Patients' knowledge and experience of adjuvant endocrine therapy for early breast cancer: a European study.
Little is known about patients' experience of, and knowledge about adjuvant endocrine therapy. A European survey was carried out to explore this knowledge gap. The 547 post-menopausal women with early breast cancer, from 9 European countries, completed a questionnaire about their experience and knowledge of their therapy. Forty one percent of women surveyed were not at all involved in the decision to start adjuvant endocrine therapy and only 10% were fully involved. Only 57% received information about possible side effects, 26% about the risk of their cancer returning and 15% about the possible long term effects of treatment. Older women, less educated women or those without Internet access were less likely to receive information or be involved in decision making. Women's right to information and involvement in decision making are not respected. Greater efforts are required to ensure that all patients understand how different therapies work so that they can make informed decisions.
Wengström
Yvonne
Y
European Oncology Nursing Society & Department for Neurobiology, Care Science and Society, Division for Nursing, Karolinska Institutet 23300, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden. Yvonne.Wengstrom@ki.se
Aapro
Matti
M
Leto di Priolo
Susanna
S
Cannon
Helena
H
Georgiou
Vasoulla
V
D000368:Aged; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003657:Decision Making; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000730:Androstadienes; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000077289:Letrozole; C056516:exemestane