Northwestern University Research Shows That Many Women Quit Taking Breast Cancer Drugs

Scientists at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago have conducted a study on why women who have had breast cancer choose to stop taking drugs that are aimed at preventing the disease from reoccurring.

Lead investigator Lynne Wagner, an associate professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern, states, “Clinicians consistently underestimate the side effects associated with the treatment. They give patients a drug they hope will help them, so they have a motivation to underrate the negative effects.”

The research found that 36 percent of women given these drugs discontinue their use because of the side effects, which include joint pain, mood swings, nausea, weight gain, and hot flashes. The study also found that women were reluctant to tell their doctors about the side effects.

Dr. Wagner is a graduate of the University of Michigan. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from DePaul University in Chicago.