The Fear of Cancer from the Standpoint of Oneself, the Opposite Sex and the Fear of Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

Purpose: It is important to understand the differences between men and women when it comes to attitudes and risk perception toward disease. This study aimed to explore the fear of cancer from the standpoint of themselves and the opposite sex by cancer type.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey with a representative sample was conducted.

Results: The least and the most feared cancers in men were thyroid cancer and lung cancer, respectively. When men assumed the perspective of women, the least and the most feared cancer were thyroid cancer and stomach cancer, respectively. The least and the most feared cancers in women were thyroid cancer and stomach cancer, respectively. When women assumed the perspective of men, the least and the most feared cancer were prostate cancer and lung cancer, respectively. When both men and women assume the perspective of the opposite sex, the fear of sex-specific cancer was relatively low compared to the actual responses of both men and women. The top six of the most feared side effects of cancer treatment were pain, psychological problems, general weakness, digestive dysfunction, fatigue, and appearance change. These were the same between men and women.

Conclusion: Health care providers and caregivers in the family should provide care with more attention to the differences in thoughts about cancer between men and women. Health care providers should provide care with more attention to the differences in these problems between men and women.

Keywords: Cancer; Complication; Difference; Fear; Sex.