Abstract C21: Post-treatment follow up among Latina breast cancer survivors
Authors: Lynce Filipa , Graves Kristi D. 
Published: May 2016

Introduction: Post-treatment follow up care of racial and ethnic minority breast cancer survivors is critical. To date, scarce evidence indicates whether psychosocial factors such as stress and perceived interference with daily activities are associated with surveillance among Latina breast cancer survivors. Research is also lacking about how often Latina survivors experience treatment side effects that impact their daily lives.

Methods: Bilingual English and Spanish speaking staff conducted telephone interviews with a national cross-sectional sample of 264 Latina breast cancer survivors. Interview items had been cognitively tested with a separate sample of 10 Latina breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer follow up, perceived stress due to follow-up care and actual treatments were measured using face-valid self-report items. We used Pearson and point-biserial correlation coefficients in bivariate analyses. Demographic, clinical and social variables that were significantly associated with our follow-up care outcomes were included in multivariate analyses using logistic regression models.

Results: Latina survivors (n=264) were on average 50.6 years old (SD = 9.9) and 1 to 5 years (average 2.7, SD = 1.3) post diagnosis. Almost half of patients reported that mammogram (43%) and/or regular follow-up appointments (46%) were a source of stress. Over one third (35%) of Latina breast cancer survivors reported that they experienced side effects from breast cancer treatments that interfered with regular daily activities but only 19% discontinued treatment for this reason. Most of the patients (86%) who discontinued treatment due to side effects discussed it with their doctor before stopping cancer medication. In bivariate analyses, patients who experienced side effects that interfered with daily activities were more likely to report stress (r=0.17, p=0.01) and interference of daily activities due to medical follow up visits (r=0.22, p ≤0.001). They were also more likely to be young (r= -0.13, p=0.03) and to discontinue treatments recommended for breast cancer (r=0.13, p=0.04). In multivariate analyses, experiencing disruptive side effects from treatment (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.4 – 4.6) and not currently taking hormone therapy (OR=0.52, 95% CI = 0.28 – 0.97) were independently associated with reporting stress due to routine follow up appointments.

Conclusions: Efforts to improve Latinas' survivorship experience of follow up care are needed. Future efforts should address management of side effects and their impact on psychological aspects of Latina breast cancer survivors' well-being. Improvements in these aspects of patient-centered care may have a positive impact on Latina breast cancer survivors' adherence to post-treatment follow up.

Citation Format: Filipa Lynce, Kristi D. Graves. Post-treatment follow up among Latina breast cancer survivors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr C21.