Decision aids for breast cancer chemoprevention

Abstract

The article by Korfage and colleagues in this issue of Breast Cancer Research highlights the importance of enabling women to make informed choices about breast cancer chemoprevention. Decision aids have the potential to improve knowledge and decision-making in this context, but they do not guarantee increased uptake of chemoprevention amongst high-risk women if this option is inconsistent with women’s values. Important avenues for further research in this area include evaluating: decision aids with explicit values clarification exercises and with comparison between chemoprevention and nonpharmacological options to reduce breast cancer risk, the influence of mediating factors such as anxiety and risk perception, and the role of clinicians and family members in decision-making.