SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Psychosocial support is a high priority for women with metastatic breast cancer, a U.S. survey of women with advanced breast cancer found.
The survey of 367 women, conducted by Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, found 43 percent said a family member gave them the most support, 16 percent said a caregiver, 14 percent said a friend and 13 percent said medical oncologist.
The survey also found 94 percent of respondents indicated that they had experienced weakness or fatigue while dealing with their disease, while 73 percent said they had suffered from depression and 67 percent said they had experienced cognitive disorders associated with treatment, also known a "chemo-brain."
Twenty-two percent expressed unhappiness with the care they have received for their disease; 73 percent were not offered entry into a clinical trial at diagnosis; 36 percent disagreed with the statement that women with metastatic breast cancer have a variety of treatment options available to them; and 52 percent said their healthcare provider does not offer a variety of treatment options or keep them informed of relevant drug approvals and clinical trials.
The survey findings were presented at the 30th annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
