Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2009 Apr;24(4):469-74.
doi: 10.1007/s11606-009-0903-2. Epub 2009 Jan 21.

Comparing care for breast cancer survivors to non-cancer controls: a five-year longitudinal study

Claire F Snyder  1 , Kevin D Frick, Kimberly S Peairs, Melinda E Kantsiper, Robert J Herbert, Amanda L Blackford, Antonio C Wolff, Craig C Earle
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Comparing care for breast cancer survivors to non-cancer controls: a five-year longitudinal study

Claire F Snyder et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Deficiencies in care for cancer survivors may result from unclear roles for primary care providers (PCPs) and oncology specialists in follow-up.

Objectives: To compare cancer survivors' care to non-cancer controls.

Design: Retrospective, longitudinal, controlled study starting 366 days post-diagnosis.

Subjects: Stage 1-3 breast cancer survivors age 65+ diagnosed in 1998 (n = 1961) and matched non-cancer controls (n = 1961).

Measurements: Using the SEER-Medicare database, we examined the number of visits to PCPs, oncology specialists, and other physicians; receipt of influenza vaccination, cholesterol screening, colorectal cancer screening, bone densitometry, and mammography; and whether care receipt was associated with physician mix visited.

Results: Survivors were consistently less likely to receive influenza vaccination, cholesterol screening, colorectal cancer screening, and bone densitometry but more likely to receive mammograms than controls (all p < 0.05). Over time, colorectal cancer screening and mammography decreased and influenza vaccination increased for both groups (all p < 0.0001). Trends over time in care receipt were similar for survivors and controls. In Year 1, survivors had more visits to PCPs but fewer visits to other physicians than controls (both p < 0.05). Over time, survivors' visits to PCPs and other physicians increased and to oncology specialists decreased (all p < 0.0001). Controls' visits to PCPs increased (p < 0.0001) faster than survivors' (p = 0.003). Controls' visits to other physicians increased (p < 0.0001) at a rate similar to survivors. Survivors who visited both a PCP and oncology specialist were most likely to receive each service.

Conclusions: Better coordination between PCPs and oncology specialists may improve care for older breast cancer survivors.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. None
    2. Institute of Medicine. From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2005.
    1. {'text': '', 'ref_index': 1, 'ids': [{'type': 'DOI', 'value': '10.1200/JCO.2006.08.8575', 'is_inner': False, 'url': 'https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2006.08.8575'}, {'type': 'PubMed', 'value': '17033037', 'is_inner': True, 'url': 'https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17033037/'}]}
    2. Khatcheressian JL, Wolff AC, Smith TJ, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology 2006 update of the breast cancer follow-up and management guidelines in the adjuvant setting. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24:5091–97. - PubMed
    1. {'text': '', 'ref_index': 1, 'ids': [{'type': 'DOI', 'value': '10.1200/JCO.2005.03.2235', 'is_inner': False, 'url': 'https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2005.03.2235'}, {'type': 'PubMed', 'value': '16418496', 'is_inner': True, 'url': 'https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16418496/'}]}
    2. Grunfeld E, Levine MN, Julian JA, et al. Randomized trial of long-term follow-up for early-stage breast cancer: a comparison of family physician versus specialist care. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24:848–55. - PubMed
    1. {'text': '', 'ref_index': 1, 'ids': [{'type': 'DOI', 'value': '10.1200/JCO.2007.14.2851', 'is_inner': False, 'url': 'https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2007.14.2851'}, {'type': 'PubMed', 'value': '18258984', 'is_inner': True, 'url': 'https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18258984/'}]}
    2. Ganz P, Hahn EE. Implementing a survivorship care plan for patients with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26:759–67. - PubMed
    1. {'text': '', 'ref_index': 1, 'ids': [{'type': 'DOI', 'value': '10.1200/JCO.2007.11.9859', 'is_inner': False, 'url': 'https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2007.11.9859'}, {'type': 'PubMed', 'value': '18309941', 'is_inner': True, 'url': 'https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18309941/'}]}
    2. Snyder CF, Earle CC, Herbert RJ, Neville BA, Blackford AL, Frick KD. Preventive care for colorectal cancer survivors: a 5-year longitudinal study. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26:1073–9. - PubMed

Publication types