Publications

11.01.2019

Evaluating a Multidisciplinary Cancer Conference Checklist: Practice Versus Perceptions

BACKGROUND: Presentation to multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCCs) supports optimal treatment of young women with breast cancer (YWBC). However, research shows barriers to MCC practice, and variation in professional attendance and referral patterns. A checklist may help overcome these...

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11.01.2019

Clinicians' Perspectives on Barriers to Discussing Infertility and Fertility Preservation With Young Women With Cancer.

IMPORTANCE: Infertility can be a devastating adverse effect of cancer treatment for young women. Fertility preservation may be an important and influential factor in treatment decisions. Despite American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines recommending discussion around potential...

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10.28.2019

Effect of a Knowledge-Translation Intervention on Breast Surgeons' Oncofertility Attitudes and Practices.

BACKGROUND: The breast surgeon, generally the first oncology specialist consulted, is ideally suited to offer fertility preservation (FP) referral to young women with breast cancer (YWBC). In the authors' 2015 survey of 84 surgeons participating in the pan-Canadian RUBY study of YWBC...

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06.01.2019

What Young Women with Breast Cancer Get Versus What They Want in Online Information and Social Media Supports.

Purpose: Young women are high users of social media (SM), but information is lacking on whether online supports including SM meet the needs of young women (<40 years) with breast cancer (YWBC). YWBC are a vulnerable population who experience many psychosocial challenges alongside cancer...

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02.06.2019

The "Begin Exploring Fertility Options, Risks and Expectations" (BEFORE) decision aid: development and alpha testing of a fertility tool for premenopausal breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Premenopausal breast cancer patients are at risk of treatment-related infertility. Many patients do not receive sufficient fertility information before treatment. As such, our team developed and alpha tested the Begin Exploring Fertility Options, Risks, and Expectations decision...

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02.06.2019

An evaluation of oncofertility decision support resources among breast cancer patients and health care providers.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients of reproductive age are at risk of infertility as a result of their treatment. Oncofertility decision support resources can assist patients with fertility decision-making before treatment yet available oncofertility resources contain varying levels of detail and...

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10.09.2018

Scoping clinicians' perspectives on pre-treatment multidisciplinary care for young women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Young women with breast cancer (YWBC) experience worse medical and psychosocial outcomes than their older counterparts. Early input from a multidisciplinary team via pre-treatment multidisciplinary cancer conferences (pMCCs) may be important for addressing the complex needs of...

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