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William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
Posted: Monday, December 23, 2024
New research published in JCO Oncology Practice suggests that many women remain hesitant to participate in breast cancer prevention trials, even when they self-identify as having an increased risk of breast cancer. Cecilia N. Mastrogiacomo, MD, of Stony Brook University Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues found in their observational, cross-sectional study that willingness to participate in prevention research was highest among women with known genetic risks. And it was negatively affected by the duration of behavioral interventions and the involvement of medications—even those with relatively modest side effects.
“This reluctance underscores significant challenges in recruitment to prevention trials, even for women at substantial risk, suggesting a disconnect between the understanding of potential benefits and the actual willingness to engage in preventive strategies,” the investigators stated.
A total of 143 women who self-reported an increased risk of developing breast cancer were included in the study. Most of the women (81.2%) completed 30% or more of a Likert-type scale questionnaire on their willingness to participate in a variety of interventions for breast cancer prevention. Responses were dichotomized into “more willing” and “less willing,” and they were compared by patient characteristics and intervention type.
The researchers reported that participants’ willingness to participate in breast cancer prevention studies was high overall, with 82.7% “more willing”—including 69.0% willing to participate in unspecified physical activity and 70.7% willing to participate in dietary interventions. However, willingness differed significantly by the duration of these interventions, decreasing for 12- vs 3-month diet-based interventions (P < .0001) and decreasing for 1 hour vs 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise per day (P < .0001). For interventions involving medication, 18.1% of participants were “more willing” to participate, which decreased significantly when side effects occurred. Finally, carriers of gene mutations were found to be more willing to participate in prevention studies than noncarriers (52.6% vs 30.2%; P = .018).
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit ascopubs.org.
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