Question Prompt List in Breast Cancer Patients Planned for Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Question prompt list.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Breast Cancer Early Stage Breast Cancer (Stage 1-3), Neoadjuvant Therapy, Shared Decision Making. Basic parameters: from 18 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Sweden
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Question Prompt List as a Tool to Promote Patient-physician Concordance in the Understanding of Information on Neoadjuvant Treatment in Breast Cancer: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
Preoperative chemotherapy has been shown to be at least as effective as postoperative chemotherapy in breast cancer patients and has seen increased use over time. The decision regarding neoadjuvant treatment is complex, as various aspects need to be considered, and the patient's role in the decision-making process is central. The information provided by doctors to patients about preoperative treatment can be complicated, including details about treatment options, treatment plans, and side effects. If this information is not conveyed adequately, there is a risk of misunderstandings, which can lead to increased anxiety and stress for patients regarding their decisions. In oncology, question prompt lists (QPL) have been used as a tool to support patients by improving the information conveyed by doctors in various contexts where complex decisions need to be made. Studies have shown that QPL can facilitate better information exchange. However, their use in discussions about preoperative treatment for breast cancer patients has not been studied. Furthermore, evidence from randomized studies on the use of QPL in clinical practice is very limited. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of QPL during patient consultations involving discussions about neoadjuvant chemotherapy can improve information exchange in various aspects: understanding of the treatment; anxiety about the decision; participation in the decision-making process; patient-doctor communication; and decision-related conflict.
Interventions
- Other Question prompt list
The question prompt list includes 12 questions related to neoadjuvant therapy. It has been developed by an expert team including breast surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and psychologists and has been refined through focus interview with patient advocates and caregivers.
Primary outcome measures
- Concordance rate between patient and oncologist [Time frame: Within five days from patient visit]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Level of anxiety [Time frame: Within five days from patient visit]
- Decision-making participation [Time frame: Within five days from patient visit]
- Patient-physician communication [Time frame: Within five days from patient visit]
- Decisional conflict [Time frame: Within five days from patient visit]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Patients with operable breast cancer eligible for systemic neoadjuvant therapy, according to current treatment guidelines.
Exclusion criteria
- Patients with locally advanced breast cancer where neoadjuvant therapy is mandatory rather than a treatment option.
- Patients with cognitive impairment that are assessed from treating physician as unable to participate.
- Patients who cannot speak/read neither Swedish nor English.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Other
Study locations
Sweden · 3 centers
- Akademiska Uppsala University Hospital — Uppsala
- Västerås General Hospital — Västerås
- Örebro University Hospital — Örebro
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06777420 · 280103