Table 2.

Cancer-specific information needs content

Themes	Subthemes	Concepts	No. of Studies	Examples of quotations	References
Cervical cancer [1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 14, 19, 26–29, 40–42, 47]	Mode of disease transmission	The definition of HPV, the relationship between HPV infection and cervical cancer, the relationship between cancer and sexual activity, the moment and duration of infection, and the latency time	4	"they would like to receive information about the way the virus is transmitted""one unperceived information need was related to the moment and duration of the infection, incubation time and whether women should link infection to the sexual activity of their current partner." [35]	[8, 21, 26, 35]
	Effects and prognosis of disease	Effects on fertility and sexual partners and risk of re-infection	2	"potential implications for their partners and risk of re-infection. A few younger women requested information on whether HPV could affect fertility." [34]	[34, 35]
Breast cancer [2, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 19, 32, 42, 48, 51]	Effects and explanations of breast density	The effect of breast density on test results, and the interpretation of dense breasts in test results reporting	1	"…...the sensitivity of mammography in finding cancer, and …... have a higher level of uncertainty in women with dense breasts." [50]	[50]
	The effects of treatment on the individual	Effect of mastectomy on breast appearance and affected limb	2	"Is complete removal of the breast needed for breast cancer cure? Is breast reconstruction possible at the time of removing the breast? Does the breast get distorted and ugly after breast surgery for cancer? Does the arm always swell after breast cancer surgery, and is it lifelong? " [19]	[19, 25]
Colorectal cancer [5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 19–21, 25, 31]	Screening preparation	The preparation required by the screener during the screening process	5	"Tell me what you’re going to do, tell me what I have to do to prepare, tell me do I have to be there early, tell me the fact that I need somebody to be there with me, tell me that ‘wear comfortable clothes’ and ‘don’t eat for X amount of hours.’" [49]	[23, 33, 41, 49, 51]
Lung cancer [9, 24, 30, 49]	Benefits of quitting smoking	The effect of smoking cessation on reducing the incidence of lung cancer	1	"The information that I'm focusing on right now is where it says quitting smoking at any age can lower the risk of lung cancer. " [38]	[38]