Early prostate cancer: hedonic prices model of provider-patient interactions and decisions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative influence of treatment features and treatment availabilities on final treatment decisions in early prostate cancer.


METHODS
We describe and apply a model, based on hedonic prices, to understand provider-patient interactions in prostate cancer. This model included four treatments (observation, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and prostatectomy) and five treatment features (one efficacy and four treatment complication features). We performed a literature search to estimate (1) the intersections of the "bid" functions and "offer" functions with the price function along different treatment feature axes, and (2) the treatments actually rendered in different patient subgroups based on age. We performed regressions to determine the relative weight of each feature in the overall interaction and the relative availability of each treatment modality to explain differences between observed vs. predicted use of different modalities in different patient subpopulations.


RESULTS
Treatment efficacy and potency preservation are the major factors influencing decisions for young patients, whereas preservation of urinary and rectal function is much more important for very elderly patients. Referral patterns seem to be responsible for most of the deviations of observed use of different treatments from those predicted by idealized provider-patient interactions. Specifically, prostatectomy is used far more commonly in young patients and radiotherapy and observation used far more commonly in elderly patients than predicted by a uniform referral pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
The hedonic prices approach facilitated identifying the relative importance of treatment features and quantification of the impact of the prevailing referral pattern on prostate cancer treatment decisions.
Jani
Ashesh B
AB
Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. jani_1969@yahoo.com
Hellman
Samuel
S
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019091:Critical Pathways; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003657:Decision Making; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018803:Models, Economic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010684:Philosophy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control