A Trial of a Comprehensive Breast Cancer Treatment Patient Decision Tool

This study examines the impact of an online decision tool for patients with early stage invasive breast cancer. The study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 444 newly diagnosed patients, recruited from multiple surgical practices in two SEER catchment areas. Participants will be randomized to receive either a basic version of a decision tool (similar to existing website with breast cancer information) or an enhanced version (featuring a knowledge building component, a values clarification exercise, and a patient activation module). Our hypothesis is that patients who use the enhanced version of the tool will have greater knowledge of their test and treatment options, have a higher rate of high quality (i.e., informed, preference-concordant) decisions, and report more positive appraisal of the decision-making process.