Attitudes and practices regarding adjuvant chemotherapy in node-negative breast cancer.
Eight months after an NCI "Clinical Alert" was issued a survey was conducted to examine attitudes and practices regarding the use of adjuvant chemotherapy for node-negative breast cancer among Connecticut physicians most experienced in the care of such patients. Respondents (N = 66) indicated that the communication prompted change in case management practices; 65% reported increased use of adjuvant chemotherapy in treatment of women with node-negative disease. Seventy-seven percent of physicians who responded now consider adjuvant chemotherapy for node-negative patients to be the standard of care in their community. Opinions regarding the NCI strategy were more equivocal, with 44% of respondents terming the issuance of the Clinical Alert "inappropriate." Our findings suggest that real change in the treatment of breast cancer may have been precipitated by the NCI's action.
Gregorio
D I
DI
Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06032.
Strelez
L A
LA
Sporn
J R
JR
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009369:Neoplasms; D010820:Physicians; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents