Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer: Factors Influencing Surgeons' Referrals.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study aimed to assess the influence of disease- and patient-related factors on surgeons' decisions to refer patients with early-stage breast cancer (EBC) for neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST).

Methods

An online survey of United States surgeons evaluated the influence of selected disease- and patient-related factors on surgeons' decisions, rated their influence (individually and in combination), and provided a relative ranking of jointly considered factors using best-worst scaling.

Results

The participants in this study were 100 licensed surgeons. The surgeons referred approximately 25 % of EBC patients for NST to improve surgical management. Approximately 75 % of the surgeons agreed that NST is important for EBC, if only to improve surgical management

SUBMITTER: Mamounas E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5009159 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature