title: Conceptualizing prognostic awareness in advanced cancer: a systematic review.
abstract: This systematic review synthesizes the complex literature on prognostic awareness in cancer. A total of 37 studies examining cancer patients' understanding of their prognosis were included. Prognostic awareness definitions and assessment methods were inconsistent across studies. A surprisingly high percentage of patients (up to 75%) were unaware of their poor prognosis, and in several studies, even their cancer diagnosis (up to 96%), particularly in studies conducted outside of North America. This review highlights surprisingly low rates of prognostic awareness in patients with advanced cancer as well as discrepancies in prognostic awareness assessment, suggesting the need for empirically validated measures of prognostic awareness.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA applebaa@mskcc.org.
authors.forename: Allison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Applebaum
authors.affiliation: Fordham University, USA.
authors.forename: Elissa A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kolva
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
authors.forename: Julia R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kulikowski
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
authors.forename: Jordana D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeRosa
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lichtenthal
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical College, USA.
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Olden
authors.affiliation: Fordham University, USA.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Breitbart
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: advanced cancer; awareness of diagnosis; peaceful awareness; prognosis; prognostic awareness