Who Are These People?

No, seriously. The article states in its title, False Beliefs Threaten Cancer Patients.

Well, yeah. But this is astounding

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 40 percent of lung disease patients believe that surgery can spread cancer by exposing the tumors to the air -- a false idea that could cost them their lives, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

What? The study does go on to say that most of the "believers" are older and not very educated, so perhaps it's a "wive's tale" of sorts, but, amazing. 40% is almost half! (Heather states the obvious).

Reasons for said belief?

Margolis said he found that many patients refused to go see a surgeon, even when told they needed surgery to take out a lung cancer tumor.

"They say, 'Not only do I not want lung surgery, but I don't even want to see the surgeon because I know the cancer will spread once you expose it to air,"' he said.

In the survey, Margolis and colleagues asked patients where they got this idea.

"Most of the patients said very non-specific things, saying 'I heard it from the gossip mill' or 'I heard it from friends' or 'Everyone knows that,"' he said.

Wow.

hln

Posted by hln at October 6, 2003 06:07 PM | Health/Fitness/Nutrition | TrackBack