The primary purpose of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of administrating a battery of HRQL measures after the planned intervention is administered. Because distributional information on the proposed HRQL measure has not been previously collected in prostate cancer patients, this pilot study will provide the necessary descriptive statistical information for the planned endpoint measures (summary scores for the HRQL battery) to help plan a randomized trial evaluating the efficacy of the patient-provider communication intervention. Men who are receiving definitive or post-operative radiation therapy for management of prostate cancer at the University of California (UC) Davis will be recruited.
The study will administer a validated quality of life instrument (EORTC QLQ-C30), a previously validated psychosocial instrument (Memorial Anxiety Scale), and assessment of physician-patient communication using a new UC Davis Physician Communication Assessment adapted from the validated Cologne Patient Questionnaire. The study will administer these questionnaires prior to initiation of radiation (baseline), during the first week of treatment, at the end of radiation treatment (6-8 weeks following initiation of treatment), and 12 months after treatment ends.
