Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership

Background Major improvements in breast cancer treatment in the last decade include advancements in postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). Unfortunately, the studies in PMBR are primarily researcher or industry led with minimal input from patients and caregivers. The aim of this study is to us...

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Main Authors: Toni Zhong, Katherine Cowan, Geoff Porter, Claire Temple-Oberle, Kelly Metcalfe, Anisha Mahajan, Martin LeBlanc
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-08-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e047589.full
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author Toni Zhong
Katherine Cowan
Geoff Porter
Claire Temple-Oberle
Kelly Metcalfe
Anisha Mahajan
Martin LeBlanc
author_facet Toni Zhong
Katherine Cowan
Geoff Porter
Claire Temple-Oberle
Kelly Metcalfe
Anisha Mahajan
Martin LeBlanc
author_sort Toni Zhong
collection DOAJ
description Background Major improvements in breast cancer treatment in the last decade include advancements in postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). Unfortunately, the studies in PMBR are primarily researcher or industry led with minimal input from patients and caregivers. The aim of this study is to use the James Lind Alliance (JLA) approach to bring together the patients, caregivers and clinicians in a priority setting partnership to identify the most important unanswered research questions in PMBR.Methods The JLA priority setting methodology involved four key stages: gathering research questions on PMBR from patients, caregivers and clinicians; checking these research questions against existing evidence; interim prioritisation and a final consensus meeting to determine the top 10 unanswered research questions using the modified nominal group methodology.Results In stage 1, 3168 research questions were submitted from 713 respondents across Canada, of which 73% of the participants were patients or caregivers. Stage 2 confirmed that there were a total of 48 unique unanswered questions. In stage three, 488 individuals completed the interim prioritisation survey and the top 25 questions were taken to a final consensus meeting. In the final stage, the top 10 unanswered research questions were determined. They cover a breadth of topics including personalised surgical treatment, safety of implants and newer techniques, access to PMBR, breast cancer recurrence and rehabilitation.Interpretation Identification of the top 10 unanswered research questions is an important first step to generating relevant and impactful research that will ultimately improve the PMBR experience for patients with breast cancer.
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spelling doaj-art-1f4e6b3530724ce9b61128ab041994bc2024-12-08T21:40:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-08-0111810.1136/bmjopen-2020-047589Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnershipToni Zhong0Katherine Cowan1Geoff Porter2Claire Temple-Oberle3Kelly Metcalfe4Anisha Mahajan5Martin LeBlanc6Plastic Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaJames Lind Alliance, Southampton, UK12 Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaPlastic Surgery, Alberta Health Services Department of Surgery, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaPlastic Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaGeneral Surgery, Dalhousie University Department of Surgery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaBackground Major improvements in breast cancer treatment in the last decade include advancements in postmastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). Unfortunately, the studies in PMBR are primarily researcher or industry led with minimal input from patients and caregivers. The aim of this study is to use the James Lind Alliance (JLA) approach to bring together the patients, caregivers and clinicians in a priority setting partnership to identify the most important unanswered research questions in PMBR.Methods The JLA priority setting methodology involved four key stages: gathering research questions on PMBR from patients, caregivers and clinicians; checking these research questions against existing evidence; interim prioritisation and a final consensus meeting to determine the top 10 unanswered research questions using the modified nominal group methodology.Results In stage 1, 3168 research questions were submitted from 713 respondents across Canada, of which 73% of the participants were patients or caregivers. Stage 2 confirmed that there were a total of 48 unique unanswered questions. In stage three, 488 individuals completed the interim prioritisation survey and the top 25 questions were taken to a final consensus meeting. In the final stage, the top 10 unanswered research questions were determined. They cover a breadth of topics including personalised surgical treatment, safety of implants and newer techniques, access to PMBR, breast cancer recurrence and rehabilitation.Interpretation Identification of the top 10 unanswered research questions is an important first step to generating relevant and impactful research that will ultimately improve the PMBR experience for patients with breast cancer.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e047589.full
spellingShingle Toni Zhong
Katherine Cowan
Geoff Porter
Claire Temple-Oberle
Kelly Metcalfe
Anisha Mahajan
Martin LeBlanc
Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
BMJ Open
title Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
title_full Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
title_fullStr Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
title_full_unstemmed Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
title_short Identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction: a James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership
title_sort identifying the top research priorities in postmastectomy breast cancer reconstruction a james lind alliance priority setting partnership
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/8/e047589.full
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