[Acceptance of chemotherapy by Brazilian women with breast cancer].

Introduction: Breast cancer has the second highest incidence and is the first cause of death by cancer among Brazilian women. Under the physician's perspective chemotherapy should be indicated according to the risk benefit ratio in each case. However, from the Brazilian breast cancer patient's perspective this risk benefit ratio requires further classification.

Objective: In patients with breast cancer who have already received chemotherapy evaluate the minimum benefit considered necessary for a renewed administration and learn which factors may influence this decision.

Methods: we surveyed 53 patients comprising general, clinical and cancer related variables, as well as issues related to the minimal expected benefit which would induce the patient to agree to undergo chemotherapy.

Results: 75% would accept to receive chemotherapy again even if it would not change their probability of relapse, 50% would accept chemotherapy again, even though it would not increase survival rates. Similarly, 81.54% would submit once more to chemotherapy even though it would not increase their probability of cure. Acceptance of a new chemotherapy treatment yielding minimal benefits correlated significantly with more age, with a lower educational level and with no previous administration of Adriamycin.

Conclusion: Even with a minimal benefit, the majority of formerly treated breast cancer patients are willing to submit to another chemotherapy treatment.