This project looks at how women were informed about potential risks to the heart after radiotherapy. The work will help researchers to understand how a potential risk is communicated, and consider changes to improve experiences for patients receiving radiotherapy.
What's the project about?
Although radiotherapy is delivered in a way which aims to reduce any healthy tissue being included in the treatment area, due to its location it is not always possible to completely avoid the heart. This means that some patients may experience long-term side effects which could affect the health of their heart.
The purpose of the study is to carry out interviews with breast cancer patients who have been treated with non-palliative radiotherapy to explore their:
• Awareness, understanding, risk perceptions and beliefs around cardiovascular disease and late-effects of the heart following radiotherapy
• Experiences of receiving or accessing information about late-effects on the heart following radiotherapy
• Own engagement with lifestyle activities which can help to keep their heart healthy and whether their diagnosis of cancer has influenced them to do this
• Perceived needs and personal preferences of being provided with information on heart late-effects of radiotherapy
• Perceived needs and personal preferences of being provided with information and advice on keeping their heart healthy
What's the criteria for taking part?
We're looking for women aged 18+ who received non-palliative UK radiotherapy for left-sided breast cancer from 2016 onwards.
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