Oncologist-reported frequency of managing specific long-term and late effects in breast cancer survivors.

Authors

null

Eden Brauer

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Eden Brauer, Laura Petersen, Patricia A. Ganz

Organizations

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Research Funding

Other Foundation
Susan G. Komen.

Background: Breast cancer survivors may experience a broad range of physical and psychosocial long-term and late effects. Although disease-specific guidelines for breast cancer survivorship care are available, systematic approaches remain a challenge in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to describe variations in how medical oncologists assess and manage specific long-term and late effects in breast cancer survivors. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from a survey of medical oncologists about breast cancer survivorship care in the United States. Using a study-specific list, oncologists were asked to report the “most common” and “most distressing” concerns of breast cancer survivors in their clinical practice, as well as the frequency at which they assess and manage 16 specific long-term and late effects in routine survivorship care. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to rank perceived patient concerns and compare practice variations across specific post-treatment issues. Results: Data from 215 surveys were included. Oncologists perceived anxiety, fatigue, neuropathy, and menopausal symptoms as top-ranking common and distressing concerns in breast cancer patients. When asked how often they assess and manage specific long-term and late effects in routine survivorship visits, oncologists reported the highest frequency for neuropathy (55%), bone health (54%), and pain (52%), and the lowest frequency for cognitive impairment (19%), sexual dysfunction (15%), and body image concerns (13%). Cognitive impairment and body image were perceived as the fourth and fifth most distressing issues that breast cancer survivors face, yet oncologists reported routine assessment and management less than 20 percent of the time. Conclusions: Findings from this analysis indicate that oncologists routinely assess and manage certain long-term and late effects, while others remain neglected. Important disconnects between perceived patient concerns and the issues that are routinely addressed in clinical practice were also identified. Standardized approaches that incorporate brief patient-reported assessments across multidimensional issues may facilitate comprehensive, guideline-concordant survivorship care.

Frequency of “always / almost always” assessing and managing long-term and late effects in breast cancer survivors.

Long-term and Late Effects
“Always or almost always”

Number
%
Neuropathy
120
55.8
Bone health
116
53.9
Pain
111
51.6
Lymphedema
104
48.4
Menopausal symptoms
100
46.5
Musculoskeletal discomfort
90
41.9
Persistent fatigue
84
39.1
Anxiety
76
35.4
Depressive symptoms
72
33.5
Cardiac toxicities
63
29.3
Subsequent malignancies
52
24.2
Sleep disturbances
47
21.9
Fertility status family-building (when applicable)
41
19.1
Cognitive impairment
40
18.6
Sexual health and dysfunction
32
14.9
Body image concerns
27
12.6

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Palliative and Supportive Care,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Late and Long-Term Adverse Effects

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 28; abstr 193)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.28_suppl.193

Abstract #

193

Poster Bd #

A18

Abstract Disclosures

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