title: A feasibility study to evaluate breast cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of an electronic survey to assess patients' knowledge of their breast cancer and treatment, and interest in receiving a medical summary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women undergoing breast cancer treatment completed an interviewer-administered electronic survey in person or by telephone. Medical records were abstracted to evaluate knowledge accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 38 eligible patients approached for the study, 35 (92%) participated and 33 (94%) completed the survey. Participants' perceived knowledge tended to be greater than their actual knowledge. Reporting of clinicopathologic features was most accurate for stage (91%) and lymph node status (88%), and least accurate for tumor size (61%), type (61%), and grade (33%). Accurate reporting of tumor receptor over-expression varied from 76% (estrogen receptor) to 39% (progesterone receptor). Many patients correctly recalled general treatment modalities and details of surgery; fewer recalled details of radiation and chemotherapy. Importantly, nearly all (32/33) were interested in receiving a breast cancer medical summary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An electronic survey is feasible to assess breast cancer patients' knowledge. This data suggest that patients have gaps in knowledge and would like a personalized medical summary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger studies are needed to validate and characterize knowledge gaps, and test interventions to improve physician-patient information sharing.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. smithsm@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Raymond R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Balise
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Mary M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Alissa N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Flesher
authors.forename: Alice E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Guardino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019359:Knowledge; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011878:Radiotherapy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone