FALCOn (Facteur AnthropoLogique Cancer Orl)

There are no studies on practitioner-related factors influencing decision-making in the field of carcinology of aerodigestive carcinomas. The objective of the study is to determine what are the anthropo-sociological factors in the surgeon, the oncologists and radiotherapists influencing decision making in ear, nose, and throat carcinology. Special attention will be paid to the practitioner's gender, age, geographical origin, place and institution of training, place of practice, volume of patients treated, access to or without reconstruction by microsurgery, his tendency or aversion to risk taking.

* Main objectives : To determine the individual professional and non-professional characteristics influencing physicians' decision-making in oncology of aerodigestive carcinomas between choices:

  1. Surgery
  2. Radio and / or chemotherapy
  3. Support care
  4. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and reassessment
* Secondary objectives : Identify if certain patient profiles may lead to heterogeneous treatment decisions i.e. Human Papillomavirus status, age, comorbidities, autonomy, etc.

Actually, there are no studies on practitioner-related factors influencing decision-making in the field of carcinology of aerodigestive carcinomas.

The objective of the study is to determine what are the anthropo-sociological factors in the surgeon, the oncologists and radiotherapists influencing decision making in ear, nose, and throat carcinology.

Special attention will be paid to the practitioner's gender, age, geographical origin, place and institution of training, place of practice, volume of patients treated, access to or without reconstruction by microsurgery, his tendency or aversion to risk taking.

This questionnaire will include the items age, sex, place and date of obtaining a medical degree, whether or not obtaining the specialization in cancer, profession of surgeon / oncologist / radiotherapist, place of practice with type of institution (University hospital, Private clinic, etc.) volume of patients treated per year, access or not to reconstructions by microsurgery. The answers to the questionnaire will be anonymous.

Practitioners' attitudes towards risk and uncertainty will be evaluated by 4 validated tools in behavioral science:

1. Self-assessment of attitude towards risk in different areas (Likert scale)
2. Monetary choice when earnings probabilities are known (attitude to risk)
3. Monetary choice when earnings probabilities are not known (attitude towards uncertainty)
4. Experience of Allais Seven clinical cases will serve as a basis for the creation of clinical vignettes.

A standard case will be part of these vignettes allowing a validation on the respect of the guidelines. The other 6 clinical cases will be cleavants and 36 vignettes will be created by crossing the 6 previous clinical cases with 6 different patient profiles on their social and demographic characteristics (age, comorbidity, sex, isolation)

The experimental plan will take the form of a Latin Square to propose (in addition to the standard case), 6 vignettes to each practitioner by ensuring that all the factors will be presented in a balanced and random way.

In a first phase, the online questionnaire including the vignettes will be evaluated within the sponsor center and by two ear, nose, and throat surgeons from two other centers who have agreed to participate in the project in order to verify its feasibility before global sending.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Ear, nose and throat surgeons, oncologists specializing in oncology of aerodigestive carcinomas, radiation therapists specialized in oncology of aerodigestive carcinomas exercising in France

Exclusion Criteria:

* None