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Ye M, Qiu L, Jin Y, Huang Y. Stakeholders' experiences and perceptions of male breast cancer:A qualitative evidence synthesis. Breast 2024; 74:103694. [PMID: 38417232 PMCID: PMC10904996 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2024.103694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The experiences, physical and mental health and needs of women with breast cancer have been studied in some detail, but there is a lack of discussion of the experiences of stakeholder groups such as men with breast cancer, partners and carers and healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to explore and understand the experiences and perceptions of male breast cancer stakeholders from diagnosis through to survivorship. METHODS We conducted a thematic review of qualitative studies included in a large published scoping review on male breast cancer (reported under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews extension). To be included in a qualitative evidence review, studies had to use qualitative methods for data collection and analysis to capture the perspectives of men with breast cancer, partners or caregivers, and healthcare workers. Key characteristics and findings were extracted and a conceptual coding framework was summarized using thematic analysis. RESULTS Out of a total of 310 studies in the research literature (published research articles and gray literature), 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies reported on the experiences of men with breast cancer, partners or caregivers, and healthcare workers, with participant numbers ranging from 2 to 31. A total of 17 descriptive themes (study outcomes) were identified. From these, four high-level analytic themes emerged: (1) Predicament; (2) Emotion; (3) Support; (4) Coping. CONCLUSIONS The gender stigma that exists at the patient, healthcare system, and family-society levels largely influences the experiences of the male breast cancer stakeholder population. To address gender inequalities in breast cancer care, healthcare organizations and society at large should remain equally attentive to the needs of male and female breast cancer patients. These needs include reducing healthcare and social stigma, providing gender-specific information and emotional support, and access to support groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maodie Ye
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lin Qiu
- Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Yongmei Jin
- Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200137, China.
| | - Yingying Huang
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China
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Bhardwaj PV, Gupta S, Elyash A, Teplinsky E. Male Breast Cancer: a Review on Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship. Curr Oncol Rep 2024; 26:34-45. [PMID: 38224426 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-023-01489-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Male breast cancer is a relatively uncommon and rare disease that is often managed based on evidence adopted from trials pertaining to female breast cancer due to low accrual rates or exclusion of males. This is despite the known differences in the biology and epidemiology of this condition. This review provides an update regarding the management and surveillance of male breast cancer. RECENT FINDINGS Men with breast cancer tend to undergo more extensive surgery in the breast and axilla. The outcomes of male breast cancer compared to a similar subtype of female breast cancer appear worse when matched for stage. Systemic therapies remain predominantly based on recommendations for female breast cancer, although tamoxifen is the more optimal endocrine therapy for men than women. Surveillance with mammograms is recommended for patients harboring a breast cancer susceptibility gene but is otherwise not advised for men who have undergone a mastectomy. Notably, the role of other imaging modalities, including ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, is minimal. Although the focus on survivorship care among men is low, it is abundantly clear that this is a stigmatizing diagnosis for men, and they suffer from long-term physical and psychological sequelae following a diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. In summary, providing more gender-inclusive care and advocating for increased representation of men in prospective breast cancer studies and clinical trials may help improve outcomes and provide enhanced support for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prarthna V Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine, Baystate, MA, USA
| | - Shilpi Gupta
- Division of Medical Oncology, Atlantic Health System, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, NJ, USA
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Zhou S, Yu M, Zhou Z, Wang L, Liu W, Dai Q. The effects of art therapy on quality of life and psychosomatic symptoms in adults with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther 2023; 23:434. [PMID: 38041063 PMCID: PMC10691094 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04258-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer-related psychological and physical disorders can mean stressful and painful experiences for patients. Art therapy, a form of complementary and alternative medicine, is an increasingly popular way to decrease emotional stress, alleviate somatic symptoms, and improve quality of life in patients with cancer. However, current systematic reviews have not explored the beneficial effects of art therapy. Moreover, there have been inconsistent findings on the effect of this therapy, and there is insufficient evidence to confirm the effects in adults with cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of art therapy in improving quality of life and psychosomatic symptoms in adults with cancer. METHODS This systematic review and meta-analysis included adults with all kinds of cancer. Six English-language and three large Chinese-language databases were comprehensively searched for relevant studies. Gray literature and references were also checked. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. RESULTS Eight eligible randomized controlled trials conducted in four countries were included. Art therapy improved overall quality of life, but had no significant effect on psychological health or physical health sub-dimensions in women with cancer. Moreover, art therapy alleviated anxiety and depression, but had only a tendency toward an effect on somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Moderate-quality evidence shows that art therapy is beneficial for women with cancer in terms of improving the overall quality of life and alleviating emotional symptoms (anxiety and depression). However, more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the efficacy of this therapy on somatic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- ShiShuang Zhou
- School of Nursing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - MeiHong Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Research Center of Digestive Disease, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- Departments of Neonatology, People's Hospital (ZhuHai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - LiWen Wang
- Departments of Neonatology, People's Hospital (ZhuHai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - WeiWei Liu
- School of Nursing, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Qin Dai
- Department of Medical Psychology, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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Vegunta S, Kuhle CL, Vencill JA, Lucas PH, Mussallem DM. Sexual Health after a Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Addressing a Forgotten Aspect of Survivorship. J Clin Med 2022; 11:6723. [PMID: 36431200 PMCID: PMC9698007 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11226723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The life expectancy after a breast cancer diagnosis is improving steadily, leaving many more persons with the long-term consequences of treatment. Sexual problems are a common concern for breast cancer survivors yet remain overlooked in both the clinical setting and the research literature. Factors that contribute to sexual health concerns in breast cancer survivors are biopsychosocial, as are the barriers to addressing and treating these health concerns. Sexual health needs and treatment may vary by anatomy and gender. Multidisciplinary management may comprise lifestyle modifications, medications, sexual health aids such as vibrators, counseling, and referrals to pelvic health physical therapy and specialty care. In this article, we review the contributing factors, screening, and management of sexual difficulties in cisgender female breast cancer survivors. More information is needed to better address the sexual health of breast cancer survivors whose sexual/gender identity differs from that of cisgender women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suneela Vegunta
