Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

What do cancer survivors believe causes cancer? (United States)

  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective: To describe cancer survivors’ beliefs about the causes of prostate, colorectal or breast cancers.

Methods: A survey of beliefs about cancer causation was completed by 670 cancer survivors (416 with breast cancer, 165 with prostate cancer and 89 with colorectal cancer) enrolled in a population-based study in Colorado. Categorical analysis was used to describe associations between participant’s beliefs about the cause of their cancer type, both in themselves and in others, and personal characteristics, including gender, age, and familial cancer risk.

Results: Cancer survivors most frequently reported genetic factors, smoking, environmental factors (e.g., pollutants or occupation), and psychosocial factors (e.g., stress) as causing their type of cancer. Respondents underestimated the importance of behavioral factors that are known to be associated with increased cancer risk, such as obesity and physical inactivity, while overestimating the importance of stress and environmental pollution.

Conclusions: Cancer survivors’ beliefs about what causes cancer are substantially different than those of experts. Because those affected by cancer should be well informed about the causes of cancer, educational efforts are needed, especially regarding the importance of factors that can be modified to reduce cancer risk.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. NCI Office of Cancer Survivorship, (http://survivorship.cancer.␣ gov)

  2. J Rowland A Mariotto N Aziz etal. (2004) ArticleTitleCancer survivorship – United States, 1971–2001 MMWR. 53 526–529

    Google Scholar 

  3. J Brown T Byers C Doyle etal. (2003) ArticleTitleNutrition and physical activity during and after cancer treatment: an American Cancer Society guideline for informed choices CA Cancer J Clin. 53 268–291 Occurrence Handle14570227 Occurrence Handle10.3322/canjclin.53.5.268

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. MW Linn BS Linn SR. Stein (1982) ArticleTitleBeliefs about causes of cancer in cancer patients Soc Sci Med . 16 835–839 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0277-9536(82)90236-2 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:Bi2B2M%2Fgt1A%3D Occurrence Handle7101001

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. H Faller S Schilling H. Lang (1995) ArticleTitleCausal attribution and adaptation among lung cancer patients J Psychosom Res. 39 619–627 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-3999(94)00002-6 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymD2MfotFU%3D Occurrence Handle7490696

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. G Maskarinec CC Gotay Y Tatsumura DM Shumay H Kakai (2001) ArticleTitlePerceived cancer causes: use of complementary and alternative therapy Cancer Practice. 9 183–190 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1523-5394.2001.94006.x Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD387msVyktg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11879309

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. SE Taylor RR Lichtman JV. Wood (1984) ArticleTitleAttributions, beliefs about control, and adjustment to breast cancer J Pers Soc Psychol. 46 489–502 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0022-3514.46.3.489 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiuC28vjvFI%3D Occurrence Handle6707865

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. DE Stewart AM Cheung S Duff etal. (2001) ArticleTitleAttributions of cause and recurrence in long-term breast cancer survivors Psychooncology. 10 179–183 Occurrence Handle10.1002/pon.499.abs Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M7mvVKiug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle11268144

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Stewart DE, Duff S, Wong F, Melancon C, Cheung AM. (2001). The views of ovarian cancer survivors on its cause, prevention, and recurrence. Medscape Women’s Health J 6(5)

  10. T Risberg E Wist RM. Bremnes (1998) ArticleTitlePatients’ opinion and use of non-proven therapies related to their view on cancer aetiology Anticancer Res. 18 499–506 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1c3ivFGruw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9568169

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. G Colditz M Samplin-Salgado CT Ryan etal. (2002) ArticleTitleHarvard report on cancer prevention, volume 5: fulfilling the potential for cancer prevention: policy approaches Cancer Causes Control. 13 199–212 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1015040702565 Occurrence Handle12020101

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. H Vainio R Kaaks F. Bianchini (2002) ArticleTitleWeight control and physical activity in cancer prevention: international evaluation of the evidence Eur J Cancer Prev. 11 IssueIDsuppl 2 S94–S100 Occurrence Handle12570341

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. E. Giovannucci (2002) ArticleTitleModifiable risk factors for colon cancer Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 31 925–943 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0889-8553(02)00057-2 Occurrence Handle12489270

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. T Byers M Nestle A McTiernan etal. (2002) ArticleTitleAmerican cancer society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention: reducing the risk of cancer with healthy food choices and physical activity CA Cancer J Clin. 52 92–119 Occurrence Handle11929008

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. R Chlebowski S Hendrix R Langer etal. (2003) ArticleTitleInfluence of estrogen plus progestin on breast cancer and mammography in healthy postmenopausal women JAMA. 289 3243–3253 Occurrence Handle10.1001/jama.289.24.3243 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXkvVOktbg%3D Occurrence Handle12824205

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. SAS Institute Inc. The SAS System for Windows, Release 8.02. Cary, NC: 1999–2000

  17. S Miesfeldt W Cohn M Ropka S. Jones (2001) ArticleTitleKnowledge about breast cancer risk factors and hereditary breast cancer among early-onset breast cancer survivors Familial Cancer. 1 135–141 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1021189128084 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3svps1SntA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle14574169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. InstitutionalAuthorNameInternational Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization (2002) IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention: Weight Control and Physical Activity IARC Press Lyon, France

    Google Scholar 

  19. InstitutionalAuthorNameInternational Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization (2003) IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention: Fruits and Vegetables IARC Press Lyon, France

    Google Scholar 

  20. J Buxton J Bottorff L Balneaves etal. (2003) ArticleTitleWomen’s perceptions of breast cancer risk: are they accurate? Can J Public Health. 94 422–426 Occurrence Handle14700240

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. N Weinstein P Slovic E Waters G. Gibson (2004) ArticleTitlePublic understanding of the illnesses caused by cigarette smoking Nicotine Tob Res. 6 349–355 Occurrence Handle10.1080/14622200410001676459 Occurrence Handle15203808

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. N. Weinstein (1998) ArticleTitleAccuracy of smokers’ risk perceptions Ann Behav Med. 20 135–140 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK1M7ktlyltg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9989319 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02884459

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver

    Kimberly S. Wold

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, MS B119, 4200, East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, 80262

    Tim Byers

  3. Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver

    Lori A. Crane

  4. Division of Gastroenterology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver

    Dennis Ahnen

Authors
  1. Kimberly S. Wold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tim Byers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lori A. Crane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dennis Ahnen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tim Byers.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wold, K.S., Byers, T., Crane, L.A. et al. What do cancer survivors believe causes cancer? (United States). Cancer Causes Control 16, 115–123 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-004-2414-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-004-2414-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation