Impact of Decision Aids on Breast Cancer Surgery Choice: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Both simple mastectomy and breast conservation therapy (BCT) with radiotherapy yield similar survival rates in breast cancer. These two treatment strategies have diverted cosmetic outcome and convenience. Thus, shared decision making (SDM) is necessary to aid patients to choose an appropriate treatment that suits thier needs. We have developed a decision aids (DAs) and plan to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate its impact on cancer patients. The measurements include a battery of interview-based questionnaires and evaluations of decision regret and postsurgical depression. We expect the DAs would benefit the intervention group in the aspects of knowledge, communication and anxiety status during and after thier treatment sessions.