Department of Urology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Urology Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Department of Urology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Eur Urol Oncol. 2020 Aug;3(4):481-488. doi: 10.1016/j.euo.2019.07.002. Epub 2019 Jul 31.
In the era of digital data, the Internet has become the primary source from which individuals draw healthcare information.
The aim of the present study is to determine worldwide public interest in prostate cancer (PCa) treatments, their penetrance and variation, and how they compare over time.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: An analysis of worldwide search-engine trends included electronic Google queries from people who searched PCa treatment options from January 2004 to August 2018, worldwide. Join-point regression was performed. Comparisons of annual relative search volume (ARSV), average annual percentage change (AAPC), and temporal patterns were analysed to assess loss or gain of interest.
Evaluations were made regarding (1) interest in PCa treatments, (2) comparison of people's interest, and (3) impact of the US Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) screening recommendation and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guideline endorsements on Internet searching for PCa treatments.
The mean ARSV for "prostatectomy" was 73% in 2004 and decreased thereafter, reaching a nadir of 36% in 2014 (APC: -7.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] -7.8, -6.7; p < 0.01). Similarly, decreased interest was recorded for radiation therapy (AAPC: -3.2%; p = 0.1), high-intensity focused ultrasound (AAPC: -2.3%; p = 0.1), hormonal therapy (AAPC: -11.6%; p < 0.01), ablation therapy (AAPC: -4.1%; p < 0.01), cryotherapy (AAPC: -9.9%; p < 0.01), and brachytherapy (AAPC: -8.3%; p < 0.01). A steep interest was found in active surveillance (AS) (AAPC: +14.2%; p < 0.01) and focal therapy (AAPC: +27.5%; p < 0.01). When trends were compared before and after NCCN and USPSTF recommendations, a consistent decrease of all the treatment options was found, while interest in focal therapy and AS showed an augmented mean ARSV (+19.6 and +31.6, respectively).
People are increasingly searching the Internet for PCa treatment options. A parallel decrease of interest was found for the nonmonitoring treatments, except for focal therapy, while an important growth of appeal has been recorded for AS. Understanding people inquisitiveness together with their degree of knowledge could be supportive to guiding counselling in the decision-making process and putting effort in certifying patient information.
In the era of digital data, patients are increasingly searching the Internet for prostate cancer (PCa) treatment options. To safeguard patients' knowledge, it is mandatory to understand how people seek healthcare information, guaranteeing certified and evidence-based information pertaining to PCa treatments options.
在数字数据时代，互联网已成为人们获取医疗保健信息的主要来源。
本研究旨在确定全球公众对前列腺癌（PCa）治疗方法的关注度，及其渗透性和变化情况，并分析其随时间推移的变化趋势。
设计、地点和参与者：对全球搜索引擎趋势进行了分析，包括 2004 年 1 月至 2018 年 8 月期间全球范围内人们对 PCa 治疗方案的电子谷歌搜索。采用连接点回归进行分析。评估了每年相对搜索量（ARSV）、年均百分比变化（AAPC）和时间模式的比较，以评估兴趣的增减。
2004 年“前列腺切除术”的平均 ARSV 为 73%，此后呈下降趋势，2014 年达到 36%的最低点（APC：-7.2%；95%置信区间[CI]：-7.8，-6.7；p<0.01）。同样，人们对放疗（AAPC：-3.2%；p=0.1）、高强度聚焦超声（AAPC：-2.3%；p=0.1）、激素治疗（AAPC：-11.6%；p<0.01）、消融治疗（AAPC：-4.1%；p<0.01）、冷冻治疗（AAPC：-9.9%；p<0.01）和近距离放射治疗（AAPC：-8.3%；p<0.01）的兴趣也有所下降。主动监测（AS）（AAPC：+14.2%；p<0.01）和局灶治疗（AAPC：+27.5%；p<0.01）的兴趣显著增加。在 NCCN 和 USPSTF 建议前后进行趋势比较时，发现所有治疗方案的兴趣都呈持续下降趋势，而局灶治疗和 AS 的平均 ARSV 明显增加（分别为+19.6 和+31.6）。
人们越来越多地通过互联网搜索 PCa 的治疗选择。除了局灶治疗外，非监测治疗的兴趣呈平行下降趋势，而 AS 的吸引力则显著增加。了解人们的好奇心及其知识程度有助于指导决策过程中的咨询，并努力为 PCa 治疗选择提供经认证的、基于证据的信息。
在数字数据时代，患者越来越多地通过互联网搜索前列腺癌（PCa）的治疗选择。为了保护患者的知识，了解人们如何获取医疗保健信息至关重要，这可以确保提供经认证的、基于证据的 PCa 治疗选择信息。
