Helping Patients to Help Themselves after Breast Cancer Treatment

Abstract

There is a rise in the number of women living with the long-term consequences of cancer and continuing to suffer unmet need as breast cancer survival improves. This paper includes an introduction to self-management and a discussion of the evidence around the effectiveness of the key intervention types that could help patients to help themselves after treatment. Self-management interventions are particularly beneficial in reducing bother from symptoms, without patients having to take on the additional burden of more unwanted side-effects frequently seen with pharmacological interventions. There is a need to prioritise the funding of these financially viable self-management strategies to ensure equity of access and that these interventions are available for those in need.

Keywords: Cancer survivors; confidence; self-efficacy; self-management.