Navigator-assisted hypofractionation (NAVAH) to address radiation therapy access disparities facing African-Americans with breast cancer

Shearwood McClelland, Eleanor E. Harris, Daniel E. Spratt, Chesley Cheatham, Yilun Sun, Alexandria L. Oliver, Jerry J. Jaboin, Reshma Jagsi, Daniel G. Petereit

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: African-Americans have the highest overall cancer death rate and shortest survival time of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. The most common cancer studied in African-American radiation therapy (RT ) access disparities research is breast cancer. The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of patient navigation on RT access for African-American breast cancer patients. Material and methods: This study is a prospective survey-based evaluation of the impact of patient navigation on access to hypofractionated RT and financial toxicity in African-American breast cancer patients. The impact of patient navigation on RT access will be collated and analyzed from survey results pre-RT versus post-RT as well as for patients with versus without receipt of patient navigation. The validated COST-Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy score will be used to compare hypofractionation versus standard fractionated RT financial toxicity for patients with early-stage breast cancer who have received lumpectomy. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the impact of patient navigation on reducing RT access disparities facing African-American breast cancer patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)583-588
Number of pages6
JournalReports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy
Volume27
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adjuvant radiation therapy
  • African-american race
  • Breast cancer
  • Health disparities
  • Hypofractionation
  • Patient navigation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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