title: Routine monitoring of quality of life for patients with breast cancer: an acceptability and field test.
abstract: As part of the development of a quality of life monitor for women with breast cancer, a qualitative acceptability test was conducted among 10 patients, to assess their suggestions for improvement. Next, a field test was conducted among 50 women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both treatments to examine the use of the monitor in daily practice and to assess physicians' and patients' experiences with the monitor. Although patients in general held a positive attitude toward the monitor and compliance was high, patients regularly were unsure about how the quality of life information was used by physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.j.fischer@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Elly M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Krol-Warmerdam
authors.forename: Gemma M C
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ranke
authors.forename: Mathieu H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zegers
authors.forename: Roeland Aeijelts
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Averink
authors.forename: Astrid N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Scholten
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kaptein
authors.forename: Hans W R
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Nortier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D057240:Patient Preference; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires