Due recognition.

How often do patients receiving breast radiation report symptoms that are unreported by their doctor? This study analyzed data from nearly 10,000 women treated across the Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium (MROQC) who completed a patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaire during treatment. Over half (53%) reported at least one substantial underrecognized symptom during treatment. So what is an “underrecognized symptom?” Anytime a patient reported substantial pain, pruritus, edema, or fatigue and the provider reported none. The most frequently underrecognized symptom was frequent edema (51%) followed by frequent pruritus (36.7%), moderate-to-severe pain (30.9%), and substantial fatigue (18.8%). Women <60 (and especially those <50) and those of non-white race were more likely to have underrecognized symptoms. In addition, those receiving conventional fractionation, tangent versus regional nodal radiation, and those treated by a male physician were also more likely to have underrecognized symptoms. | Jagsi, JAMA Oncol 2022