title: Patient-perceived Causes of Prostate Cancer: Result of an Internet-based Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess patients' perceived causes of prostate cancer (PCa) and relation to treatment satisfaction, an Internet-based survey study was designed. PCa is a profoundly personal disease, considering the location and common sequelae of treatment. Deeply held patient self-perceptions regarding the etiology of a patient's PCa may generate lasting beliefs that impact satisfaction with treatment selection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-party web-based surveys were sent to patients receiving radical prostatectomy for clinically localized PCa. Patients were queried regarding demographic characteristics, family history, socioeconomic status, sexual function, urinary control, and factors believed to cause their PCa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among respondents (293 of 524, 55.9%), 237 (81.5%) provided primary causes for PCa. Evidence-based answers were provided by 128 (53.5%) patients, whereas a wide range of non-evidence-based responses were provided by 49 (20.5%) patients. Forty patients (16.7%) were undecided, and 20 (8.3%) offered belief-based responses. Evidence-based responses were more common in patients with a family history of PCa (P <.01); however, no significant differences were seen among race, educational level, or income. Patients providing an evidence-based cause of PCa were more likely to be potent (P <.01). Providing a non-evidence-based cause for PCa was associated with considering surgery as a wrong decision in treatment selection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among men with localized PCa, there is a wide spectrum of patient beliefs regarding the etiology of their disease that may reflect background and information sources. Further research is warranted to determine whether patient counseling should incorporate these considerations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leapman
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Seyed Behzad
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsigeorgis
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY; School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY. Electronic address: robotmd@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Samadi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology