Research Article
Breast Cancer Survivors’ Perceptions of Prevention versus
Control of Future Cancer Recurrence
Monira Alwhaibi,
1,2
Christa L. Lilly ,
3
Hannah Hazard ,
4,5
and Kimberly M. Kelly
5,6
1
College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2
Medication Safety Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3
School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
4
School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
5
West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
6
School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
Correspondence should be addressed to Kimberly M. Kelly; kmkelly@hsc.wvu.edu
Received 10 July 2018; Revised 15 March 2019; Accepted 14 April 2019; Published 2 May 2019
Academic Editor: Vladimir F. Semiglazov
Copyright © 2019 Monira Alwhaibi et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
Background. Te Institute of Medicine has established Survivorship Care Planning as a critical component of cancer care to ensure
that cancer survivors receive the appropriate follow-up care in a timely manner and support cancer survivors in dealing with the
risk of recurrence, yet little is known about how cancer survivors think about preventing or controlling future cancer recurrence.
Tis study sought to assess breast cancer women’s perceived prevention and perceived control of future cancer recurrence. Methods.
Women with a history of breast cancer (n=114) were surveyed, and data were analyzed using concurrent mixed methods. Binary
logistic regression models examined predictors of perceived prevention and perceived control of cancer recurrence. Results. Most
women perceived that they could control cancer recurrence (89%); few (30%) perceived that they could prevent cancer recurrence.
Women reported components of the timeline (e.g., early diagnosis), identity (e.g., cancer in body), causes (e.g., hereditary),
consequences (e.g., witness success), and cure/control (e.g., exercise) or lack of cure/control. Women who reported lack of control
were less likely to perceive that they could control cancer recurrence. Women who reported causes were less likely to perceive
that they could prevent or control cancer recurrence. Conclusions. Women’s perceptions about the prevention and control of
cancer recurrence are important and diferent factors in the minds of women with breast cancer. Most women believed they could
control cancer recurrence; however, few believed they could prevent cancer recurrence. Interventions to focus on control of cancer
recurrence, focusing on evidence-based clinical and lifestyle interventions, are needed.
1. Introduction
Breast cancer is among the top causes of disability of older
women globally [1]. It accounts for 30% of the total cancer
cases and 15% of cancer deaths [2, 3]. Te use of more efective
and less toxic medications has resulted in an increasing rate
of survivorship among women with breast cancer, with the
relative survival rate at 10 years afer diagnosis for combined
stages of breast cancer being over 80% in the United States
[4]. Moreover, breast cancer survivors have a higher risk of
developing a future cancer than individuals who have no
prior cancer history [5, 6]. Tis large and growing population
calls for increasing attention to clinical decision-making in
the cancer care context in terms of beliefs about prevention
and control of recurrence for those who survive their initial
breast cancer.
Te Institute of Medicine has established Survivorship
Care Plans (SCPs) as a critical component of cancer care that
should be provided to cancer survivors upon completion of
treatment. SCPs can include follow-up screening, signs of
recurrence, monitoring and managing psychosocial efects,
guidelines for lifestyle modifcations and health promotion
activities, and empowering cancer survivors to support for
their own healthcare needs [7, 8]. Tis information can
Hindawi
International Journal of Breast Cancer
Volume 2019, Article ID 2652180, 12 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2652180