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
. 2019 Sep 15;125(18):3266-3274.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.32192. Epub 2019 May 23.

Nonadherent behaviors among young women on adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer

Johanna Wassermann  1   2 , Shari I Gelber  1 , Shoshana M Rosenberg  1 , Kathryn J Ruddy  3 , Rulla M Tamimi  4 , Lidia Schapira  5 , Virginia F Borges  6 , Steven E Come  7 , Meghan E Meyer  1 , Ann H Partridge  1
Affiliations
Free article

Nonadherent behaviors among young women on adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer

Johanna Wassermann et al. Cancer. .
Free article

Abstract

Background: Young age is a known factor associated with suboptimal adherence to endocrine therapy (ET) for adjuvant breast cancer (BC) treatment. This study was aimed at assessing nonadherent behaviors and associated factors among young women with early-stage hormone receptor-positive BC.

Methods: As part of a multicenter, prospective cohort of women with a diagnosis of BC at or under the age of 40 years, participants were surveyed 30 months after their diagnosis about adherent behaviors. Among those who reported taking ET, adherence was measured with a 3-item Likert-type scale: Do you ever forget to take your ET? If you feel worse when you take your ET, do you stop taking it? Did you take your ET exactly as directed by your doctor over the last 3 months? Women reporting at least 1 nonadherent behavior were classified as nonadherers. Variables with a P value <.20 were included in a multivariable logistic model.

Results: Among 384 women, 194 (51%) were classified as nonadherers. Univariate factors that retained significance in the multivariable model included educational level (odds ratio [OR], 0.50 for high vs low; P = .04), level of social support according to the Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey (OR, 0.98 per 1 point; P = .01), and confidence with the decision regarding ET measured on a 0 to 10 numerical scale (OR, 0.63 for high vs low; P = .04).

Conclusions: Findings from this study could help to identify young patients at higher risk for nonadherence. Interventions adapted to the level of education and aimed at reinforcing support and patients' confidence in their decision to take ET could improve adherence and associated outcomes in this population.

Keywords: antineoplastic agents; breast neoplasms; hormonal; medication adherence; patient compliance; tamoxifen; young women.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2015-2016. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2015.
    1. Sabiani L, Houvenaeghel G, Heinemann M, et al. Breast cancer in young women: pathologic features and molecular phenotype. Breast. 2016;29:109-116.
    1. Partridge AH, Hughes ME, Warner ET, et al. Subtype-dependent relationship between young age at diagnosis and breast cancer survival. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34:3308-3314.
    1. Davies C, Godwin J, Gray R, et al; Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group. Relevance of breast cancer hormone receptors and other factors to the efficacy of adjuvant tamoxifen: patient-level meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet. 2011;378:771-784.
    1. Francis PA, Pagani O, Fleming GF, et al. Tailoring adjuvant endocrine therapy for premenopausal breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2018;379:122-137.

Publication types