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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jan 5.
Published in final edited form as: J Natl Med Assoc. 2011 Jun;103(6):468–478. doi: 10.1016/s0027-9684(15)30359-x

Table 4.

Men’s Perceptions Regarding Watchful Waiting

Reasons Why Chosen Reasons Why Not Chosen
  • Maintain current quality of life

  • Cancer slow-growing, may never cause problems

  • Will be able to act if cancer progresses

  • God will take care of it

  • Doctor recommended it

  • Only for older people with poor health

  • Too young

  • Cancer will progress and kill

  • Too risky, like living with a “ticking time bomb”

  • Doctor did not recommend it

  • Don’t know about it

  • Friend(s) went through it had bad results

  • Don’t feel comfortable doing nothing with cancer

  • Would worry too much about cancer spreading

  • Family would be very upset

  • Avoid regret later