A feasibility study to evaluate breast cancer patients' knowledge of their diagnosis and treatment

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of an electronic survey to assess patients' knowledge of their breast cancer and treatment, and interest in receiving a medical summary. Methods: Women undergoing breast cancer treatment completed an interviewer-administered electronic survey in person or by telephone. Medical records were abstracted to evaluate knowledge accuracy. Results: Among 38 eligible patients approached for the study, 35 (92%) participated and 33 (94%) completed the survey. Participants' perceived knowledge tended to be greater than their actual knowledge. Reporting of clinicopathologic features was most accurate for stage (91%) and lymph node status (88%), and least accurate for tumor size (61%), type (61%), and grade (33%). Accurate reporting of tumor receptor over-expression varied from 76% (estrogen receptor) to 39% (progesterone receptor). Many patients correctly recalled general treatment modalities and details of surgery; fewer recalled details of radiation and chemotherapy. Importantly, nearly all (32/33) were interested in receiving a breast cancer medical summary. Conclusion: An electronic survey is feasible to assess breast cancer patients' knowledge. This data suggest that patients have gaps in knowledge and would like a personalized medical summary. Practice implications: Larger studies are needed to validate and characterize knowledge gaps, and test interventions to improve physician-patient information sharing.