Predictors of preferences and utilities in men treated with 3D-CRT for prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the preferences and utilities for prostate cancer health state scenarios of men treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and the predictors of treatment preferences.


METHODS
The preferences and utilities for probabilistic health states of impotence and incontinence associated with prostate cancer therapies were elicited from prostate cancer registry participants using a modified time trade-off interview. Sociodemographic, disease, and treatment characteristics, as well as quality-of-life scores, were assessed to determine the predictors of preferences.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven men treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy completed the time trade-off interview. Of these men, 83% had Stage T1-T2 and 30% were receiving hormonal therapy. The utilities followed a linear trend with declining scores for increasing risk of poorer health states. Men showed an increased preference for health states associated with radiotherapy compared with surgery or hormonal therapy. Univariate predictors of preference included income and marital status. Multivariate predictors of preferences included more aggressive therapy and better prognostic indicators. Current quality-of-life scores in terms of global, sexual, or urinary function were poor predictors of preferences.


CONCLUSIONS
Preference elicitation can assist in decision-making, and understanding the predictors of patient preferences can assist in identifying factors that may increase patient perceptions of poorer outcomes.
Bruner
Deborah Watkins
DW
Department of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. D_Watkins-Bruner@fccc.edu
Hanlon
Alexandra
A
Mazzoni
Susan
S
Raysor
Susan
S
Konski
Andre
A
Hanks
Gerald
G
Pollack
Alan
A
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003657:Decision Making; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen