Table 2 Demographic and disease-related characteristics of the patients (N = 285)

Age

64.09

12.32

n

%

Gender

Female

119

41.8

Male

166

58.2

Marital status

Married

248

87.0

Widowed

24

8.4

Unmarried

8

2.8

Divorced

4

1.4

Cohabited

1

0.4

Educational background

Primary school (6 years of schooling)

49

17.2

Middle/high school (8–12 years)

170

59.6

College/University (15–17 years)

58

20.4

Postgraduate (at least 18 years)

8

2.8

Religion

No

242

84.9

Yes

43

15.1

Payment method of medical expense

Basic medical insurance for urban residents

131

46.0

Basic medical insurance for urban employees

98

34.4

New rural cooperative medical insurance

45

15.8

Self-financed/Commercial insurance

11

3.8

Monthly disposable income per capita

 < 2500RMB

55

19.3

2500–5000RMB

92

32.3

5000–10000RMB

107

37.5

 > 10,000–15000RMB

31

10.9

Distance metastasis

Yes

136

47.7

No

149

52.3

PPS score

 <  = 60%

126

44.2

 > 60%

159

55.8

Undergoing treatment

Chemotherapy

154

54.0

Target therapy

47

16.5

Immunotherapy

41

14.4

Surgery

33

11.6

Radiotherapy

14

4.9

Hormone therapy

9

3.2

Interventional therapy

10

3.5

With non-cancer chronic conditions

Yes

275

96.5

No

10

3.5

Patients’ perception of the disease progression

Did not know

24

8.4

Only knew the diagnosis

123

43.2

Knew the diagnosis and the severity

138

48.4