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Physician’s knowledge, attitudes and practice pattern for breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: a survey among breast care specialists in Japan

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Abstract

Background

Breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy (BCP) is uncommon, and thus there is limited evidence on its treatment. However, the incidence of BCP is increasing probably due to women having children at an older age. We aimed to clarify the practice patterns and limitations in treatment for BCP in Japan.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was developed for board-certified Japanese breast cancer specialists (n = 1583) to evaluate their knowledge, attitude, experience, and practice patterns regarding BCP. Survey items also included questions regarding potential barriers of practice toward patients diagnosed during pregnancy and respondents’ background.

Results

In March 2018, 492 (31.1%) breast oncologists responded to the survey. Among them, 234 (48%) respondents had the experience of treating at least one case of BCP. The accuracy of knowledge about BCP was evaluated by three items regarding BCP treatment from the latest Japanese Breast Cancer Society treatment guideline, and 265 (54%) were categorized to have “appropriate knowledge”. Majority of the physicians (89%) have responded that patients should be treated in a center where both a cancer-treating team and obstetrician exist, and 48% responded that treating patients by the collaboration of cancer-treating team and obstetric team in different institutes is an alternative reasonable option.

Conclusions

Interest, knowledge, and awareness of the guidelines appear to influence physician attitude, and thus it is urgently important to lay out educational materials and learning opportunities regarding BCP for breast specialists. A regional network of oncologists, obstetricians, and pediatricians to support the BCP patients should be developed.

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Funding

This study was supported by the JBCS, Grant-in-Aid for “Establishment of Comprehensive care system for BCP (2017–2019)”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

    Hiroko Bando

  2. Department of Surgical Oncology, Breast Oncology Center, Cancer Institute Hospital of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan

    Akemi Kataoka

  3. Naha Nishi Clinic, Okinawa, Japan

    Kentaro Tamaki

  4. The Open University of Japan, Chiba, Japan

    Marioko Kobayashi

  5. Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Nobuko Tamura

  6. Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Miwa Ozawa

  7. Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, Hakuaikai Sagara Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan

    Junko Kawano

  8. Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, St. Luke’s International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan

    Yumi Fukatsu & Hideko Yamauchi

  9. Department of Medical Oncology, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Atsuko Kitano

  10. Integrated Woman’s Health, St. Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Kyoko Shiota

Authors
  1. Hiroko Bando
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  2. Akemi Kataoka
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  3. Kentaro Tamaki
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  4. Marioko Kobayashi
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  5. Nobuko Tamura
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  6. Miwa Ozawa
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  7. Junko Kawano
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  8. Yumi Fukatsu
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  9. Atsuko Kitano
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  10. Kyoko Shiota
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  11. Hideko Yamauchi
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Contributions

HB and HY wrote the main manuscript text. All authors contributed to the study design and reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hideko Yamauchi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

This study was approved by the University of Tsukuba Hospital’s Ethics Committee (H29-218).

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Bando, H., Kataoka, A., Tamaki, K. et al. Physician’s knowledge, attitudes and practice pattern for breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy: a survey among breast care specialists in Japan. Breast Cancer 27, 796–802 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-020-01118-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-020-01118-8

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