Risk-reducing surgery in women with a family history of breast cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quality of life, body satisfaction, expectations and decision-making in women with a family history of breast cancer.
IRAS ID
200119
Contact name
Malin Akerlund
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newman University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Increased referrals to breast cancer family history clinics and a greater interest in genetic testing as well as prophylactic surgery since 2013 (Evans et al., 2014) has made NICE encourage more research into psychosocial and clinical outcomes in women’s decision making process (NICE, 2013). Studies have showed that although anxiety decreases as a result of risk-reducing breast surgery, women are sometimes left with a negative image of their body.
The aim is to investigate numerous pre and post-operative factors: psychosocial well-being, satisfaction, expectations, decision-making and what information being used when considering risk-reducing breast surgery.
The participants (104 in total) will be asked to complete a one-time only questionnaire. The majority of the questions are part of validated questionnaires (Breast-Q; Hopwood et al., 2001; Pusic et al., 2006; Pusic et al., 2007). The questionnaire will be administered as self-completion in a paper version and as an online version.
Patients will be approached in three ways;
1. Online using a secret Facebook group which is run by Nottingham Breast Institute.
2. When attending a women’s gene positive group sessions arranged by the Nottingham Breast Institute.
3. When attending a clinic at the breast unit or identified by the family history nurse.The data collection is proposed to be completed by 30/09/2016 and will take place at the Nottingham Breast Institute (Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust).
The researcher is also requesting REC approval to use pre-existing non-identifiable audit data collected at the Breast unit to investigate body image of women who have had risk-reducing surgery due to a family history of breast cancer.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0205
Date of REC Opinion
3 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion