Abstract P3-17-01: Metastatic breast cancer caregiver participation in a psychoeducational cancer support program: Results from the frankly speaking about cancer: Metastatic breast cancer evidence-based educational workshops
Authors: Saxton Claire , Fearnley Kirstin , Gonzalo Maria B. , Schwartz Cynthia 
Published: March 2022

Background: Education about metastatic breast cancer can help caregivers by providing tools to deal with the psychosocial effects of the disease. This analysis explores metastatic breast cancer caregivers’ experiences related to participation in Cancer Support Community’s national evidence-based educational program, Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Metastatic Breast Cancer. This comprehensive psychosocial education program, created for people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers, provides information about current treatments, side-effect management, and social and emotional challenges of an advanced breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: Caregivers who attended 67 workshops across the country between 2014 and 2019 completed program evaluations and provided self-reported data on factors including pre- and post-workshop knowledge, workshop satisfaction, confidence levels, and intentions for patient-provider communication post-workshop. In total, 305 caregivers of patients with metastatic breast cancer attending in-person Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Metastatic Breast Cancer workshops nationwide completed a survey assessing their experiences and learnings as a result of the educational workshops. Descriptive analyses and pre-and post-workshop comparisons were conducted to assess workshop outcomes. Results: Caregivers were predominantly White (79%) and female (75%) and averaged 64.2 years old (s.d.=12.5). 75% strongly identified as caregivers and 69% were strongly involved in coordinating the patient’s care (rated a ‘4’ or ‘5’ on a 5-point scale for both). Most participants in the caregiving capacity (87%) reported experiencing emotional distress due to their loved one’s cancer. The workshop was well-received, with 92% recommending the workshop to others facing similar issues. Most caregivers (77%) reported gaining a “high or very high” level of knowledge about metastatic breast cancer, which was a significant increase compared with pre-workshop levels (42%; χ²= 13.4, p &lt;.05). Caregivers were likely to report that they gained confidence to participate in treatment decision-making with their loved one’s health care team (79%) and to ask questions about side effects of metastatic breast cancer and its treatment (82%) as a result of participating in the workshop. Lastly, 92% of caregivers reported that because of the workshops, they felt better prepared to emotionally cope with their metastatic breast cancer caregiving experience. Discussion: Results suggest that comprehensive information and supportive services are highly relevant in meeting the psychosocial needs of cancer caregivers. Increased understanding of informational and emotional support service utilization can inform provision of services and programs addressing the emotional and informational needs of caregivers.

Citation Format: Claire Saxton, Kirstin Fearnley, Maria B. Gonzalo, Cynthia Schwartz. Metastatic breast cancer caregiver participation in a psychoeducational cancer support program: Results from the frankly speaking about cancer: Metastatic breast cancer evidence-based educational workshops [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-17-01.