title: Exposure to and intention to discuss cancer-related internet information among patients with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have reported a significant number of patients with breast cancer seek cancer-related information from the Internet. Most studies have asked whether a patient has ever read Internet information since her diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency with which patients with breast cancer come to physician appointments having recently read and intending to discuss cancer-related information from the Internet.
  
  
  METHODS
  We asked 558 patients with breast cancer who were waiting to see their physicians about their experiences reading cancer-related information from the Internet and their intent to discuss the information in their current visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen percent reported reading cancer-related Internet information in the past month. Patients who had read such information in the past month were younger, had been diagnosed more recently, and were more likely to be attending a new visit. Of those who had read in the past month, 45% reported intending to discuss what they had read with their physician. Nineteen percent of patients reported having ever read breast cancer-related Internet information since their diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of patients with breast cancer planning to discuss Internet information during their current physician visit was relatively small. Few characteristics were associated with recent Internet use or intent to discuss.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Carma L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bylund
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ostroff
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heerdt
authors.forename: Yuelin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dickler