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Review
. 2018 Apr;153(4):1004-1015.
doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2017.10.013. Epub 2017 Oct 21.

Pulmonary Nodules: A Small Problem for Many, Severe Distress for Some, and How to Communicate About It

Christopher G Slatore  1 , Renda Soylemez Wiener  2
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Free PMC article
Review

Pulmonary Nodules: A Small Problem for Many, Severe Distress for Some, and How to Communicate About It

Christopher G Slatore et al. Chest. 2018 Apr.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Every year, millions of patients are diagnosed with pulmonary nodules, and as increasing numbers of people undergo lung cancer screening, even more patients will be found to have a nodule. The vast majority of patients cannot benefit from the detection of a pulmonary nodule because most are benign. Accordingly, it is important to develop strategies to minimize harm, in particular the distress of a "near-cancer" diagnosis. In other settings, communication strategies are critical mediators of patient-centered outcomes for those with cancer and those at-risk of cancer. We conducted multiple studies to characterize the experience of patients with the diagnosis and evaluation of incidental pulmonary nodules, measure patient-centered outcomes for patients with pulmonary nodules, and determine the association of patient-clinician communication practices with those outcomes. We learned that a substantial proportion of patients experience distress and inadequate communication about pulmonary nodules and their evaluation, and yet many clinicians are unaware of the degree to which some patients are affected by the finding of a pulmonary nodule. The present review provides a comprehensive summary of our results and offers suggestions for how clinicians can best provide high-quality communication for their patients.

Keywords: health communication; lung cancer; pulmonary nodule.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The figure shows a theoretical model of the possible relationships between different domains of patient-centered care and patient-centered outcomes among patients with incidentally detected pulmonary nodules.
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