Follow-up care practices and barriers to breast cancer survivorship: perspectives from Asian oncology practitioners

Abstract

This study provides insights into the various aspects of breast cancer survivorship care from the perspectives of oncology practitioners and shows that survivorship care is relatively inadequate in Asia. There is a need for new survivorship care models to meet the needs of Asian BCS and to complement the unique healthcare systems of Asia.

Oncology practitioners’ perspectives and practice patterns of post-treatment cancer survivorship care in the Asia-Pacific region: results from the STEP study

“…Several studies have investigated the perspectives of oncology practitioners concerning their survivorship care practice and perceived barriers that impede the implementation of quality survivorship care [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 12 , 14 ]. These studies report varying levels of standards in terms of care provision [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 12 , 14 ]. A Singaporean study of 126 multidisciplinary oncology practitioners reported there were varying levels of frequency in how often they delivered different components of survivorship care [ 12 ].…”

“…These studies report varying levels of standards in terms of care provision [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 12 , 14 ]. A Singaporean study of 126 multidisciplinary oncology practitioners reported there were varying levels of frequency in how often they delivered different components of survivorship care [ 12 ]. The participants in this study also reported that monitoring physical and treatment-related adverse effects is a much more prevalent practice compared monitoring psychosocial issues [ 12 ].…”

Perceptions and Barriers of Survivorship Care in Asia: Perceptions From Asian Breast Cancer Survivors

“…1 In addition, greater than 60% of the Southeast Asian oncology practitioners from numerous countries suggested that patient-specific barriers are the main barriers to follow-up care among the survivors they routinely treat. 2 Because the success of survivorship care also depends greatly on the cooperation and participation of the survivors, it would be prudent to fully understand cancer survivorship from the end user perspective. Much of what is known about survivorship care and the issues faced by cancer survivors originates from studies that were conducted in the West, so ethnocultural differences may contribute to the delivery and experience of survivorship care among Asian cancer survivors.…”

A culturally adapted survivorship programme for Asian early stage breast cancer patients in Singapore: A randomized, controlled trial

“…Singapore is a multiethnic Asian society consisted of mostly Chinese, Malay, and Indians. To first address the problem, our research group has conducted a survey among Asian oncology practitioners in 2013 and the results revealed that practitioners prioritise their follow‐up care on treatment‐related adverse effects and noncancer medical history rather than postchemotherapy or postsurgical psychosocial issues . This indicates that certain cancer survivorship issues, such as psychological distress, are not adequately addressed; and specific interventions for clinically significant psychological distress like posttreatment anxiety and depression are lacking.…”