This qualitative study examined how cancer specialists answer patient questions about what might have caused their cancer. Findings showed that while they were often candid about the role of smoking and drinking in cancer onset and that of diet in cancer recurrence, body weight and exercise were rarely mentioned. Any reluctance to discuss the role of lifestyle factors in cancer onset and recurrence arose from a desire to minimize patient distress, limitations in specialists’ knowledge of the causes of cancer and perceived inadequacy of the available causal explanations when risk factors are multiple and probabilistic.
Brashers, D.E. ( 2001). Communication and uncertainty management. Journal of Communication, 51, 477-497.
2.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. ( 2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101.
3.
Colditz, G.A. ( 2007). From epidemiology to cancer prevention: Implications for the 21st century. Cancer Causes and Control, 18, 117-123.
4.
Costanzo, E.S., Lutgendorf, S.K., Bradley, S.L., Rose, S.L., & Anderson, B. ( 2005). Cancer attributions, distress, and health practices among gynecologic cancer survivors. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 972-980.
5.
Cowan, C., & Hoskins, R. ( 2007). Information preferences of women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care (Engl.) , 16, 543-550.
6.
Finney Rutten, L.J., & Iannotti, R.J. (2003). Health beliefs, salience of breast cancer family history, and involvement with breast cancer issues: Adherence to annual mammography screening recommendations. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 27, 353-359.
7.
Friedman, L.C., Romero, C., Elledge, R., Chang, J., Kalidas, M., Dulay, M.F. et al. (2007). Attribution of blame, self-forgiving attitude and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. Journal of Behavioural Medicine, 30, 351-357.
8.
Holick, C.N., Newcomb, P.A., Trentham-Dietz, A., Titus-Ernstoff, L., Bersch, A.J., Stampfer, M.J. et al. (2008). Physical activity and survival after diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 17, 379-386.
9.
Janoff-Bulman, R. ( 1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma . New York: The Free Press.
10.
Johnson, F., Cooke, L., Croker, H., & Wardle, J. ( 2008). Changing perceptions of weight in Great Britain: Comparison of two population surveys. British Medical Journal, 337, a494.
11.
Kelley, H.H., & Michela, J.L. ( 1980). Attribution theory and research. Annual Review of Psychology, 31, 457-501.
12.
Lucas, T., Alexander, S., Firestone, I., & Lebreton, J.M. (2009). Belief in a just world, social influence and illness attributions: Evidence of a just world boomerang effect. Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 258-266.
13.
Lykins, E.L., Graue, L.O., Brechting, E.H., Roach, A.R., Gochett, C.G., & Andrykowski, M.A. (2008). Beliefs about cancer causation and prevention as a function of personal and family history of cancer: A national, population-based study. Psycho-oncology, 17, 967-974.
14.
Mills, M.E., & Davidson, R. ( 2002). Cancer patients’ sources of information: Use and quality issues. Psycho-oncology, 11, 371-378.
15.
Mystakidou, K., Liossi, C., Vlachos, L., & Papadimitriou, J. (1996). Disclosure of diagnostic information to cancer patients in Greece. Palliative Medicine , 10, 195-200.
16.
O’Leary, K.A., Estabrooks, C.A., Olson, K., & Cumming, C. ( 2007). Information acquisition for women facing surgical treatment for breast cancer: Influencing factors and selected outcomes. Patient Education and Counselling, 69, 5-19.
17.
Piredda, M., Rocci, L., Gualandi, R., Petitti, T., Vincenzi, B., & de Marinis, M.G. (2008). Survey on learning needs and preferred sources of information to meet these needs in Italian oncology patients receiving chemotherapy. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 12, 120-126.
18.
Rabin, C., & Pinto, B. ( 2006). Cancer-related beliefs and health behavior change among breast cancer survivors and their first-degree relatives. Psycho-oncology, 15, 701-712.
19.
Redeker, C., Wardle, J., Wilder, D., Hiom, S., & Miles, A. ( 2009). The launch of Cancer Research UK’s ‘Reduce the Risk’ campaign: Baseline measurements of public awareness of cancer risk factors in 2004. European Journal of Cancer, 45, 827-836.
20.
Stewart, D.E., Cheung, A.M., Duff, S., Wong, F., McQuestion, M., Cheng, T. et al. (2001). Attributions of cause and recurrence in long-term breast cancer survivors. Psycho-oncology, 10, 179-183.
21.
Thomas, R., & Davies, N. ( 2007). Lifestyle during and after cancer treatment. Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain)), 19, 616-627.
22.
Travis, L.B. ( 2006). The epidemiology of second primary cancers. Cancer Epidemiology , Biomarkers and Prevention, 15, 2020-2026.
23.
Willig, C. ( 2009). ‘Unlike a rock, a tree, a horse or an angel ...’: Reflections on the struggle for meaning through writing during the process of cancer diagnosis. Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 181-189.
24.
Wold, K.S., Byers, T., Crane, L.A., & Ahnen, D. ( 2005). What do cancer survivors believe causes cancer? (United States). Cancer Causes and Control, 16, 115-123.
