PERCEIVED INFORMATIONAL NEEDS OF BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS RECEIVING RADIATION-THERAPY AFTER EXCISIONAL BIOPSY AND AXILLARY NODE DISSECTION

This study assessed the informational needs of female breast cancer pa tients receiving radiation therapy after excisional biopsy and axillar y node dissection. Two groups of subjects were interviewed: women in t he first week of radiation therapy (T-1 and women at their first clini c visit after the completion of radiation therapy (T-2) A total of 40 women (20 in each group) completed the Informational Needs Questionnai re-Breast Cancer (INQ-BC) to assess their perceived informational need . The INQ-BC assessed the women's informational needs concerning diagn osis, investigative tests, treatment, physical and psychological funct ioning, family, and available financial resources. All subjects had in formational needs on all seven subscales of the INQ-BC. The T-1 group had significantly higher scores than did the T-2 group. However, for b oth groups the highest scores were in the Treatment and Physical subsc ales, suggesting a similarity in the women's informational needs. The results suggest that during the illness experience women seek informat ion about their cancer treatment and related physical care. The result s also indicate the importance of assessing the breast cancer patients ' perceived informational needs at various points in the treatment con tinuum.