Annals of Internal Medicine

Summaries for Patients

Understanding Cancer Center Advertisements

The full report is titled What Are

Cancer Centers Advertising to the
Public? A Content Analysis. It is
in the 17 June 2014 issue of
Annals of Internal Medicine
(volume 160, pages 813-820).
The authors are L.B. Vater,
J.M. Donohue, R. Arnold,
D.B. White, E. Chu,
and Y. Schenker.

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

A new diagnosis of cancer can be frightening. Many decisions need to be made, the first of
which is usually where to receive care. Throughout the United States, cancer centers are
increasingly purchasing magazine and television advertisements aimed directly at patients
with the intent of informing them about their centers.

This article was published online

first at www.annals.org on
27 May 2014.

What was studied?

Advertisements in the top 269 consumer magazines and in 44 television markets that
reached more than 1 million viewers in the United States. However, the researchers could
not be sure whether television advertisements were local or national in their distribution.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

To examine television and magazine advertisements placed by cancer centers for
information provided about clinical services and the use of emotional advertising appeals
and patient testimonials.

What did the researchers find?

The advertisements tended to focus on the newest or most innovative treatments offered
for particular types of cancer. They often included patient testimonials but did not
indicate whether the experience of that patient was typical. In general, the advertisements
appealed to a persons emotions but did not provide more concrete information about
benefits and risks of therapy, what other therapies a patient may use, or whether the
centers accepted all types of insurance.
What were the limitations of the study?
The study analyzed the advertisements but did not study people watching the
advertisements to see how they were affected.
What are the implications of the study?
Although it is natural for patients with a new diagnosis of cancer to look for the best news
possible, they should try to view cancer center advertisements as critically as they view any
other advertisements. They should not believe that the patient experiences portrayed in
such advertisements are typical or that their own experience will be the same. They should
choose where they receive cancer care on the basis of all issues important to them,
including benefits, risks, and costs.

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I-22 2014 American College of Physicians

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