WP 3.15: Empowering breast cancer patients to assess and address their breast cosmetic outcome after breast conserving therapy

Annually 3000 breast cancer (BC) patients are treated with breast conserving therapy (BCT), comprising of breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy. The goal of BCT is to achieve cure while preserving a good cosmetic outcome (CO). In clinical trials, CO is assessed by comparing the treated breast with the other breast and is scored as excellent/good/fair/poor. One in five patients scores CO as fair or poor, and these patients have a lower body image score, find themselves less sexually attractive, and score lower on overall quality of life compared to patients with an excellent or good score. For the 95% of patients treated outside of clinical trials, there is no systematic assessment of CO.
Currently, national effort is put to implement patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), where BC patients can systematically report on their health condition during treatment and follow-up. What is unclear, is how PROMs can be utilized in a clinical setting where there is less time for patient consultations. We envision that we need an additional objective self-assessment tool. By combining objective and subjective CO scoring, we can track CO over time, and provide a foundation to select the right patients who need additional consultations, better addressing their personal needs.
In this study we will develop an objective CO scoring tool using data of 3 large Danish randomized trials. We will subsequently co-develop the photo-app with BC patients. Finally, we will determine the usability of the photo-app, and pilot the potential clinical value in five workshops organized throughout the country.

Awarded to: Jasper Nijkamp (Aarhus University Hospital) – CFA3

Awarded grant to support VIP personnel.