OBR OncologyHow Hollywood May Make Oncologists’ Jobs Harder

Misrepresentation of Cancer Care in Hollywood: Bridging Fiction and Reality

A recent study led by David J. Benjamin, MD, at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute, critically examines the portrayal of cancer care in Hollywood films released from 2010 to 2020. The findings, published in JCO Oncology Practice, highlight significant discrepancies between on-screen representations and the current realities of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care. This analysis serves as a reminder for healthcare professionals to address and correct misconceptions that patients may harbor due to these portrayals, thus facilitating a more informed and realistic approach to cancer care.

Key Points:

• Most Portrayed Cancers as Incurable: The study found that 65% of cancer portrayals in movies depicted the disease as incurable, potentially skewing patient expectations and undermining the importance of early screening and treatment options.
• Overemphasis on Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy was the most frequently depicted treatment, mentioned in one-third of the films, overshadowing the existence and efficacy of modern treatments like immunotherapy and targeted therapies, which were not mentioned at all.
• Lack of Specificity and Accuracy: Only about one-third of the movies specified the type of cancer, with brain cancer being disproportionately represented despite not being among the top 10 most common cancers.
• Underrepresentation of Palliative Care: Palliative care, despite its widespread use in managing symptoms related to cancer and its treatment, was mentioned in less than 10% of the movies analyzed.
• Costs of Cancer Care Rarely Addressed: Only a handful of films (four movies) tackled the financial aspects of cancer care, an important issue affecting patient care and decision-making.
• Influence on Patient Expectations: The findings suggest that oncologists need to be proactive in addressing and correcting the misconceptions about cancer care that movies may instill in patients.
• Quality of Life Improvements Underrepresented: Modern advancements in managing side effects of treatments, such as minimizing hair loss and nausea, are often not depicted, failing to reflect improvements in the quality of life for cancer patients.
• Unrealistic Expectations: The study notes a shift from hopelessness to unrealistic optimism among patients, partly influenced by media portrayals, which do not always align with the realities of advanced cancer treatment outcomes.

“We’ve gotten quite good at quality-of-life issues and maintaining quality of life for a longer period of time. Oncologists pay a whole lot more attention to palliative care than we used to. We’ve come a long way in the three decades I’ve been doing this.”
– Gregory Peter Kalemkerian, MD, Medical Oncologist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

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