ArticleBreast cancer research and treatment2017
The impact of doctor-patient communication on patients' perceptions of their risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Article in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Systematic review of interventions by non-mental health specialists for managing fear of cancer recurrence in adult cancer survivors.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2019Pooled it
- Effect of situational simulation teaching combined with the AIDET framework on communication skills training for oncology residents.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Trial
- Question prompts to empower cancer patients: results of a randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2020Trial
- Provider effects and racial inequities in breast cancer risk-management adoption: Findings from a community-based study of high-risk women.Patient education and counseling · 2026Article
- The coping experiences in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and their spouses following postoperative recurrence: A dyadic qualitative study.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2025Article
- Quality of life and psychosocial challenges in metastatic breast cancer: the need for tailored interventions in Turkiye.Future science OA · 2025Article
- Patient perceptions around the use of clinico-pathologic and genomic tools in the management of early breast cancer.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2025Article
- Early identification and prevention of depressive symptoms in breast cancer patients.World journal of clinical oncology · 2025Article
- Penile cancer awareness and knowledge among adult patients in an ambulatory urology clinic.Translational andrology and urology · 2025Article
- New Therapeutic Scenarios in the Context of Adjuvant Treatment for HR+/HER2-Breast Cancer: The Possible Role of Ribociclib in Treatment Algorithms for Stage II and III.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Review
- Symptom Experience and Management Needs of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Endocrine Therapy: A Qualitative Study.Patient preference and adherence · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators for implementation of the SWORD evidence-based psychological intervention for fear of cancer recurrence in three different healthcare settings.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2023Article
- Article
- EBCC-13 manifesto: Balancing pros and cons for contralateral prophylactic mastectomy.European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) · 2023Review
- Communicating bad news to patients and families in African oncology settings.Psycho-oncology · 2023Article
- Relations between recurrence risk perceptions and fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer survivors.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2022Article
- Physician management of thyroid cancer patients' worry.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2021Article
- Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients: The Role of a Multidisciplinary Care Team.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2021Article
- Therapeutic Targeting of Minimal Residual Disease to Prevent Late Recurrence in Hormone-Receptor Positive Breast Cancer: Challenges and New Approaches.Frontiers in oncology · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeDoctor-patient communication is the primary way for women diagnosed with breast cancer to learn about their risk of distant recurrence. Yet little is known about how doctors approach these discussions.
methodsA weighted random sample of newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer patients identified through SEER registries of Los Angeles and Georgia (2013-2015) was sent surveys about ~2 months after surgery (Phase 2, N = 3930, RR 68%). We assessed patient perceptions of doctor communication of risk of recurrence (i.e., amount, approach, inquiry about worry). Clinically determined 10-year risk of distant recurrence was established for low and intermediate invasive cancer patients. Women's perceived risk of distant recurrence (0-100%) was categorized into subgroups: overestimation, reasonably accurate, and zero risk. Understanding of risk and patient factors (e.g. health literacy, numeracy, and anxiety/worry) on physician communication outcomes was evaluated in multivariable regression models (analytic sample for substudy = 1295).
resultsAbout 33% of women reported that doctors discussed risk of recurrence as "quite a bit" or "a lot," while 14% said "not at all." Over half of women reported that doctors used words and numbers to describe risk, while 24% used only words. Overestimators (OR .50, CI 0.31-0.81) or those who perceived zero risk (OR .46, CI 0.29-0.72) more often said that their doctor did not discuss risk. Patients with low numeracy reported less discussion. Over 60% reported that their doctor almost never inquired about worry.
conclusionsEffective doctor-patient communication is critical to patient understanding of risk of recurrence. Efforts to enhance physicians' ability to engage in individualized communication around risk are needed.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.