P4-14-03: Support Groups in Breast Cancer: An Evidence Based Assessment of 1606 Patients with Concerning Topics for Support Group Discussion and Presentation.

Abstract

Background Cancer support groups are conducted at most cancer centers. Although there is increasing demand among patients and families for support groups, little data exist outlining which topics patients and caregivers consider as most important for support group discussion and presentation. We conducted a large web-based anonymous survey to determine preferences of patients and caregivers for cancer support groups, including 1606 individuals with breast cancer and 3723 with other malignancies. Methods: The established patient base of NexCura®, a web-based information resource, was used to survey registered patients and caregivers in this on-line assessment. Participants ranked 26 topics on a 5-point Likert scale which evaluated the importance of each item. Demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and support group content preferences were assessed. Results: There were 4402 respondents to the invitation to participate, and 3723 patients and caregivers elected to participate (85%). Characteristics included for all 3723 patients: 70% women, mean age 58 (range 20–89). For the 1606 patients with breast cancer, 99.8% were women, the mean age was 56 (range 27–88); 53% were free of cancer. For the whole group, the four most common cancers were breast 45%, prostate 15%, lung 6%, and colorectal 5%. 90% of participants were patients and 10% were caregivers. 80% of participants rated all 26 topics. The table below shows rankings by the top 2 categories (the percent ranking each topic as “Very Important” or “Important”) of the 10 highest rated topics (and the rank order for each item) for patients with breast cancer and for all patients. Conclusions: 1) This is the largest survey of patients and caregivers concerning support groups for patients with breast cancer and for a general cancer population. 2) Patients with breast cancer ranked most topics similarly to the general cancer population; however, topics dealing with fatigue and stress management were somewhat more highly ranked by those with breast cancer. 3) Physical, psychological, and communication issues were the most highly ranked issues by breast cancer patients and families. 4) These results should guide the content of support groups to meet the needs of patients and caregivers. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-14-03.