Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer

Background: Treatment-related side effects are common among women treated for early breast cancer and their effective management is essential to maintain quality of life, ensure treatment adherence, and optimise survival outcomes. This study aimed to investigate patient-reported experiences and pref...

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Main Authors: Antonio Di Meglio, Giuseppe Catanuto, Marzia Zambon, Alexandre Chan, Angelos P. Kassianos, Constantina Cloconi, Silvia Rohr, Rebecca Steele, Monique Coersmeyer, Sonia Ujupan, Fedro Peccatori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Breast
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960977625000335
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author Antonio Di Meglio
Giuseppe Catanuto
Marzia Zambon
Alexandre Chan
Angelos P. Kassianos
Constantina Cloconi
Silvia Rohr
Rebecca Steele
Monique Coersmeyer
Sonia Ujupan
Fedro Peccatori
author_facet Antonio Di Meglio
Giuseppe Catanuto
Marzia Zambon
Alexandre Chan
Angelos P. Kassianos
Constantina Cloconi
Silvia Rohr
Rebecca Steele
Monique Coersmeyer
Sonia Ujupan
Fedro Peccatori
author_sort Antonio Di Meglio
collection DOAJ
description Background: Treatment-related side effects are common among women treated for early breast cancer and their effective management is essential to maintain quality of life, ensure treatment adherence, and optimise survival outcomes. This study aimed to investigate patient-reported experiences and preferences about information regarding side effects received during breast cancer care. Methods: An international multi-stakeholder expert group conducted an online patient survey assessing comprehensiveness, timing, and delivery modality of information regarding treatment-related side effects among patients undergoing primary therapy (surgery, radiation, and [neo]adjuvant chemotherapy) and endocrine therapy for early breast cancer. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results: From June–August 2023, 608 respondents from Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain completed the survey: 57.5 % were <50 years old, and all were or had been on endocrine therapy. Fatigue was the most reported side effect (47.0 % for primary and 42.3 % for endocrine therapy). A variable proportion of patients (14.4%–46.8 % across side effects) reported receiving information only after having experienced the side effect. Up to 43.6 % of respondents reported receiving insufficient or no information on side effects from their healthcare providers. Most patients reported preference for proactive communication from healthcare providers about side effects and prevention strategies. Respondents valued direct interactions with physicians and nurses and capitalised on a relevant role for peer-support, however utility of smartphone and web-based platforms to record and manage symptoms was acknowledged. Conclusion: The survey underscores critical needs and offers insight informing the provision of comprehensive and timely information on treatment-related side effects across the cancer survivorship continuum.
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spelling doaj-art-483eb83991a64cd5bcb3dc17ec90ad9f2025-08-20T03:42:56ZengElsevierBreast1532-30802025-04-018010441410.1016/j.breast.2025.104414Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancerAntonio Di Meglio0Giuseppe Catanuto1Marzia Zambon2Alexandre Chan3Angelos P. Kassianos4Constantina Cloconi5Silvia Rohr6Rebecca Steele7Monique Coersmeyer8Sonia Ujupan9Fedro Peccatori10Cancer Survivorship Program, INSERM Unit 981, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Corresponding author. Gustave Roussy, 114 Rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), Brussels, Belgium and Humanitas Istituto Clinico Catanese, Misterbianco, Catania, ItalyEuropa Donna – the European Breast Cancer Coalition, Milano, ItalyUniversity of California, School of Pharmacy &amp; Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irvine, USADepartment of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, CyprusEuropean Oncology Nursing Society, Brussels, Belgium and German Oncology Center, Limassol, CyprusVintura BV, Utrecht, NetherlandsVintura BV, Utrecht, NetherlandsEli Lilly and Company, Belgium / Vernier, Brussels, SwitzerlandEli Lilly and Company, Belgium / Vernier, Brussels, SwitzerlandEuropean Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milano, ItalyBackground: Treatment-related side effects are common among women treated for early breast cancer and their effective management is essential to maintain quality of life, ensure treatment adherence, and optimise survival outcomes. This study aimed to investigate patient-reported experiences and preferences about information regarding side effects received during breast cancer care. Methods: An international multi-stakeholder expert group conducted an online patient survey assessing comprehensiveness, timing, and delivery modality of information regarding treatment-related side effects among patients undergoing primary therapy (surgery, radiation, and [neo]adjuvant chemotherapy) and endocrine therapy for early breast cancer. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results: From June–August 2023, 608 respondents from Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain completed the survey: 57.5 % were <50 years old, and all were or had been on endocrine therapy. Fatigue was the most reported side effect (47.0 % for primary and 42.3 % for endocrine therapy). A variable proportion of patients (14.4%–46.8 % across side effects) reported receiving information only after having experienced the side effect. Up to 43.6 % of respondents reported receiving insufficient or no information on side effects from their healthcare providers. Most patients reported preference for proactive communication from healthcare providers about side effects and prevention strategies. Respondents valued direct interactions with physicians and nurses and capitalised on a relevant role for peer-support, however utility of smartphone and web-based platforms to record and manage symptoms was acknowledged. Conclusion: The survey underscores critical needs and offers insight informing the provision of comprehensive and timely information on treatment-related side effects across the cancer survivorship continuum.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960977625000335
spellingShingle Antonio Di Meglio
Giuseppe Catanuto
Marzia Zambon
Alexandre Chan
Angelos P. Kassianos
Constantina Cloconi
Silvia Rohr
Rebecca Steele
Monique Coersmeyer
Sonia Ujupan
Fedro Peccatori
Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
Breast
title Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
title_full Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
title_fullStr Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
title_full_unstemmed Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
title_short Experiences and preferences about information on treatment-related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
title_sort experiences and preferences about information on treatment related side effects among patients with early breast cancer
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960977625000335
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