Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36826064›Full record

ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2023

Clinicians' and Patients' Perceptions and Use of the Word "Cured" in Cancer Care: An Italian Survey.

Paolo Tralongo, Francesco Cappuccio, Stefania Gori, Vittorio Donato, Giordano Beretta, Ausilia Elia, Fabrizio Romano, Margherita Iacono, Antonino Carmelo Tralongo, Sebastiano Bordonaro and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 49% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 1 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Paolo TralongoMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Francesco CappuccioMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Stefania GoriMedical Oncology Unit, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Negrar di Valpolicella, 37024 Verona, Italy.
Vittorio DonatoRadiotherapy Unit, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, 00152 Rome, Italy.
Giordano BerettaMedical Oncology Unit, Santo Spirito Hospital, 65124 Pescara, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-8427-7765
Ausilia EliaMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Fabrizio RomanoMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Margherita IaconoMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Antonino Carmelo TralongoMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Sebastiano BordonaroMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Annamaria Di MariMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Sebastiano Rametta GiulianoMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Gabriella BuccafuscaMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Maria Carmela CareriMedical Oncology Unit, Medical Oncology Department, Umberto I Hospital, RAO, 96011 Siracusa, Italy.
Armando SantoroDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital and Humanitas Cancer Center, 20089 Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1709-9492
Carlo Forlanini Hospital · ITHumanitas University · ITOspedale di Santo Spirito · ITOspedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe words "hope" and "cure" were used in a greater number of articles and sentences in narrative and editorial papers than in primary research. Despite concomitant improvements in cancer outcomes, the related reluctance to use these terms in more scientifically oriented original reports may reflect a bias worthy of future exploration. This study aims to survey a group of physicians and cancer patients regarding their perception and use of the word cure. MATERIALS AND

methodAn anonymous online and print survey was conducted to explore Italian clinicians' (the sample includes medical oncologists, radiotherapists, and oncological surgeons) and cancer patients' approach to the perception and use of the word "cure" in cancer care. The participants received an email informing them of the study's purpose and were invited to participate in the survey via a linked form. A portion, two-thirds, of questionnaires were also administered to patients in the traditional paper form.

resultsThe survey was completed by 224 clinicians (54 oncologists, 78 radiotherapists, and 92 cancer surgeons) and 249 patients. The results indicate a favourable attitude for patients in favour of a new language ("cured" vs. "complete remission") of the disease experience.

conclusionsThe use of the word cured is substantially accepted and equally shared by doctors and patients. Its use can facilitate the elimination of metaphoric implications and toxic cancer-related connotations registered in all cultures that discourage patients from viewing cancer as a disease with varied outcomes, including cure.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPhysiciansAttitudeHumansLanguageSurveys and Questionnairescategorisationcuredsurvivorship

Identifiers

PMID36826064
PMCPMC9955737
OpenAlexW4317209278

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.