Recurrent breast cancer patients ‘need liaison nurse’

Women dealing with the distressing news that their breast cancer has come back and facing further treatment need specialist support in the form of a dedicated nurse, according to a leading cancer doctor.

Dr Séamus O’Reilly, a consultant oncologist at Cork University Hospital (CUH), said women with metastatic (or recurrent) breast cancer, where the disease has spread from the breast to other parts of the body, frequently had to navigate their way between a range of specialties dealing with anything up to 20 medical professionals, including in oncology, radiotherapy, surgery, pain management, palliative care and occupational therapy.

Dr O’Reilly, who is head of the Oncology Clinical Trials unit at CUH where he leads a national study of the needs of women with metastatic breast cancer, said international studies had shown that having a dedicated nurse to support these patients worked very well.

“The studies show that patient care is better, the patient feels more looked after, patient satisfaction is higher and there is better adherence to care guidelines,” he said. For these reasons Dr O’Reilly is spearheading an appeal by the CUH Charity to raise funds to employ a breast cancer liaison nurse — which the hospital does not have, despite its status as a centre of excellence — at a time when the public sector recruitment embargo remains in place.

“We need to raise at least €180,000 to cover the cost of three years’ salary,” Dr O’Reilly said.

Helen O’Sullivan, a 55-year-old mother- of-three from Rochestown in Cork, believes that the appointment of such a nurse would reduce the emotional and psychological hardship and streamline care for patients. Helen, who was treated for breast cancer in 2010, was devastated when given a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer in her pelvis and her hip in Oct 2012.

“I froze when I heard. I was stunned, completely overwhelmed, it was a very different experience to the previous time. I had totally different emotions and an awful lot of questions but I found it hard to take in what the different doctors and nurses were telling me.

“A dedicated nurse to explain all the medical terminology, to provide me with psychological support, to educate me and to help me process all the information was definitely what I needed — a single point of contact to talk about my prognosis,” she added.

Of the 300-plus people diagnosed with symptomatic breast cancer in CUH each year, 20% will be diagnosed with metastatic (or recurrent) breast cancer.

lThe CUH Charity appeal is supported by Cork Arc Cancer Support House. To donate to, or fundraise for, the Breast Cancer Liaison Nurse appeal visit www.cuhcharity.ie, email info@ cuhcharity.ie or call 021 423 4529.