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Objectives: Aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of breast cancer patients who participated in multidisciplinary tumor conferences (MTCs). Study design: Data from two consecutive years of an annual postal survey of patients with primary breast cancer were combined. Data was collected between February and July 2015 (response rate 72%) and 2016 (response rate 73%) from N ¼ 8893 patients (ICD-10 C50) after hospital discharge from 86 breast cancer center hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The study used a mixed-methods design. Standardized quantitative survey questions were analyzed descriptively and an open-ended question was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Around 9% of the patients were invited to participate in a multidisciplinary tumor conference (MTC) and 49% of the invited patients reported actual participation in a MTC. Approximately 87% of those patients did not regret their participation in the MTC. The qualitative analysis from the open-ended question indicated that MTC participation was perceived by patients as being both supportive and informative (n ¼ 109 expressions). However, some patients reported difficult experiences and emotional reactions during and after participation (n ¼ 37 expressions). Altogether, the patients' perception was divided into positive and negative, cognitive and emotional experiences following participation in a MTC. Conclusion:The perception of the MTCs varies between the participating patients. Further research on advantages and disadvantages for patients and particularly on the feasibility from the provider's perspective is necessary.

In cancer care, where patients and their families experience significant emotional distress and patients have to deal with complex medical information, patient centeredness is an important aspect of quality of care. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of patients' trust in their oncologists and patients' enablement on changes in health-related quality of life of colon cancer patients during follow-up care. We conducted a prospective study in a representative sample of private practices of German oncologists (N = 44). Patients (N = 131) filled out a standardized questionnaire prior to their first consultation (T0), directly after the first consultation (T1) and after two months (T2). Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling. Significant associations were found between trust in physician and changes in physical functioning between T1 and T2, and between trust in physician and patient enablement. Patient enablement is significantly associated with changes in physical functioning between T1 and T2. The results underline the importance of building a close and trustful patient-physician relationship in the oncology encounter. A central mechanism of the association between the quality of the relationship and health outcomes seems to be patient enablement. To enable patients to cope with their situation by making them understand their diagnosis, treatments, and side effects can impact health-related quality of life in physical domains.

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Private social support and the initial medical encounter can help reduce FOP. Particularly, oncologists should ensure that they facilitate the presentation of information in a comprehensible way while avoiding interruptions and that they take particular care of patients with poor social support.