Prognostic Factors for Decisional Regret Regarding Treatment in Localized Prostate Cancer
Posted: Tuesday, August 3, 2021
According to research presented in the World Journal of Urology, patients with localized prostate cancer who experience negative factors such as perceived time pressure or erectile dysfunction may be more likely to experience subsequent decisional regret. Friederike Kendel, PhD, of Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and colleagues noted that in their study, up to one-third of patients with prostate cancer eventually regretted their treatment decision.
The longitudinal study included 176 men with localized prostate cancer, 100 of whom were undergoing active surveillance and 76 of whom were receiving local treatment. Patients were surveyed at four treatment stages: baseline (T0), 6 months after baseline (T1), 12 months after baseline (T2), and 18 months after baseline (T3).
Patients who received local therapies reported higher levels of regret than did men undergoing active surveillance at stages T2 and T3. Patients who had reported experiencing pressure to make their treatment decision in a short amount of time at baseline or who experienced erectile dysfunction at stages T2 and T3 were found to be more likely to report decisional regret at stage T3. However, men who reported satisfaction with their sexual life at stages T1, T2, or T3 were found to be less likely to regret their treatment decision by stage T3.
“Mitigating time pressure and realistic expectations concerning treatment side effects may help to prevent decisional regret in [prostate cancer] survivors,” concluded the authors.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
