Patients' expectations for follow-up in breast cancer--a preliminary, questionnaire-based study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend 2-3 years of breast cancer follow-up.
• Clinicians express reluctance in adhering to these NICE guidelines.
• Patient expectations regarding breast cancer follow-up remain largely unestablished.

Purpose of the Study:

• To ascertain patient expectations for the length and frequency of breast cancer follow-up.
• To understand patient perceptions of the objectives of follow-up clinics.
• To assess patient willingness to reduce follow-up frequency upon learning about routine visit inefficiencies.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study utilizing a questionnaire-based approach.
• Data collected from women prior to their first scheduled follow-up appointment, one year post-treatment.
• Inquiry into patient beliefs about the purpose of follow-up, including relapse detection, psychological support, and side effect monitoring.

Main Results:

• Patient expectations for breast cancer follow-up length and frequency exhibit significant variability.
• The primary perceived purpose of follow-up is relapse detection; psychological support and side effect monitoring are considered less central.
• One-third of patients indicated willingness to forgo clinic visits if informed about the low detection rate of metastatic disease in routine examinations.

Conclusions:

• Patient expectations for breast cancer follow-up are diverse and often misaligned with current clinical guidelines.
• There is a potential for patient acceptance of modified follow-up schedules, particularly if presented with data on clinical examination efficacy.
• Further research is warranted to align patient expectations with evidence-based follow-up care to improve adherence and patient satisfaction.