Do people want to talk to a doctor about multicancer detection testing? Findings from a National Survey.

Abstract

Healthcare providers may begin encountering more questions and discussions about multicancer detection (MCD) testing from patients. We determined people's communication and decision-making preferences about MCD testing. We conducted an online survey in September 2024 with adults ages 45-80 from the United States (n = 1043). Logistic regression identified correlates of interest in talking to a doctor about MCD testing. Overall, 75.5 % of participants wanted to talk to a doctor about MCD testing. Participants with at least a college degree (OR=2.56, 95 % CI: 1.21-5.40) or health insurance (OR=3.39, 95 % CI: 1.84-6.27) were more likely to want to talk to a doctor. Participants wanted to talk to a doctor about how well MCD testing works (63.9 %), cost/insurance coverage (61.9 %), and possible follow-up tests (51.7 %). Most participants (69.5 %) preferred to have a doctor play some role in their final decision about whether or not to have an MCD test, with 30.5 % preferring to make the decision on their own. Interest in talking to a doctor about MCD testing is high, and healthcare providers will play a key role in patients' testing decisions. Our findings can inform future education and communication skills training programs for healthcare providers about MCD testing.