SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2020
Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy among breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature using grounded theory.
Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Quantitative Meta-Analysis and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Aged Care Residents' Experiences of Autonomy, Being Controlled, and Optimal Functioning.The Gerontologist · 2024Pooled it
- Psychosocial experiences of breast cancer survivors: a meta-review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2024Pooled it
- Pilot randomized controlled trial of a program to enhance experience and adherence with adjuvant endocrine therapy among women with non-metastatic breast cancer: 12-month quantitative results.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Trial
- Antidepressant adherence and breast cancer recurrence risk in women with major depressive disorder: a retrospective cohort.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2026Article
- Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives of Patients With Early Breast Cancer, Caregivers, and Health Care Professionals: Italian Social Media Listening Study.JMIR cancer · 2026Article
- Medication adherence in a German cohort of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer: results of the BRE-BY-MED study.BMC cancer · 2026Article
- Expert and Patient Evaluation of an Education Tool for Breast Cancer Patients on Endocrine Therapy: Assessment of Usability, Knowledge and Medication Beliefs.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026Article
- Women's Insights on Extended Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer: Qualitative Online Forums Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Side effects and adherence trajectories of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients: results from the VICAN2 study.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2025Article
- Después del Cáncer: a qualitative exploration of navigating survivorship as a Latino couple following a breast cancer diagnosis.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Article
- Impact of major depressive disorder on breast cancer outcomes: a national retrospective cohort study.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2025Article
- Perspectives of Women with Breast Cancer and Healthcare Providers Participating in an Adherence-Enhancing Program for Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy: A Qualitative Study.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- The Experience of Patients with Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer: A Patient Journey Map Based on Qualitative Research.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2024Article
- Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer: a qualitative exploration of attribution of symptoms among post-menopausal women.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Article
- Identifying determinants of adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy following breast cancer: A systematic review of reviews.Cancer medicine · 2024Review
- Article
- Resistance to Resilience: Understanding Post-surgical Hormone Therapy in Breast Cancer Care.Cureus · 2023Review
- Adherence to Oral Anticancer Medications Among Women With Breast Cancer in Africa: A Scoping Review.JCO global oncology · 2023Article
- Hobson's choice or a horned dilemma: a grounded theory on adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy verified with breast cancer survivors.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Review
- Understanding pain related to adjuvant endocrine therapy after breast cancer: A qualitative report.European journal of cancer care · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeNumerous studies have examined non-adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in women recovering from breast cancer, but none provides a comprehensive theory to explain the challenges of long-term medication taking and resilience needed to continue. The aim of this study was to source, appraise, and synthesize data from existing qualitative studies to develop an in-depth explanatory model of non-adherence and discontinuation of hormonal medication among breast cancer survivors.
methodsA comprehensive search of databases and the literature identified 24 eligible qualitative studies published 2010-2019. Quotations (n = 801) listed within these papers and the original author interpretations were synthesized using NVivo, and grounded theory methodology.
resultsAt the beginning, knowledge about adjuvant endocrine therapy, trust in doctors, and worries and expectations, mean agreeing to medication is the only viable option, akin to a Hobson's choice. Thereafter, women's ability to deal with medication side-effects, knowledge and support received affect their decision to continue, akin to a horned dilemma where giving up the medication risks cancer recurrence and continuing means reduced contentment. Women stopping medication altogether question treatment necessity, search for normalcy and prioritize quality of life.
conclusionShared experiences and understandings were uncovered by examining commonalities in existing publications. The core category explained the difficulties women face with the initial decision to accept long-term endocrine therapy and then the everyday challenges of continuing or deciding to stop treatment early. An educational tool to inform survivors and health professionals about these challenges could potentially improve women's experience on treatment and in turn their adherence.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.