Fear of cancer among patients in general practice

Abstract

The general practitioners dealing with cancer has other parameters than statistics of incidence and prevalence. In 400 consecutive interviews with patients in general practice when asked if the consultation was brought about because of fear or thoughts of cancer, eight % answered "yes" and 11% "partly". When asked if they thought about or feared cancer, a total of 47% answered "yes" or "sometimes". Many more women than men expressed fear of cancer. The fear did not increase with age in contrast to the increasing incidence of the disease. For every new case of diagnosed cancer there are many patients in whom malignancy has been suspected but not verified. Almost every tenth patient in this study was investigated further due to possible cancer.