Self-advocacy may lead to less pain in older breast cancer survivors
MD Anderson Research Highlight May 06, 2025
Many older female breast cancer survivors experience persistent pain, but they are unsure how to gauge pain intensity and often have anxiety around opioid therapies, making them unlikely to seek treatment. In a study led by Karen E. Alsbrook, Ph.D., R.N., researchers explored the relationships between self-advocacy, patient-centered communication, pain intensity and opioid stigma in this population. The researchers issued questionnaires to 73 participants, aged 65 or older, who were between one and three years post-surgery and/or adjuvant therapy. Findings revealed that higher levels of self-advocacy were associated with positive perceptions of patient-centered communication, although the impacts of pain intensity and opioid stigma were less clear. Additionally, effective communication was linked to lower pain intensity levels, suggesting that nurses can empower patients to improve outcomes with informed decision-making. Understanding these factors is crucial to improving pain management strategies in this patient population. Learn more in Oncology Nursing Forum.
These findings reiterate the importance of empowering female breast cancer survivors over the age of 65 with self-advocacy skills, including informed decision-making, effective communication and connected strength. These skills were associated with the perception that communications between these women and their respective cancer care teams were patient-centered in nature, which is conducive to optimized care across the cancer care continuum in this population.