Use of patient-centered versus disease-centered language in public-facing media from National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

Abstract

e23123 Background: Receiving a cancer diagnosis often requires emotional and informational support. The way health information is delivered shapes patients' perceptions of their care and can influence cognitive framing and behavioral responses. Online resources constitute a common initial point of contact for patients navigating the complexities of their diagnosis. Thus, language should be used intentionally to support patients’ psychological well-being. The ASCO Language of Respect guidelines and other patient advocates recommend using person-centered language (PCL) over disease-centered language (DCL) to preserve patient individuality and foster therapeutic trust. This study characterizes the frequency of PCL versus DCL within patient-facing webpages of National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers (NCI-DCCs). Methods: NCI-DCCs (n=73) were identified using the NCI’s website. To prioritize patient-facing communication, Comprehensive or Clinical Cancer Centers (n=66) were included, and Basic Laboratory Centers (n=7) were excluded. For each institution, the homepage and the webpage for four common cancer types (breast, lung, prostate, colorectal) were analyzed. Pages were classified as containing PCL, DCL, both, or neither. Descriptive statistics are reported. Results: 322 unique webpages with 66 homepages, 63 Breast, 64 Prostate, 64 Lung, and 65 Colorectal webpages across the 66 NCI-DCCs were analyzed. Frequencies for PCL, DCL, both, or neither were: Homepages 9.1%, 36.4%, 9.1%, 45.5%; Breast 36.5%, 21.9%, 33.3%, 7.9%; Prostate 34.4%, 21.9%, 18.8%, 25.0%; Lung 37.5%, 25.0%, 17.2%, 20.3%; Colorectal 23.1%, 18.5%, 24.6%, 33.8%. Homepages were the least likely to use PCL, whether alone or in combination with DCL (18.2%), most likely to use DCL exclusively (36.4%), and most likely to use neither PCL nor DCL (45.5%). In contrast, disease-specific pages had higher use of PCL, whether alone or in combination with DCL. Breast cancer showed the highest rate of any PCL (69.8%), while colorectal cancer pages had the lowest rate (47.7%). However, DCL was still commonly used amongst all disease-specific webpages. Conclusions: PCL as a language motif helps maintain a patient’s individuality, promote positive identity formation, and strengthen trust with those with perceived authority, such as healthcare providers at NCI-DCCs. The linguistic structure found on commonly visited online resources should be thoughtful to avoid damaging or harmful language such as DCL. The use of DCL and neutral language on NCI-DCC homepages and disease-specific pages is a missed opportunity to optimize a patient’s journey through their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Further research is needed to fully characterize the impact of using PCL versus DCL in the setting of treating patients with cancer.