Breast cancer management: the perspective of general practitioners in inner and eastern Melbourne

This study sought to explore general practitioners' (GPs') experience with specialist breast services and to identify their communication, education and resource requirements regarding care of the breast cancer patient, by means of a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 450 GPs in inner and eastern Melbourne. Twenty-three per cent of questionnaires were returned. On average, GPs had one patient newly diagnosed with breast cancer per year. GPs were most likely to refer symptomatic patients to a private specialist breast surgeon. Their referral pattern was largely influenced by previous experience of referral to the service. Communication with specialist breast services was generally satisfactory during the initial stages of diagnosis and treatment; however discharge communication, phone communication with specialists, and admission notification was less satisfactory. When given a list of topics in which GPs may require further education, 65% of respondents identified "Recent advances in breast cancer management" as an area of interest, and the majority requested a directory listing breast services in their local area.