Effectiveness of a Survivorship Program: An Assessment of Patients With Breast Cancer in a Community Setting

Purpose:This study assesses the effectiveness of a single institution’s breast cancer survivorship program on patient perceptions, quality of life (QOL), and compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for follow-up.Methods:Sampled patients completed all their breast cancer treatment at a single tertiary center. Surveys designed to evaluate QOL were obtained, and retrospective medical record review was conducted to assess NCCN compliance. Survivorship clinic (SC) attendees and nonattendees were matched for age and disease stage for comparison of the outcomes (QOL, NCCN compliance, and overall effectiveness).Results:SC patients (n = 63) tended to perceive their concerns in various categories to be addressed more adequately than did nonattendees (n = 54), with significant differences in the areas of practical concerns (P = .03) and late-term adverse effects (P = .03). There was a significant difference in compliance with three NCCN guidelines (history and physical every 3 to 6 mo...