How Do Breast Cancer Survivors Perceive Care Provided by Their Primary Care Physicians?

At more than 2 million strong, breast cancer survivors constitute the largest population of cancer survivors in the U.S.; however, we have little data about how such patients perceive care they receive from primary care physicians (PCPs). Investigators conducted a cross-sectional survey of postmenopausal women who received care for stage I–III breast cancer at an urban breast cancer center.

Among 286 evaluable respondents (mean age, 61; 84% non-Latina white, 13% non-Latina black), 5% had not seen their PCPs since their breast cancer diagnoses, 34% visited their PCPs annually, 47% visited their PCPs two to four times annually, and 14% visited more frequently. Most felt that their PCPs were sensitive to their needs as people (78%), paid attent…