to interpersonal/relational values (symbolic) or diagnostic/objective values (pragmatic).
methodsOne hundred fifty patients with cancer who were receiving concurrent oncology and palliative care were administered a 26-item survey regarding their overall perception of the physical examination. The primary outcome-patient responses to "In the last 3 months, I believe my experience while being examined has been overall: very negative (a score of -5) to very positive (a score of +5),"-was analyzed using the Sign test. Other items were predefined as either symbolic or pragmatic statements, and patient responses from strongly disagree (a score of 1) to strongly agree (a score of 5) were further analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test for associations between baseline characteristics and the primary outcome.
resultsMost patients (83%) indicated that the overall experience of being examined was highly positive (median score, 4; interquartile range [IQR], 2-5; P ≤ .0001). Patients valued both the pragmatic aspects (median score, 5; IQR, 4-5) and symbolic aspects (median score, 4; IQR, 4-5) of the physical examination. Increasing age was independently associated with a more positive perception of the physical examination (odds ratio, 1.07 per year; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.12 per year; P = .01).
conclusionsPatients with advanced cancer indicate that the physical examination is a highly positive aspect of their care. These benefits are perceived as having both symbolic and pragmatic value. The physical examination should remain a cornerstone of clinical encounters.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.