Differences in Timely Cancer Diagnosis in African American and Caucasian Patients With Newly Diagnosed Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

stage I colon cancer, stage II colon cancer, stage III colon cancer, stage IV colon cancer, stage I rectal cancer, stage II rectal cancer, stage III rectal cancer, stage IV rectal cancer

RATIONALE: Gathering information about timely diagnosis in African American and Caucasian patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer may help doctors learn more about factors that influence a diagnosis and plan the best treatment. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying differences in timely cancer diagnosis in African American patients and in Caucasian patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: * Identify and examine the factors that influence appraisal and diagnostic delay by focusing on recognition, perception, communication, and response to pre-diagnosis cancer symptoms in African American and Caucasian patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to race (African-American vs Caucasian) and gender (male vs female). Patients undergo a 45-60 minute interview to obtain information on variations in symptom perception, assessment, and patient-physician communication process. Patients are assessed by sociodemographic characteristics (i.e, education, gender, age, insurance status, employment status, income, race/ethnicity, and religiosity), information of close confidants (i.e., relationship, family history of cancer, and caregiver/decision-making status), and physician characteristics. Patients are also assessed by the Trust in the Health Care System, DMPQ, RCS, Brief COPE scale, Lukwago Religiosity scale, and RAND Social Support Survey questionnaires. Patient charts are reviewed to obtain medical data.

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United States