Dr Denalee O'Malley Discusses Unique Concerns of Younger Patients With Breast Cancer

Younger, premenopausal patients with breast cancer can have unique issues that providers need to keep in mind, said Denalee O’Malley, PhD, LSW, instructor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Transcript

How can primary care doctors and oncologists collaborate to ensure that premenopausal patients with breast cancer have the necessary support to address the unique concerns of relationships, work, parenting, or other caregiving issues in a younger generation?

So, it’s important for the primary care physicians to get a report from the primary oncology team with both the treatments that patients have received and the anticipated late and long-term effects, as well as a surveillance plan. That’s currently called a cancer survivorship plan, and so, as a part of that plan [it designates] who’s going to be responsible for the different aspects of a patient’s care.

For younger breast cancer survivors, in particular, if there’s anticipated changes in menopausal status that would be helpful for primary care physicians to know. Also, who is going to be … the point person for symptoms management—so, if something comes up, does the patient know who to call, and how to get their needs met, is important for the navigational experience for the patient.