What do women with breast cancer really want, after they have been diagnosed? Is a long survival time most important to them, or is it good quality of life and cost-effective care? Healthcare providers may assume that they know the needs of their patients, but in true patient-centred care, there should be a systematic method of assessing patients’ needs and incorporating them into their care. For the first time, Malaysia has a Needs Assessment Tool for Breast Cancer, developed by the Social and Preventive Medicine Department, Universiti of Malaya, and Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Prof Dr Nirmala Bhoo Pathy, Professor of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, joins us to tell us more about the tool and how it can help patients in their journey with breast cancer.

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