Routine Monitoring of Quality of Life for Patients with Breast Cancer: An Acceptability and Field Test

Abstract

As part of the development of a quality of life monitor for women with breast cancer, a qualitative acceptability test was conducted among 10 patients, to assess their suggestions for improvement. Next, a field test was conducted among 50 women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both treatments to examine the use of the monitor in daily practice and to assess physicians’ and patients’ experiences with the monitor. Although patients in general held a positive attitude toward the monitor and compliance was high, patients regularly were unsure about how the quality of life information was used by physicians.

KEYWORDS:

• breast cancer
• communication
• distress
• quality of life
• screening

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participating patients. This study was supported by a grant from Pink Ribbon, The Netherlands. None of the authors have a conflict of interest to declare in relation to this work.