"Appropriate Management for Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer"

This project aims to elucidate the appropriate management of patients with advanced breast cancer who have received first-line chemotherapy (FLCT) in order to optimise their best quality of life.

The project will examine the clinical utility of SLCT in addition to best symptomatic/supportive care through a prospective evaluation of:

(i)	factors influencing decision-making regarding the use of SLCT;
(ii)	the quality of life reported by patients undergoing each management approach;
(iii)	assessment of costs to the NHS, other agencies, patients and carers of the two management approaches.

The project will also validate simple global outcome measures of:

Publications to date:

Grunfeld EA, Ramirez AJ, Maher EJ, Peach D, Young T, Albery IP, Richards MA.  ‘Chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: what influences oncologists’ decision-making?’  British Journal of Cancer (2001) 84; 9: 1172-1178

Grunfeld EA, Maher EJ, Browne S, Ward P, Young T, Vivat  B, Walker G, Wilson C, Potts HW, Westcombe AM, Richards MA, Ramirez  AJ.  ‘Advanced breast cancer patients’ perceptions of decision making for palliative chemotherapy’.  Journal of Clinical Oncology (2006); 24; 7: 1090-1098

Further information can be obtained from:

Professor Amanda J Ramirez
Department of Liaison Psychiatry
Adamson Centre for Mental Health
St. Thomas' Hospital
Lambeth Palace Road
London, SE1 9RT
UK


Phone: 0207 960 5734
Fax: 0207 960 5719
e-mail: amanda-jane.ramirez@kcl.ac.uk