How do breast cancer patients experience multidisciplinary tumor conferences? - A description from the patient perspective.

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 = 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 = 109 expressions). However, some patients reported difficult experiences and emotional reactions during and after participation (n = 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.