Underpinnings of Social Support and Beliefs in Curability Among Older Adults with Advanced Cancer

It has been shown that social support plays a part in disease awareness and comprehension among older patients with advanced cancer. Kehoe and colleagues assessed older patients with advanced incurable cancer to ascertain the relationship between the quantity and quality of social support with patients’ belief in cancer curability.

The investigators performed a secondary analysis of a set of randomized geriatric assessment trial results that involved adults who were aged ≥70 years and had been diagnosed with advanced incurable cancer and their caregivers. Patients completed the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) Medical Social Support form at the time of enrollment to measure the number of close friends and relatives (support quantity) as well as the quality of social support. Quality of social support was scored using 12 questions, with each evaluation ranging from 1 (none of the time) to 5 (all of the time), such that a greater “quality of support” was evidenced by a higher cumulative score. To determine how curable each participant felt, they were asked, “What do you believe are the chances that your cancer will go away and never come back with treatment?” Answer options were 0%, <50%, 50/50, >50%, and 100%.

A total of 347 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 76.4 years. The majority (91%) of patients were white, 52% were male, slightly less than half (46%) had a household income <$50,000, and a high school degree or higher was achieved by >55% of the participants. After controlling for covariates, the odds of believing in curability decreased by 36.4% for every unit increase in the OARS Medical Social Support score. Notably, there was no association between detected belief in curability and social support quantity. The investigators concluded that older patients with advanced cancer who felt more supported by their social network were more likely to report the belief that their cancer was not curable. Quality of social support may impact disease understanding and should be considered when creating interventions.

Source:

Kehoe L, Sohn M, Wang L, et al. Associations of quality of social support and beliefs in curability among older adults with advanced cancer. Presented at: American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 Annual Meeting, June 4-8. Abstract 12049.