Abstract
BACKGROUND: As more young patients with breast cancer undergo treatments and obtain good prognoses, the issue of postoperative reproduction in breast cancer patients has attracted more attention. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional survey of 2000 breast cancer-associated physicians using a 24-items questionnaire adapted from prior guides. Then we used a multivariable linear regression model to confirm independent associations between the propensity of physicians' attitudes toward reproduction and physicians' specific demographic characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 911/1249 (72.93%) eligible physicians completed the questionnaire. Regarding the most concerning topic of whether breast cancer patients could conceive, 65 (7.1%) physicians having low and 457 (50.2%) physicians having high propensity for recommending reproduction. For ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) after surgery and radiotherapy, 599 (65.8%) physicians did not agree with the recommendation to conceive. 231 (25.4%) highly agree with the recommendation of reproduction for 2 years after surgery in invasive breast cancer patients with lymph nodes-negative. Only 140 (15.4%) physicians did not agree with the recommendation for 5 years after surgery in invasive breast cancer patients with lymph nodes-positive. A total of 861 (94.5%) physicians stated that they advised the patients to consult experts from other disciplines, such as gynecology, oncology, genetic and psychology disciplines. In multivariable analysis, more positive attitude toward reproduction was significantly associated with male, more than 11 times of participating in academic forum on breast cancer, 1-2 times of consulting about reproduction problems after breast cancer surgery per outpatient service and more than 11 min spending on solving the problem about reproduction in early breast cancer. CONCLUSION: This study showed that attitudes towards reproduction of young breast cancer patients from physicians in China. Physicians had a high propensity for recommending reproduction. Compared with the two reproduction guidelines recommendation when to reproduce in different circumstances for breast cancer patients, physicians from China remained a relatively conservative attitude. Most physicians advised the patients to consult experts from other disciplines, such as gynecology, oncology, genetic and psychology disciplines.