- Division of Women’s Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 13400 Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA
| | - Carol L. Kuhle
- Menopause and Women’s Sexaul Health Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Vencill
- Menopause and Women’s Sexaul Health Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Pauline H. Lucas
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA
| | - Dawn M. Mussallem
- Jacoby Center for Breast Health, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
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Body talk and resilience: Aging men's experiences with mastectomy and prostatectomy. J Aging Stud 2022; 61:101010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaging.2022.101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Rogers CC, Pope S, Whitfield F, Cohn WF, Valdez RS. The lived experience during the peri-diagnostic period of breast cancer: A scoping review. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2022; 105:547-585. [PMID: 34210570 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the existing research that investigates the lived experience during the peri-diagnostic period of breast cancer. METHODS Nine databases were searched for relevant literature between January 2007 and April 2019. Data were extracted and categorized using deductive and inductive approaches. RESULTS A majority of the 66 studies included used qualitative methods to retrospectively explore the treatment decision making process of female breast cancer patients. Patients experienced uncertainty, emotional distress, and a need for more information from providers and relied on social support and family guidance during this period. CONCLUSIONS The results of this review show that the burdens experienced during the peri-diagnostic period parallel those in later periods of cancer care. However, these burdens are prompted by different circumstances. More research is needed to explore the lived experience during this period through the use of mixed-methods and by recruiting a diverse sample with regards to role in the breast cancer experience, age, gender, race, and ethnicity. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Interventions positioned at earlier points in the breast cancer experience should provide informational support, which could be delivered through shared decision making models. Additional support could be facilitated by patient navigation programs and health information technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney C Rogers
- Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Shannon Pope
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Francesca Whitfield
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Wendy F Cohn
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Rupa S Valdez
- Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States.
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Passing as normal: Negotiating boundaries and coping with male breast cancer. Soc Sci Med 2021; 284:114239. [PMID: 34303290 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Male breast cancer is a rare and understudied disease. In addition to coping with cancer, suffering from what is perceived as a "woman's disease" significantly burdens men's illness experience and can lead to stigmatization. The way men cope with these challenges has not been studied to date. Drawing on stigma, coping, and destigmatization theories, this study aims to explore how men experience and respond to the diagnosis of an illness typically associated with women. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 Israeli men who were diagnosed with breast cancer within the past 10 years. Thematic analysis was performed, focusing on participants' references to experiencing and managing the psychosocial implications of being a male breast cancer patient. RESULTS Results demonstrated that participants faced stigmatizing situations both inside and outside healthcare settings. In addition, findings revealed four main responses to stigmatization: (1) selective disclosure, (2) concealment practices, (3) universalizing, and (4) making comparisons. Whereas the first two are strategic reactions to specific situations, the latter two are general conceptual destigmatizing responses. CONCLUSIONS Men's coping styles reveal their efforts to disengage from the discrediting attributes of male breast cancer, to distance themselves from female breast cancer, and to avoid emasculation. They manage stigmatizing situations using disengagement situational responses, such as concealment and selective disclosure, and negotiate group boundaries with the goal of destigmatizing male breast cancer. Beyond broadening the understanding of coping with male breast cancer, this study also illustrates the significant place of boundary work as a destigmatization practice about illness-related stigma.
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Wang S, Chen S, Huang Y, Hu D, Zeng W, Zhou L, Zhou W, Chen D, Feng H, Wei W, Zhang C, Liu Z, Wang M, Guo L. Refusal of cancer-directed surgery in male breast cancer. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e25116. [PMID: 33787594 PMCID: PMC8021363 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000025116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been reported that some male breast cancer patients may refuse the recommended surgery, but the incidence rate in the United States is not clear. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence, trends, risk factors, and eventual survival outcomes associated with the rejection of such cancer-directed surgery.We collected data on 5860 patients with male breast cancer (MBC) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, including 50 patients refusing surgery as recommended. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to identify the effects of refusing surgery on cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). The association between acceptance or rejection of surgery and mortality were estimated by nested Cox proportional hazards regression models with adjustment for age, race, clinical characteristics, and radiation.Of the 5860 patients identified, 50 (0.9%) refused surgery. Old age (≥65: hazard ratio [HR]: 3.056, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.738-5.374, P < .0001), higher AJCC stage (III: HR: 3.283, 95% CI: 2.134-5.050, P < .0001, IV: HR: 14.237, 95% CI: 8.367-24.226, P < .0001), progesterone receptor status (negative: HR: 1.633, 95% CI: 1.007-2.648, P = .047) were considered risk factors. Compared with the surgery group, the refusal group was associated with a poorer prognosis in both OS and CSS (χ2 = 94.81, P < .001, χ2 = 140.4, P < .001). Moreover, significant differences were also observed in OS and CSS among 1:3 matched groups (P = .0002, P < .001).Compared with the patients undergoing surgery, the patients who refused the cancer-directed surgery had poor prognosis in the total survival period, particularly in stage II and III. The survival benefit for undergoing surgery remained even after adjustment, which indicates the importance of surgical treatment before an advanced stage for male breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Di Hu
- Department of Plastic Surgery
| | - Wen Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Wei Wei
- Department of Pediatrics, St John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, MI
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Younas A. Epistemic Injustice in Health Care Professionals and Male Breast Cancer Patients Encounters. ETHICS & BEHAVIOR 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2020.1756819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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