Preparing Breast Cancer Patients for Radiotherapy Treatment in the COVID-19 Era

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Undergoing radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer can be a daunting and anxiety-provoking experience. Evidence shows that empowering patients with education prior to commencing treatment can have a positive impact on their anxiety levels [1,2]. We aimed to educate this patient cohort through the development of a video to reinforce information delivered at consultation regarding the treatment process and side-effects of breast radiotherapy. Methods: We created a patient information video in collaboration with breast cancer patients, which is available to view on the Royal Free Hospital Trust website via the following link. Audits were carried out to assess patient satisfaction and anxiety levels in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy before and after implementation of the video. Results: Pre-video implementation data (n = 25) 36% (9/25) of patients reported feeling anxious about starting radiotherapy, 28% had neutral feelings and 36% had no anxiety. 68% (17/25) of patients felt they would benefit from an educational video. Post-video implementation data (n = 29) 72% of patients (21/29) watched the video, 95% of patients (20/21) would recommend the video to other patients, 85% found it helped prepare them for what to expect from radiotherapy, 33% (7/21) felt the video reduced their anxiety levels. Data collected post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in UK (n = 15) 66% of patients felt COVID-19 has negatively impacted their cancer treatment. The proportion of patients who watched the video increased from 58% to 80% pre- and post-onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Our video has been viewed 18 354 times at the time of writing, showing very encouraging patient engagement. It is an effective method of preparing a vulnerable population for radiotherapy from the safety of their own home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although only 33% felt it improved their anxiety levels, only 36% of patients had anxiety regarding treatment at any point. References [1] Nabavi FH, Behboudifar A, Pouresmail Z, Shafiee MN. Effect of pre-treatment education programs on the anxiety of patients receiving radiotherapy an integrative literature review. Evidence Based Care J 2016;649–62. [2] Assessing the impact of educational video on student engagement, critical thinking and learning the current state of play ;Education.report. Available at.